U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

34–828PDF WASHINGTON : 2019

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA: ARE 

GOVERNMENTS KEEPING THEIR COMMITMENTS? 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND 

COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

DECEMBER 11, 2018 

Printed for the use of the 

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 

[CSCE 115–2–7] 

( 

Available via www.csce.gov 

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COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS 

HOUSE SENATE 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, 

Co-Chairman 

ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida 

ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama 

MICHAEL C. BURGESS, Texas 

STEVE COHEN, Tennessee 

RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina 

RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois 

SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas 

GWEN MOORE, Wisconsin 

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, 

Chairman 

BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

CORY GARDNER, Colorado 

MARCO RUBIO, Florida 

JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire 

THOM TILLIS, North Carolina 

TOM UDALL, New Mexico 

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS 

Vacant, Department of State 

Vacant, Department of Commerce 

Vacant, Department of Defense 

[II] 

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(III) 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA: 

ARE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING 

THEIR COMMITMENTS? 

DECEMBER 11, 2018 

COMMISSIONERS 

Page 

Hon. Roger F. Wicker, Chairman, Commission on Security 

and Cooperation in Europe ..................................................... 1 

Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission 

on Security and Cooperation in Europe ................................. 4 

Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman, Commission on 

Security and Cooperation in Europe ...................................... 6 

Hon. Cory Gardner, Commissioner, Commission on Security 

and Cooperation in Europe ..................................................... 8 

WITNESS 

Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International 

Religious Freedom ................................................................... 8 

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(1) 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA: 

ARE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING 

THEIR COMMITMENTS? 

December 11, 2018 

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE

WASHINGTON, DC 

The hearing was held at 10:47 a.m. in Room 106, Dirksen Senate 

Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Roger F. Wicker, Chairman, 

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, presiding. 

Commissioners present: Hon. Roger F. Wicker, Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Benjamin L. 

Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; and Hon. Cory Gardner, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in 

Europe. 

Witness present: Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. 

HON. ROGER F. WICKER, CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON 

SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. WICKER. This hearing of the Helsinki Commission will come 

to order. Good morning, and welcome to the hearing on ‘‘Religious 

Freedom in Eurasia: Are Governments Keeping Their Commitments?’’ 

The commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms of 

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the 

OSCE, are the strongest of any multinational security organization 

in the world. All 57 OSCE participating States have made these 

commitments, including the commitments on religious freedom. In 

the words of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, quote, ‘‘The participating 

States will recognize and respect the freedom of the individual to 

profess and practice, alone or in community with others, religion or 

belief acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.’’ 

Despite this and other OSCE commitments, some of the worst violators of religious freedom in the world are, regrettably, participating OSCE States. 

The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, authored by 

my friend, former Congressman Frank Wolf, requires the president 

to issue annually an International Religious Freedom Report and 

designate the worst violators as Countries of Particular Concern— 

CPCs—a country so designated when its government has engaged 

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in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom, 

defined as systematic, ongoing egregious violations such as killing, 

torture, prolonged detention without charges, abduction, or clandestine detention. 

Central Asia has the highest concentration of CPCs of any region 

in the world. Since 2016, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and 

Uzbekistan have been designated as CPCs. But perhaps there’s 

good news. Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, 

Uzbekistan is the only one of these CPCs moving toward compliance with its international obligations. His government has been 

taking significant steps to make the necessary reforms. That’s why 

we’re here today. 

That’s why when Secretary Pompeo announced in May that he 

would host the first Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, I 

publicly urged him to consider inviting Uzbekistan. And indeed, 

this invitation was issued. Soon thereafter I introduced the bipartisan Senate Resolution 539 urging the president to strengthen efforts of the United States to combat religious freedom violations in 

Eurasia and providing a blueprint for some key action. The resolution acknowledges the reforms in Uzbekistan and calls on the 

United States to prioritize supporting ongoing reforms in 

Uzbekistan. 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed the Berlin Declaration in early July with amendments I authored, that recognized the 

government of Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms and encouraged the 

government to align national policies with Uzbekistan’s OSCE and 

other international commitments. Later that month, I met with the 

Uzbekistan delegation to the Ministerial to Advance Religious 

Freedom. The delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abdulaziz 

Kamilov and included Senator Sodyk Safoyev, who is a former ambassador to the United States, and Akmal Saidov, Member of Parliament and head of the National Human Rights Centre. We discussed how the United States can work with Uzbekistan on reforms, security, and economic prosperity. 

Uzbekistan is already a strong partner of the United States. I’m 

pleased to say we have a special relationship between the Mississippi National Guard and Uzbekistan through the National 

Guard Partnership Program. We work closely together to support 

Afghanistan, fight terrorism, and combat narcotics. My good friend 

and colleague Representative Trent Kelly, who represents the First 

Congressional District of Mississippi—and is a brigadier general in 

the Guard—has seen firsthand the value of the joint military exercises between our forces. I share his view. 

I will now say what I’ve already said publicly: Uzbekistan can be 

an even stronger partner of the United States—and that is our 

goal—more economically prosperous and a model in the region and 

beyond. For this to be so, it must follow through with reforms and 

fully comply with its international commitments on human rights 

and freedoms. There is still a lot to do before the law, regulation, 

and government personnel are in full compliance with these commitments, including formally consulting with international experts, 

consistently holding perpetrators accountable for violations, and releasing religious prisoners who were arrested despite exercising 

their religion peacefully. 

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The president of Uzbekistan and the Parliament have committed 

to reform and to keep Uzbekistan’s international commitments. 

