Article Title: Part of “pattern of issuing biased assessments”: Centre on report by USA Commission
27-03-2025
International Relations Prelims Plus
Context
• The Union government on Wednesday lashed out at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its latest report that expresses concerns about “attacks and discrimination” against religious minorities in India and calls for sanctions against India’s intelligence agency.
• The 2025 Annual Report of the USCIRF has recommended again that the U.S. government designate India, along with 15 other countries, a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
• It is U.S. federal government agency.
• It was created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), as amended.
• Functions: USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.
• It is based on international human rights standards, especially Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that ensured freedom of religion.
• It monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in countries other than the US.
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