Washington D.C., May 4, 2013 / 15:11 pm
A recent report on international religious liberty cautioned that severe threats to freedom of religion exist in diverse communities through the world and should be discouraged through actions by the U.S. government.
"The Annual Report ultimately is about people and how their governments treat them," said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, chair of the commission that released the report.
"Religious freedom is both a pivotal human right under international law and a key factor that helps determine whether a nation experiences stability or chaos," she explained.
The U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom gathers information throughout the year by meeting with government officials, citizens, analysts and non-governmental organizations across the globe in order to assess the state of international religious liberty. The independent, bipartisan group then advises the president, U.S. Congress and State Department on recommended actions to be taken.