The Congress will continue to work closely with the executive 

branch and the government to achieve these objectives. 

Our witness today traveled to Uzbekistan in September and has 

a long history with Central Asia. But there are more reasons why 

he’s ideal to discuss these and other OSCE issues today. Sam 

Brownback, my friend of 25 years, is Ambassador at Large for 

International Religious Freedom. This is his first congressional 

hearing since being confirmed. I’m especially pleased to welcome 

him as a former House colleague, a former Senate colleague, and 

a former Helsinki Commission member. His qualifications are numerous. I will place them in the record and welcome Ambassador 

Brownback. 

Mr. Ambassador, thank you for your unflagging efforts to get 

Pastor Brunson freed from imprisonment in Turkey on baseless 

charges of terrorism and espionage, including traveling to Turkey 

to attend the trial. Thank you, sir, for that. The full-court press, 

from you, President Trump, Vice President Pence, Secretary 

Pompeo, and Members of Congress—both Republican and Democrat—made the difference. His release was the answer to many 

prayers. I repeat my call for the administration to maintain Global 

Magnitsky sanctions on Turkish officials complicit in the continued 

unjust detention of American citizens and consulate employees. 

NATO has no space for hostage-taking. 

I’m grateful to you, Mr. Ambassador, for the annual OSCE 

Human Dimension Implementation meeting in Warsaw, Poland. 

Having someone of your seniority and stature in the chair was a 

strong signal of the importance of religious freedom in this administration. I’m also heartened that while in Poland you joined the 

Helsinki Commission-initiated visit by the U.S. delegation to the 

memorial at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp—a place where 

Senator Cardin and I have also visited—and laid a wreath and lit 

a candle on behalf of the American people. 

As a final introductory remark, let me note with sadness the 

passing this weekend of Russian human rights advocate Ludmila 

Alexeyeva, one of the founders of the Moscow Helsinki Group in 

1976. Already an experienced human rights activist going back to 

the 1960s, she was exiled from the Soviet Union after the Moscow 

Group formed. She found a home in the United States, where she 

continued to struggle for human rights in her country. She was a 

strong supporter of this Helsinki Commission, and helped us enormously in our work. She returned to Moscow in 1993 and remained 

an advocate of human rights in Russia until the end, including 

those rights which are the focus of this hearing. Ludmila will be 

deeply missed. We hope that her life has inspired new generations 

of activists in Russia and elsewhere—activists that will seek to 

hold governments accountable for violations of the Helsinki Final 

Act and other OSCE commitments. 

We are joined today by two very distinguished human rights advocates. I will turn to them for whatever introductory remarks they 

would like to make. Senator Ben Cardin, my colleague from Maryland. 

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HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, RANKING MEMBER, COMMISSION 

ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Chairman, first, thank you very much for holding this hearing. 

I just want to make one observation, if I might. This will be the 

last hearing of the Helsinki Commission in this Congress. We have 

been led by Senator Wicker, who’s done a great job as our chairman during extremely difficult international times. Under the Helsinki statute, the chairmanship will now go back to the House of 

Representatives in the 116th Congress. I just want to congratulate 

Senator Wicker for the work that you did during these 2 years 

leading the commission very actively, attending international meetings, raising human rights issues around the OSCE region—including here in the United States—and being just a great leader of the 

commission. 

It’s been an honor to be your ranking member on the Senate 

side. I know the co-chair, Congressman Smith, who’s had a long 

tenure—the longest tenure on the Helsinki Commission—participated in a very active way to make sure we had a very successful 

year. It’s really a pleasure to serve on this commission, when you 

don’t know who the Democrats and Republicans are when it comes 

to the commitment of the Helsinki Final Act. So it is wonderful 

that Senator Wicker continued in that tradition. 

We don’t always find the senators as active as House members 

at times. That was certainly not true when Senator Brownback was 

on the commission, because he was a very active member of this 

commission. He got his training, we think, in the Helsinki Commission. He has shown really good judgment by making his first congressional hearing in the Senate before the Helsinki Commission. 

So we applaud you on that good judgment. We do apologize—I 

thought Senator Wicker had more clout with the leadership and we 

wouldn’t be interrupted by votes, but that’s not going to be the case 

because there’s a vote scheduled at 11 today. 

I also join the chairman in expressing our condolence on 

Ludmila. She was a pioneer in standing up for human rights under 

the Soviet Union when, as you know, the risk factors were so high 

for anyone to speak out against the government or to speak out in 

favor of human rights. She was there from the beginning of the 

Helsinki process and, of course, was very much engaged in the 

human rights Moscow Helsinki Group. She came here for safety. 

She returned to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union and has 

continuously been a beacon of hope for those who stand up for the 

principles of the Helsinki Final Act. 

One of those principles is the right to practice your religion. Let 

me just quote, if I might, from the Helsinki Final Act. ‘‘Recognize 

and respect the freedom of the individual to profess and practice, 

alone or in community with others, religion or belief, acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.’’ That’s one of the 

basic principles. We’re very proud that we have put a major focus 

on that, including with our Ambassador Brownback, to fight for religious protections around the world. In the OSCE, we see it under 

attack in Europe and in the United States. 

We all know the recent attacks on religious practice here in the 

United States, the horrific event that took place in Pittsburgh, 

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where 11 people were killed solely because they were in the house 

of prayer of their religion. We also know that shortly before that, 

an African American church was targeted in Kentucky. So we have 

problems here. I can tell you we need to understand that hateful 

and racist rhetoric has consequences. We have to speak out in leadership against any hate here in America and anywhere around the 

world. 

