While many countries are increasingly denying religious freedoms, especially bad acts of religious persecution are more likely to draw global protest 20 years after the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, a US federal watchdog commission has reported.

Delivering a mixed picture, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2018 annual report on 2017 religious freedom violations in 28 countries.

'Sadly, religious freedom conditions deteriorated in many countries in 2017, often due to increasing authoritarianism or under the guise of countering terrorism,' USCIRF chairman Daniel Mark said.

'Yet there is also reason for optimism 20 years after the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act,' Mark added. 'The importance of this foundational right is appreciated more now than ever, and egregious violations are less likely to go unnoticed.'

As Baptist Press noted, October will mark the 20th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) which has never been fully implemented but was strengthened in 2016 by the Frank R Wolf International Religious Freedom Act to address implementation concerns.

USCIRF's report encouraged the Trump administration to implement the IRFA and related laws fully.

'In its second year, the Trump Administration should build on stated commitments to elevate religious freedom as a priority in our foreign policy and national security strategy by vigorously implementing IRFA, the Frank Wolf Act, and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act [of 2016] to pressure egregious violators,' Mark said. 'USCIRF also urges the administration to prioritise seeking the release of religious prisoners of conscience abroad, and to work closely with international partners in efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief for all.'

Each year, USCIRF recommends countries of particular concern (CPCs), or 'Tier 1' countries, based on 'systemic, ongoing, egregious' violations, as well as a 'Tier 2' 'watch list' of countries that meet one or two of the criteria for CPCs.

The most severe abuses reported included genocide, killings, slavery, rape, imprisonment, forced displacement and forced conversions as well as childhood religious education bans, female marginalisation, intimidation, harassment and property destruction.

'In addition to endangering individuals and communities, severe violations of religious freedom threaten the stability and security of nations and regions,' USCIRF said. 'The freedom to follow one's conscience in matters of religion or belief is essential to human dignity and human flourishing.'

CPCs in 2018 are the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria and Vietnam, in addition to 10 countries the US Congress designated in December 2017: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

USCIRF has recommended 12 countries for a US 2018 watch list: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia and Turkey.

The USCIRF report notes particular acts of persecution including the unjust imprisonment of the American pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey; the genocidal campaign waged by Islamic State against Christians, Yazidis and Shi'a Muslims in Iraq and Syria; the Nigerian government's failure to prevent or punish religion-based violence involving Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen; Pakistani blasphemy laws and increased extremist activity against minority religious communities including Christians and others; and Russia's ban on Jehovah's Witnesses and accusations of 'extremism' against peaceful religious groups.

The full report can be viewed here.