Please join us for a special conversation between ADF International and Algerian Pastor Youssef Ourahmane. In 2023, Pastor Youssef was convicted and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for his role as a church leader in Tizi Ouzou. He is currently appealing his case to the Supreme Court of Algeria with support from ADF International.

Pastor Youssef is one of the leading figures in the Èglise Protestante d’Algérie (EPA), the Evangelical Protestant group whose 43 churches have been forcibly closed by the Authorities since 2019, leaving only one with its church open today. Over the past five years, security police in Algeria have received orders from the Ministry of Interior to systematically shutter the EPA churches under the pretext of alleged building code violations.

Pastor Youssef is one of over 50 Christians to have been prosecuted since 2019 for vaguely defined offenses such as “shaking the faith” of Muslims and illegal worship. The prosecutions are thought to be motivated by the government’s concern over the large numbers of local Christian converts in the country. We are honored that Pastor Youssef will be speaking in-depth about his ordeal at this event and sharing his personal experience as a church leader in one of the most difficult countries in the world for Christians.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please register no later than October 11th. Registration is required to attend the event. Spots are limited.

The Africa Working Group invites you to an important virtual briefing where we will be discussing the proposed National Religious and Faith Organizations (RFOs) Policy 2023 in Uganda and the potential impact on religious freedom and constitutional rights. The webinar will provide an overview of the concerns raised by the IRF Community and Africa Working Group and discuss the letter that was circulated to the President of Uganda. It’s a vital opportunity to engage in the discussion and explore ways we can collectively influence this policy.

You are invited to join us for the next Hybrid IRF Roundtable with U.S. Government on Tuesday, September 17 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM on Capitol Hill.  Special guest speakers will be announced in the coming weeks!

Thinking about submitting an agenda item? 

We encourage all roundtable participants to consider submitting an agenda item. Your voice and contribution is valuable. Agenda items to consider:

1. REPORT on conditions of religious persecution globally

2. SHARE IRF-related resources (reports, case studies, programs)

3. INVITE multi-faith action (multi-faith letter, upcoming event, working groups)

Due to time limitations, we will not be able to accommodate all requests. We apologize in advance for this, but will confirm agenda items by September 12.

INTRODUCTION (5:30-5:35 pm), Matthew Reynolds, UNHCR Representative

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS (5:35 pm – 5:45 pm)

• Chairman Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)

• Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)

BRIEF REMARKS (5:45 pm – 6:05 pm)

• Bill Canny, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

• Christine Tobias-Nahi, Islamic Relief USA

• Rabbi Sarah Bassin, HIAS

• Mark Smith, World Vision

CONCLUDING REMARKS (6:05 – 6:10 pm), Suzanne Ehlers, USA for UNHCR CEO/President

The Abraham Women Alliance Zoom Panels are a call to action to support the lofty principles of equality, peacebuilding and empowerment in the daily fabric of our lives. Religious-based violence and anti-semitism have no place in our homes, families and societies.

Please join us for a candid conversation about the critical role that women play in the inter-faith and peacebuilding process among the Abrahamic faiths. Women in the Middle East must take the mantle of leadership for peacebuilding in the Middle East.

Objectives:

• Build trust and relationships

• Explore challenges and opportunities

• Share practical tools & resource

• Identify inter-faith & gender equality champions

• Foster religious harmony in the MENA region

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual hearing on religious freedom conditions in Pakistan and policy options for the U.S. government.

In 2024, religious freedom conditions in Pakistan continue to decline. Religious minorities are frequently subjected to lengthy prison sentences or solitary confinement under the country’s draconian blasphemy law. Increasing instances of blasphemy accusations have contributed to waves of mob violence that disproportionately impact religious minority communities, resulting in lynchings and damaged places of worship. Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community continue to face harassment and arbitrary arrest, and Hindu, Christian, and Sikh women and girls remain particularly vulnerable to kidnappings and forced conversion.

In its 2024 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department again designate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. Witnesses will discuss the Pakistani government’s legal framework, including blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws, and laws pertaining to forced conversion. They will also examine the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship and discuss opportunities for U.S. engagement and current programming efforts to advance religious freedom.

Opening Remarks

• Stephen Schneck, Chair, USCIRF

• Eric Ueland, Vice Chair, USCIRF

• Asif Mahmood, Commissioner, USCIRF

Panel I

• Änjali Kaur, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Asia Bureau, USAID

Panel II

• Peter Jacob, Director, Centre for Social Justice

• Asif Aqeel, Founding Director, Center for Law & Justice

• Amjad Mahmood Khan, Adjunct Professor, UCLA School of Law; National Secretary for Public Affairs, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA

*Additional witnesses may be added 

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email media@uscirf.gov.

The International Religious Freedom of Belief Alliance (IRFBA) invites you to a webinar marking the International Day Commemorating Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. The IRFBA focuses on prisoners of conscience and the fate that they have been facing globally. Among the speakers are former prisoners of conscience and also family members of those still imprisoned. They are to shine the light on what it means to be a prisoner of conscience and how they could be helped. 

Speakers include: 

• Amb. Robert Rehak - Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, Interfaith Dialogue and Freedom of Religion or Belief (Czech Republic), IRFBA Chair 

• Cezar Pavalascu - Director, State Secretariat for Religious Affairs (Romania), Chair of the IRFBA Working Group on Atrocity Prevention

• Paweł Radomski - Foreign Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion (Poland)

• Rushan Abbas - Uyghur advocate, sister of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, prisoner of conscience in China

• Wade Kusack - Love Your Neighbor Community (LYNC), Founder and President 

• Amelda Ismael Khudeeda - Yazda, Documentation Team 

• Bianca Jagger - human rights defender working with former prisoners of conscience from Nicaragua 

• Bani Dugan - Principal Representative, Bahá'í International Community's UN Office

Hosted by Empower Women Media & Global Christian Relief

After the October 7 attacks, we must stand together and build a strategic, multi-faith network to support peace and the Abraham Accords. Please join us for a candid conversation between Arabs and Jews about their insights since the outbreak of the Hamas- Israel war. The event will include a special screening of the short film, Halfway, which won the Empower Women Media "Global Peace Award”.

Light appetizers & drinks will be served.