I know my colleagues experience the same as I have. I’ve traveled throughout the whole OSCE region. I always try to visit a synagogue when I’m in one of the countries. I’ve seen over time the 

amount of security on my visits to a synagogue have always increased. That’s a reality of the target areas for people to express 

their anger and hate. We now see that’s true also in the United 

States. I am amazed at the amount of security that I see at houses 

of prayer here in the United States. That’s the new reality. I’m not 

criticizing the amount of protection, because we want people to be 

safe, but I do think it points out that the U.S. has always been at 

the forefront on the Helsinki principles, particularly religious freedom. We need to not only fight for that globally, but we have to 

recognize that we have challenges here at home and we have to 

take care of our own issues as well. 

I am proud to be the special representative of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly for anti-Semitism, racism, and intolerance. In 

that capacity, I’ve tried to set as priorities the protection of people 

and all religions. We’re very concerned about the attacks on Muslims, on Christians, and on Jews. We fight in all of those areas. I’ve 

introduced legislation here that I hope one day will be passed to 

end racial and religious profiling by law enforcement. It’s one of the 

priorities of the OSCE special representative that the discriminatory policing, which is true in Europe, but also true here in the 

United States, and also true in my home city of Baltimore, as we 

saw in a pattern and practice investigation by the Department of 

Justice. 

Mr. Chairman, let me just point out we are seeing an increasing 

intolerance abroad under the guise of national security. Countries 

throughout the OSCE have laws that would severely impact the 

practice of religious communities. Rising intolerance against Muslim communities is evident by efforts to adopt laws restricting the 

religious practice of Muslims, from the banning of a mosque in 

Sweden to recent bans on Muslim women attire in Austria and in 

Denmark. Close to 15 countries exercise prohibitions on Muslim religious ritual slaughter of animals. Many Muslim communities still 

face excessive regulations or other barriers attempting to build 

mosques. Earlier this summer, political leaders in Austria called 

for Jews and Muslims to pre-register to consume kosher/halal food, 

uncomfortably echoing the use of lists to track Jews during the 

Holocaust. 

Jews and Christian communities are also implicated in the socalled fight against radical Islam. During this year’s French elections, one candidate pledged to ban all religious clothing—including 

Christian crosses, Jewish kippahs, reasoning that Jews and Christians would have to make this sacrifice to fight for the advance of 

political Islam. These efforts increasingly pit religious and other 

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vulnerable communities against one another at a time when communities should be working toward addressing hate. 

Mr. Chairman, I’m very pleased we have Ambassador Brownback 

here. I think what we need to do at this commission, which has 

been the hallmark of America’s commitment to fighting intolerance 

and hate, that we have a strategy to show that America truly is 

in the leadership to say that hate has no place in any community, 

and we protect all minority communities in their ability to practice 

their religion, how we show that leadership here in America and 

throughout the OSCE, and throughout the globe. 

HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, CO-CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION 

ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. SMITH. Thank you, Senator Cardin. 

I too want to add my welcome and complete gratitude to Ambassador Brownback. Thank you for your decades of leadership for religious freedom. Your hard work and achievement on this issue as 

a Congressman, Senator, including as chairman of this commission, 

and then as Governor, made you the most eminently qualified person to be our Ambassador at Large for International Religious 

Freedom. Indeed, the nation—and I would argue the world—is very 

fortunate to have you in this critically important and very strategic 

position. So thank you for that service. 

I’d like to just briefly raise a few countries of concern that I am 

particularly focused on first and you are as well. Russia—pursuant 

to the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, the State 

Department is announcing today that Russia will be placed on the 

Special Watch List, which we newly created, a designation for governments that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious 

freedom. The violations of religious freedom in Russia are real, 

thoroughly documented, and at times brutal. The Russian Government deserves this. Next year we should consider carefully whether 

it belongs on the list of Countries of Particular Concern, or CPC 

list, for the worst of the worst. 

Second, Central Asia. For the past several years the U.S. Government has designated Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan 

as Countries of Particular Concern. These governments are guilty 

of particularly severe violations of religious freedom, as the statute 

has it, and the State Department is announcing that Turkmenistan 

and Tajikistan remain on the CPC list, and Uzbekistan will be 

moved to a slightly less-reprehensible watch list, the Special Watch 

List. I’m sure you will discuss that today and give us some insights 

about how those decisions were arrived at. 

The government of all three used sweeping counterterrorism authorities to target broad categories of individuals engaging in 

unsanctioned religious practice. Uzbekistan holds thousands of individuals in custody for such infractions. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan 

continues its heinous practice of holding untold scores of prisoners 

incommunicado, in abject conditions, and trials in secret courts. 

This kind of mirrors exactly what the Chinese are doing against 

the Muslim Uyghurs, although that is on an absolute massive 

scale. Marco Rubio and I co-chair the China Commission. We had 

another hearing just a week ago on this brutality that’s being used 

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under the guise of antiterrorism to crack down on people that they 

find objectionable—in that case, Muslims in that part of the world. 

Third, Turkey. Just 2 months ago Turkey released American 

Pastor Andrew Brunson. I want to thank you for being at his 

trial—you and Senator Tillis. I think that sent a clear message of 

U.S. resolve and concern. We know that he was detained for more 

than 2 years on bogus terrorism charges. Turkey’s mistreatment of 

this innocent man and his family was absolutely unconscionable. In 

its 2018 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRF) found that Pastor Brunson’s 

prolonged and unjustified detention, quote, ‘‘had a chilling effect on 

Christians living in the country.’’ 

