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The U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom today issued an Addendum to its
May 1, 2001 Annual Report containing chapters on Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. The reports on the Middle Eastern countries were
compiled following a Commission trip to the region in late
March, too late for inclusion in the Annual Report itself.
On Egypt,
the Commission found that despite some positive developments,
serious problems of discrimination against a number of religious
groups – particularly Christians and Baha’is – remain
widespread. In addition, the government maintains tight control
over all Muslim religious institutions. The Commission
recommended that the U.S. government (1) monitor closely the
conditions of religious freedom in Egypt; (2) raise these issues
prominently in bilateral relations with the Egyptian government,
including at the highest levels; and (3) urge the Egyptian
government to accelerate progress on addressing these issues and
promoting the religious freedom of all Egyptians. Commissioner
Nina Shea issued a concurring opinion with reservations.
On Saudi
Arabia, the Commission remains concerned over the
extremely poor conditions of religious freedom there. As the
State Department has bluntly summarized the situation in Saudi
Arabia in its annual reports on international religious freedom:
“Freedom of religion does not exist.” The Commission
recommended that the U.S. government:
- - designate Saudi Arabia
as a “country of particular concern” under the International
Religious Freedom Act;
-- consistently press the Saudi
government to expand and safeguard the freedom to worship
privately of non-Muslims and of those Muslims who do not follow
the government’s interpretation and presentation of Islam;
including permission for clergy to enter the country and perform
private religious services for Saudi residents;
-- urge the Saudi government to
engage in dialogue with the international leaders of those
religious communities represented in Saudi Arabia;
-- encourage the Saudi government
to promote religious tolerance and respect toward all religions
in their education system;
-- urge the Saudi government to
grant access to human rights reporters from international and
non-governmental organizations and to journalists.
The Commission also recommended
that reports by the State Department on religious liberty in
Saudi Arabia should reflect more accurately the extreme
difficulties for religious believers there. Commissioners
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick and David Saperstein issued
concurring views.
The Commission sees its study of
the situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories as a
complex matter requiring additional work. Commissioners did not
feel they were ready to make formal recommendations.
Commissioner Laila Al-Marayati issued a dissenting view.
The full text of the reports,
recommendations, and individual opinions can be found on the
Commission Web site at www.uscirf.gov or can be obtained by
calling the Communications office at (202) 523-3240. |
