IAMC lauds US body’s decision to flag India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ for fourth time

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Washington, May 02, 2023 (PPI-OT):The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has welcomed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) decision to recommend India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern (CPC)’ for its severe violations of human rights and religious freedoms for the fourth consecutive year. “This decision reaffirms what IAMC has been saying for years: that India’s government has continued to systematically violate the religious freedom of minority communities, particularly Muslims and Christians,” said IAMC press statement issued in Washington. The statement said, it is high time that the State Department acts on USCIRF’s recommendation and holds India accountable as the ground situation becomes increasingly more violent and dangerous for its religious minorities. “We particularly welcome that the report highlights the systematic and appalling harassment of journalists,” it said.

In its 2023 annual report, USCIRF has highlighted that religious freedoms in India continued to deteriorate, including through laws targeting religious conversion, interfaith relationships, cow slaughter, free speech, and non-governmental organisations. “The Indian government invoked the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Sedition Act throughout the year to target freedom of religion and expression, creating an increasing climate of intimidation and fear,” the USCRIF report stated. “Authorities surveilled, harassed, detained, and prosecuted a number of journalists, lawyers, rights activists, and religious minorities advocating religious freedom,” it said.

In addition to recommending that India be listed on the CPC list, USCIRF has also urged the US government to raise religious freedom issues in the US-India bilateral relationship and to impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of minority rights. The IAMC echoed USCIRF in calling on the US Department of State to immediately act on the commission’s recommendations and hold the Indian government accountable for allowing and enabling the persecution of its 250 million religious minorities. The IAMC also urged the Indian government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and protect the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their religion.

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