Indeed, Pastor Brunson’s plight appears to be not only the most 

publicized incident making a disturbing increase in government 

targeting of protestant ministers. Citing Turkey’s Association of 

Protestant Churches, USCRF reports that at least 100 pastors 

have been forced to leave Turkey due to government refusals to 

renew visas or other permits. Sadly, the brutal repression of the 

Orthodox Christians is ongoing, particularly in Turkish-occupied 

Northern Cyprus, where its 44-year occupation of Northern Cyprus 

has left a legacy of destruction, gutting ancient religious life, and 

despoiling priceless cultural property. According to the government 

of Cyprus, the estimates are 500 Greek Orthodox churches and 

chapels have been pillaged, vandalized, or demolished, 133 churches, chapels, or monasteries have been desecrated, the whereabouts 

of 15,000 paintings are unknown, 77 churches have been turned 

into mosques, 28 are being used by the Turkish military forces as 

hospitals or camps, and 13 are used as agricultural barns. 

The Turkish Government also continued to meddle in the internal affairs of major Christian and Jewish authorities. The government wields effective veto power over leadership elections within 

these institutions by requiring that electors and candidates hold 

Turkish citizenship—something the state alone can confer. This unjustifiable requirement directly violates the internationally recognized right of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, the Armenian patriarch of Constantinople, and the chief rabbinate of Turkey to conduct their own affairs, free from unwelcome external interference. 

Astonishingly, in the Haliki seminary, the only theological school 

for the training of priests for the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, remains closed 47 years after it was first shuttered by 

the state. This situation endures despite numerous public commitments from Turkish officials over the years guaranteeing the seminary’s reopening. 

Taken together, this litany of long-standing and flagrant religious freedom violations strikes me as abundant justification for 

the administration to designate Turkey as a Country of Particular 

Concern, or at a minimum as a Special Watch List country. 

I do look forward to your testimony. I would like to yield to my 

good friend and colleague, Mr. Gardner. 

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HON. CORY GARDNER, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION ON 

SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. GARDNER. Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Thank you for your 

service and the heavy work ahead that you have and continue to 

do. 

Obviously, matters of religious freedom have taken a more and 

more prominent role in the work that we do each and every day 

in Congress—rightfully so. Just last week I chaired a hearing in 

my Asia Subcommittee, where we were talking about religious freedom in China, where we talked about Tibet, and we talked about 

Chinese authorities’ determinations to impose their own Dalai 

Lama, and whether or not countries around the world would recognize that fiat from the Chinese Government. Recent reports there 

have talked about registrations and pastors going missing, and 

what happens to people who speak out, whether or not they’re establishing a religion of President Xi in churches. 

This is an important issue in Europe. It’s an important issue in 

the United States. It’s an important issue in Asia. It’s important, 

as you know, around the globe. So I’m grateful for your service and 

the challenges that we have. I hope today in your discussion that 

you’ll also talk about other leaders around the globe that we can 

help turn to, other nations that are providing leadership, and hope 

for us to partner with as we look out for people’s ability to worship 

freely. This is a human right, and it’s something this Congress will 

always stand up for. 

Thank you, Ambassador. 

Mr. SMITH. Thank you so much. 

I’d like to now formally introduce Senator—Senator, that too— 

Ambassador Sam Brownback, who was sworn in as Ambassador at 

Large for International Religious Freedom on February 1st, 2018. 

He served as Governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018. Previously he 

served as a U.S. Senator from 1996 to 2011 and a Member of Congress from 1995 to 1996. While a Member of the Senate, he worked 

actively on the issue of religious freedom in multiple countries and 

was a key sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 

1998. He also served as Kansas secretary of agriculture from 1986 

to 1993 and was a White House fellow in the Office of the U.S. 

Trade Representative from 1990 to 1991. 

Prior to his public service, Ambassador Brownback was a private 

attorney in Kansas and taught agricultural law at Kansas State 

University, co-authoring two books on the subject. He earned his 

B.S. from Kansas State University and his J.D. from the University 

of Kansas. Again, we welcome with great gratitude Ambassador 

Brownback. 

SAM BROWNBACK, AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR 

INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Thank you very much, Mr. Co-Chairman, and 

Senator Gardner. Good to see you all. I know you’ve got to go vote, 

and I’ve been on that train. I’m glad when the bell rings I don’t 

jump anymore. So best to you, and thank you guys, both, for your 

heart and your long service. And Chairman Wicker as well. 

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ference. No other country in the world pushes it like we do. I mean, 

the Europeans do, and other places do. But it’s the United States 

and the muscle of the United States that makes the difference, and 

particularly in this space of religious freedom. 

We’re the ones that push it. The first-ever ministerial on religious freedom was conducted by the United States, by the Trump 

administration, this past July. Nobody’s ever done that before. We 

had 84 countries at it. It was fabulously successful. We had hundreds of civil society religious freedom advocates that were there. 

We’re going to do it again this next year. The secretary has already 

announced that we’re going to get a much bigger room, so we can 

get more advocates added. This is really taking off. 

We’ve got now six countries we’re working with, to your question, 

Senator Gardner, to do regional religious freedom summits in various places. They’ll soon be announced and on specific topics. I hope 

some of you may consider going to some of these, and possibly 

speaking at them, if they’re in areas and places that you feel like 

it would be of something of interest. Countries are stepping up. 

They’re expressing themselves. This was one of those areas that 

we’ve just got to push the global community to do something, because virtually everyone has signed the U.N. Declaration of Human 

Rights, which declares support for religious freedom. 

