USCIRF Releases New Report Highlighting Religious Freedom in Iraq

March 23, 2022 | Washington, DC | USCIRF

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:

Iraq Country Update – This report examines religious freedom conditions in Iraq over the past year. Specifically, it highlights progress as well as challenges facing religious minority groups including Sunni Arabs, Yazidis, Christians, and nontheists in the country. The report also discusses key U.S. policy engagement with the Iraqi government to help improve conditions for these religious communities.

In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S State Department place Iraq on its Special Watch List (SWL) for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations. USCIRF also highlighted conditions in Iraq during a virtual event on accountability for crimes against humanity, as well as a hearing on Ending Genocide: Accountability for Perpetrators. The Iraq chapter of the 2021 Annual Report is also available in Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji dialects) and Arabic.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].