And yet, 80 percent of the world lives in a religiously restrictive 

atmosphere, much of it trending badly. So while everybody’s for it, 

very few practice it. Then we constantly hear about deaths and 

buildings being burned and people being taken hostage all over the 

world, on a regular basis. It’s the United States’ advocacy that really keeps people alive. 

I want to thank a number of members of this commission and 

others for the help with Andrew Brunson. I want to singularly 

thank President Trump for getting Andrew Brunson out. His putting of tariffs on Turkey, a NATO ally, that’s never been done before, was really, I think, the factor that pushed the Turkish Government to release Andrew Brunson, and thankfully so. 

I want to join with the chairman on expressing my condolences 

as well to family and friends of people that were impacted by 

Ludmila Alexeyeva, incredible defender of human rights that died 

in Russia at age 91. I didn’t personally know her, but everybody 

that I know that did work with her said she was an absolutely 

amazing lady, and the things that she did and got accomplished 

were incredible. 

Before I begin my prepared testimony, I want to put forth some 

news. Here earlier today the secretary publicly announced his designation of Countries of Particular Concern under the International 

Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and the follow-on Frank Wolf Act. 

These are countries that have engaged in or tolerated systemic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. These include, 

this year, Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, 

Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Those are the 

countries that the secretary has announced as Countries of Particular Concern. 

He also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special 

Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerate severe 

violations of religious freedom. It’s worth noting that for the first 

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time since 2006, Uzbekistan is not a Country of Particular Concern 

and Pakistan has been added as a Country of Particular Concern. 

Finally, the secretary designated Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida, alQaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, the 

Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern according to the designation allowed under the 

Frank Wolf Act. These designations are a tool and key part of our 

efforts to advance religious freedom. 

I want to thank you for your dedication and commitment to this 

process. We’re grateful for your partnership in defending and promoting religious freedom around the world. I look forward to discussing these designations. I might note that these are all things 

that were put forth by the Congress. Congress has been particularly interested in religious freedom and has really propelled this 

area. So I’m thankful for it. This is an ongoing review. So while 

there may be people on this list or not on this list, we continually 

review this. Pakistan, as you may recall, was added as a Special 

Watch List in the middle of last year by the former secretary. 

I value the work of the Helsinki Commission and its members. 

When I reflect on my time in the Senate, I’m humbled by the 

human rights work. Those are things you look back on as a Senator 

and Congressman. You do lots of different things, but the human 

rights work, you’re touching people. Thank you for doing it. It’s an 

honor to be back with you. 

Religious freedom is a beautiful right. It flows from the inherent 

dignity of each human being. No state, in our estimation, can rightly take it away. This is a God-given right. And no state has that 

right then to interfere with it. It is also an obligation under international law that people and governments protect religious freedom. This administration is serious about pushing that. Today, as 

I noted, nearly 80 percent of the world lives in countries with significant restrictions on religious freedom. This is totally unacceptable—totally unacceptable. That’s why this administration established religious freedom as a top foreign policy priority. And we’re 

acting on it. 

I mentioned the first ministerial that we put forth to nature and 

push for religious freedom, but also trying to expand the reason for 

countries to pursue religious freedom. In the past we’ve mostly 

stated this is a right—this is a key right and you’re entitled to it. 

Now we note to countries, if you want less terrorism and more economic growth, you need more religious freedom. It’s a key part of 

growth and a key part of less terrorism. So we’re noting the positive benefits of this. 

Since being sworn in in February this year, I’ve traveled to a 

number of countries to press for religious freedom reforms. Because 

of the priority this administration has placed on religious freedom, 

I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with a number of heads 

of state, including the leaders of Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and 

Hungary, as well as dozens of foreign ministers. My first visit was 

to Turkey to, as you noted, Andrew Brunson’s hearings, who was 

wrongfully imprisoned for over 2 years. Thanks to the work of the 

president, the vice president, as well as Members of Congress, he’s 

free and at home. 

CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

11 

But we are engaged in other areas of the OSCE region as well. 

In September, I traveled to Ukraine where I met with religious 

leaders, parliamentarians, and President Poroshenko. I expressed 

the United States’ belief that members of religious groups—including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church—should have the freedom to 

govern their religion according to their beliefs, free of outside pressure and malign influence. I then traveled to Poland, where I made 

an intervention at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation 

meeting, reinforcing the United States’ commitment to religious 

freedom and to combating the scourge of anti-Semitism. As you 

noted, we traveled to Auschwitz as well, an absolutely unforgettable place and trip. 

At the Human Dimension Implementation meeting, the U.S. delegation also spoke about what we are seeing in Russia, and particularly, overly broad anti-extremism laws that are misused to target for prosecution peaceful members of religious minorities and 

unduly restrict peaceful religious expression, belief, and worship. 

Russia has continued to do that with a number of different groups, 

thus their being placed on the Special Watch List. 

Central Asia, another area of focus. In September I visited 

Uzbekistan, where I met with President Mirziyoyev and discussed 

the economic and security benefits that come from an increased 

recognition and protection of religious freedom. Uzbekistan’s new 

leadership is truly committed to making changes. They’ve made 

changes in a number of areas, including religious freedom areas. 

With respect to Kazakhstan, at the ministerial in July I engaged 

the foreign ministers and urged full protection for religious freedom 

in Kazakhstan, and other senior U.S. officials have continued to 

press that as well. 

Regarding Turkmenistan, my office takes part in an annual bilateral consultation with their government, to urge the government 

to ease registration requirements for religious organizations, and 

lift restrictions on religious literature, and decriminalize conscientious objectors to military service. 

One last trip I’ll mention. Right before Thanksgiving I visited 

Hungary. I thanked the government for their engagement on humanitarian aid to religious groups in Iraq. They have been one of 

the pioneers to help re-establish some of the religious minorities in 

northern Iraq, particularly the Christians and the Yazidis. I also 

met with religious leaders and civil society groups, who are key to 

establishing and sustaining an environment that is conducive to religious freedom. I met with Jewish leaders and visited a synagogue 

as well—the synagogue was in Ukraine. 

Our world is filled with challenges to religious freedom. But I 

have faith that, in time, our dedicated work in partnership with 

civil society groups, religious leaders, and visionary parliamentarians and legislators like you, here and around the world, will open 

the gates to religious freedom for all. Indeed, I am heartened to see 

all the people committed to religious freedom that work here in 

this town. I would invite either of you gentlemen to attend the religious freedom roundtable that we do every Tuesday when I’m here 

with the religious freedom activists, from 11 to noon, normally on 

the Hill. They would love to hear from you. We regularly are getting over 100 people attending that, and activists that want to purCSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

12 

sue these topics. There’s a dedicated group that’s here. They’re 

moving forward. I think really now is a key season for us to push 

this right around the world. I look forward to the discussion and 

your questions. 

Mr. WICKER. Thank you very much, Ambassador Brownback. We 

appreciate your testimony and we appreciate your efforts. 

Let’s just talk about the movement represented by designation of 

the Special Watch List today. Specifically, the inclusion of 

Uzbekistan represents a positive step, is that not correct, Mr. Ambassador? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. That is correct. 

Mr. WICKER. If you will outline—although your testimony has 

touched on this—the positive steps that make us optimistic about 

Uzbekistan. Then if you would talk about two other particular 

countries—and I know they’re all of interest—but in particular 

what is happening in a negative way in Pakistan? And what has 

happened over the last reporting period in Russia that brought 

about the change in their status? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

The Uzbeks have decided they’re going to move promptly forward 

on human rights. They’ve changed in a number of categories. I had 

a 2-hour meeting with the president where we discussed what all 

they needed to do. We had the U.N. special rapporteur on religious 

freedom go out to Uzbekistan, do a special report, what changes 

they need to make. We just told the Uzbeks, basically, implement 

the report and we’ll move forward with you. 

To date already what they’ve done is they’ve released over 1,000 

religious prisoners. They’ve delisted thousands of individuals from 

blacklists, many of who previously accused on engaging in religious 

extremism. They registered 14 religious organizations, including 

the first Christian church in nearly a decade. They’re allowing the 

majority-Muslim population to practice more freely, including allowing children to be able to go to mosque for the first time. They 

didn’t previously allow them to go to mosque. They passed a religious freedom roadmap to address recommendations that the U.S. 

special rapporteur made. Now, it’s a roadmap. So in effect, we 

would look at it as a resolution. They haven’t put it into law, but 

they’ve said our next step is to put these into law. 

Those are a series of the steps that they’ve made. In my interactions with the government officials, we’re continuing to press 

them on any other religious prisoners. 

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Ambassador, when do you think that law might 

be voted on? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. I was hopeful this year, but I just heard word 

this morning that it won’t be until next year that they’ll actually 

implement it. But they’re still on the Special Watch List because 

they continue to have issues and problems. There was a Baptist 

church that was recently raided. They had previously stopped all 

the raids, but then this just happened. I called the foreign minister 

up about that. I’ve been personally engaged with the Uzbeks very 

aggressively, because we want to showcase to other countries in 

Central Asia, there is a way off this list. But you got to change. 

You got to really do things. The Uzbeks have done a series of 

things, but they continue to be on the watch list because of conCSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

13 

cerns that we have that still remain in place. The resolution, the 

roadmap, has not become law. 

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Ambassador, before you get to the other two 

countries I asked about, is it your sense that public opinion in 

Uzbekistan is behind the president and the leadership in moving 

toward more acceptance of religious freedom? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Yes. 

Mr. WICKER. And is this is a way for Uzbeks to have a better 

economy, is that not correct, and a better life for everyone? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. That’s a big reason, I believe, why the leadership is pursuing it. They want to show you can do this. And our 

data says you do it, you will have less terrorism and more economic 

growth. We believe it. They’ve been taking these measures publicly. 

They’ve held press conferences here at the National Press Club and 

in New York to showcase the new Uzbekistan, and more opening 

to the West. I’m hopeful that this is very successful, for them to 

show a different scene. That’s part of our effort to expand the draw 

of religious freedom. Heretofore, we basically pushed countries. We 

put up name and shame lists. We would say: You need to do this 

because of your international obligations. We want to say as well 

to countries, it’s also good for you on less terrorism, and you’re 

going to have more economic growth. 

Mr. WICKER. If you could, then, take a half a minute and sort 

of summarize what’s going on in Pakistan and Russia. 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Pakistan continues to enforce blasphemy 

laws. This is an area that in our Potomac Declaration out of the 

international ministerial that we did said these need to be repealed 

around the world. Half of the people that are in prison for blasphemy laws around the world are imprisoned in Pakistan. They 

continue to not allow the Ahmadi Muslims to practice their faith 

or even call themselves Muslims. There continues to be a lot of violence taking place in Pakistan. Now, a new government’s been 

elected. They have indicated a desire to change courses and to work 

more openly. 

Recently, when there were a number of protests that were taking 

place, a number of the protests were regarding somebody that was 

released on the blasphemy charges. They arrested a number of the 

leaders of the protest. It’s a positive sign from this new government. Still, you base these findings on what the report that we put 

out this last year was. Pakistan we put on this Special Watch List 

in the middle of the year. They certainly meet the criteria of a 

Country of Particular Concern. 

Mr. WICKER. And Russia. 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Russia’s been trending in the wrong direction. 

It has done a series of things—arbitrary arrests and 

imprisonments, particularly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they were 

banned, widespread suppression of religious expression and practice. They have a 2016 law criminalizing illegal missionary activities that’s included 156 such cases reported by NGOs in 2017, 

starting with Salvation Army, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witness of 

course, Baptists, the administrative center of the New Apostolic 

Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Lutheran Church, the 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Ukrainian Reformed 

Orthodox Church, and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Along 

CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

14 

with a series of Muslim groups, and then they banned the readings 

of the Turkish Islamic theologian Said Nursi under a distorted interpretation of its extremist laws. 

They have 145 currently jailed prisoners for religious beliefs, 106 

of which are Muslims. They particularly as well go after the 

Church of Scientology. And those are the reasons that we’ve put 

them on the Special Watch List, along with other areas as well we 

could talk about. Some of the things they’re doing in eastern 

Ukraine that prohibit religious expression in that region, and these 

are by groups that are supported and sponsored by Russia. 

Mr. WICKER. Thank you. 

Congressman Smith. 

Mr. SMITH. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. Ambassador, if I could, as you know, we all know, there is 

a rising tide of anti-Semitism, particularly in the Middle East but 

also in Europe and the United States. The most recent FBI hate 

crime statistic shows that from 2016 to 2017 the number of antiSemitic hate crimes directed based on religious belief of identity 

jumped by 37 percent. It is now 58 percent, far eclipsing any acts 

here in the United States against Muslims, or Christians, or anyone else. That is mirrored throughout the OSCE space itself. And 

I’m wondering—you know, we have been asking the president—and 

perhaps you could take this back—repeatedly to put in place a special envoy. 

I authored that amendment in 2004 that created the special 

envoy. It seems to me that that point person, working in tandem 

with you, would greatly—especially during this rising tide that’s occurring—to get that person in place. So I would respectfully ask 

that you could raise that with the president. I’ve raised it with Secretary Pompeo. He promised. They had someone, and apparently 

there was a real problem with a health issue. So hopefully as soon 

as possible that person could be put in place. 

Second, on the whole issue of the designated persons list for particularly severe violations of religious freedom, which we included 

in the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, my hope 

would be that that list could be forthcoming, because that would 

work in tandem, in my opinion, with the Global Magnitsky Act. 

The more we put people on lists who torture and abuse, the more 

we’re going to get compliance. As you mentioned so well, as soon 

as President Trump moved economically against Erdog ̆an, that was 

probably the linchpin that caused Pastor Brunson to be freed. So 

that designated persons list I think is extremely important. 

On the training issue, going back to when Frank Wolf wrote his 

original bill, and when I wrote the bill that we named in his name, 

training has always been a problem. There are great Foreign Service officers and deputy chiefs of mission and ambassadors. But if 

they don’t get the right training—and you and your staff certainly 

know it inside and out, all the nuances of religious freedom and/ 

or the lack thereof—but it seems to me that we need to do a better 

job on that training component. And you might speak to what—and 

we put that in the Wolf bill—we tried to ratchet up a better understanding. 

Like you, I travel all over the world, and I have been astonished 

by some foreign services and even ambassadors whose perspective 

CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

15 

on religious freedom is, at best, naı ̈ve, if not prejudicial, while others are all-in, and they understand it, and they are competent as 

the day is long. So we need, I think, to raise that bar if we could. 

And finally, on the issue of Turkey, I would hope there would be 

an ongoing evaluation for the designation of Turkey as a CPC 

country. As I said in my opening, their persistent violations of religious freedom and their acts of persecution have been longstanding, but they’re fresh every time they commit or recommit 

them, which is ongoing. It’s pervasive. I’ve been to Turkey many 

times. I’ve been to Ankara, Istanbul. I’ve raised these issues. We 

raised it—Mr. Wicker and I—Senator Wicker and I—when we were 

in Istanbul for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and got a lot of 

blank stares from some of the parliamentarians for raising those 

issues. So there is a problem. I think CPC directed toward Turkey 

for its mistreatment of so many, including the Orthodox, would 

send a powerful, powerful message. So with respect, I would ask 

that that be considered as well. 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Thank you very much, Congressman Smith. 

Let me first start by saying the Religious Freedom Act turned 20 

years this year, that you and Senator Nichols did, in the Senate 

side, and a number of others. I was supporting of it. I said yesterday, while things have not been going well lately, I think the 

pump’s fully primed. It’s ready to go. Things are moving now. 

You’re going to see a lot of action. You’ve seen a lot more action. 

You’re going to see a lot of action on religious freedom. 

The special envoy, the secretary is committed to get an anti-Semitism special envoy appointed. He had one. There were issues. I’ve 

been cleared to say that we anticipate somebody will be in that job 

right after the first of the year. So it is not for a lack of effort. 

There just seriously had been health issues that come up. In his 

place, I have been meeting with Jewish outside groups. When I 

travel, I meet with Jewish activists as well, raise these issues regularly. It was raised at the ministerial. We had a sidebar on antiSemitism. It has been rising. You’d think, and the shadows of 

World War II and what happened to the Jewish community and 

the Holocaust, that people would say never again, and it would literally mean that. And yet, you see it rising again. But hope to have 

that person onboard relatively soon. 

Thank you for your suggestion on the designated persons list. I 

think that’s a good thought of another tool. You’ve seen this administration use Global Magnitsky in a number of settings. It’s an important tool that’s a recent one that the Congress has given the administration. It is used, and I think used quite a bit, and will be 

used more. 

We’re doing more training. Our office—Dan Nadel, that’s the 

Foreign Service head of the office, is out regularly doing training. 

We’re getting more training sessions established. I agree with you, 

it’s something that needs to take place. We’ve got this great Foreign Service system. They’re generally used to being trained in 

other fields, but not so used to being trained in this field. But now 

with the administration’s putting this big push on religious freedom, more of these training sessions are set up and you’ll see more 

of this happen. It is important, because like anything you need— 

people need to know how to operate the equipment. We’ve got 

CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

16 

equipment that the Congress has passed. There’s the second bill, 

Frank Wolf Act, that gave more tools here. We need to use that. 

Turkey has been an area of real concern. I’ve been there. I met 

with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as well when I was 

there. The concerns that he raises, that Brunson raises, that other 

pastors have raised, that the situation has been—it’s one we continue to watch, and work, and actively work throughout the agency. I can tell you, it’s not for lack of discussion of focus. They are 

a NATO ally. That creates other pressures in other places. We were 

pleased that they finally released Pastor Brunson. He shouldn’t 

have been taken in the first place. He shouldn’t have been held for 

2 years. But they continue to be one that merits a lot of focus and 

does get a lot of focus from this administration and from my office 

and will continue to. 

Mr. WICKER. Ambassador, just let me tie up one little loose end 

on Uzbekistan. OSCE has the Parliamentary Assembly, which 

those of us at this table are part of. There’s also the Office of 

Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, commonly known as 

ODIHR. They’re available to help countries that want to move in 

the right direction in areas such as human rights and areas such 

as religious freedom. But the country has to ask for it. So I wrote 

a letter to Uzbekistan asking them to request the assistance of 

ODIHR. I sent the letter to the Foreign Minister Kamilov urging 

the government formally to request an ODIHR legal review. I’ve 

not received a response. Do you have any knowledge about that? 

Is this something that’s come to your attention? And do you have— 

do you know if, in fact, Uzbekistan has availed themselves of this 

tool? 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Mr. Chairman, I don’t know. I’ll have—— 

Mr. WICKER. Okay, I’m spreading that on the record today and 

saying it publicly to anyone within the sound of our voices, that I 

think this would be a very positive step for a country that is absolutely legitimately intent on moving in the right direction. And so 

I’ll let you have the last word in this hearing, but let’s celebrate 

the progress that we’re making in this one section of the globe, 

Uzbekistan. I don’t want this hearing to be seen as coming down 

hard on Uzbekistan. We are holding this hearing to try and improve the situation, but also to celebrate the fact that we are better 

off today than we were a year ago in Uzbekistan. This is a country 

that wants to move in the right direction, that has so many opportunities. We are publicly commending the progress that they are 

making. 

I’ll let you have the last word, Mr. Ambassador. 

Amb. BROWNBACK. Mr. Chairman, I think it’s well said. We 

should celebrate this. I mean, this has been a real effort by this 

country. They’ve taken specific, tangible acts, and not just in religious freedom. They’ve done it in child labor. They’ve done it in the 

cotton harvest recently. They’ve had human rights progress. Now, 

you could say, Okay, well, there’s still issues to deal with. Yes, but 

they have made specific and tangible progress. They’re committed 

to do it. And the president is committed to do it. I had a lengthy 

meeting with him. I’ve had lengthy meetings with the foreign minister. These things don’t happen overnight. This is a country that 

was under Soviet rule for many years, and an authoritarian reCSCE18-11 with DISTILLER

17 

gime. Certainly Karimov’s regime ahead of Mirziyoyev was an authoritarian regime. So they’re making a real change, and we should 

celebrate that. We’re going to continue to work with them. 

One other thing that we offered them to work with is that the 

president’s—and we’re going to work with him—picking 15 young 

leaders in that country, particularly in the government, to come 

here—and we’re going to pay for this—in training and relationshipbuilding with people about how to run a government that pushes 

human rights, religious freedom. That’s been offered, and they’ve 

accepted. I hope to do with Uzbekistan the same thing with other 

countries in Central Asia, as a way of moving forward. So we hope 

to work with them closely. I’ve offered the Tajiks the same thing. 

Work with us. We’ll get the U.N. special rapporteur to do a report 

so you’re not seeing it as just from the United States. It’s a U.N. 

report. We’ll review it and see if that’s something that we can back. 

And then let’s get you on a track out of CPC designation. Because 

we want to see countries progress on this, not just stay in the 

CPC’s designation. 

Mr. WICKER. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador. We 

stand ready to be your teammate and your partner in this regard. 

Please convey our appreciation to the secretary of state and to the 

president of the United States for elevating this as an important 

issue, and for putting someone of your stature and renown to be 

part of the United States message in this regard. Thank you for 

your effort. I’m looking forward to a very productive and positive 

2019. As I pass this gavel to one of my colleagues in the House of 

Representatives, please know that the Senate will stay involved on 

a bipartisan basis. We want to be there for you and to provide the 

resource support, as well as the public opinion support that we can 

have. 

And with that, we will close this hearing with the thanks of the 

commission. Thank you, sir. 

[Whereupon, at 11:47 a.m., the hearing ended.] 

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