US RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PANEL CALLS FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST RSS, RAW

Sun 15 March 2026:

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that the country impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, such as India’s Research and Analysis Wing and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for their responsibility and tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom.

The panel also suggested freezing those individuals’ or entities’ assets and/or barring their entry into the United States.

In its 2026 annual report, released on March 04, USCIRF said the U.S. Congress should reintroduce and pass the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 to require the annual reporting of acts of transnational repression by the Indian government targeting religious minorities in the United States.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency. The panel designates India among the Countries of Particular Concern for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)”.

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It also recommended US government to enforce Section 6 of the Arms Export Control Act to halt arms sales to India based on continued acts of intimidation and harassment against U.S. citizens and religious minorities.

According to the report, the Indian government enforces “numerous discriminatory laws” targeting religious minorities, including the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), the 1967 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the 2025 Waqf Bill, and the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Bill.

Article 295A of the Penal Code functions as a blasphemy law by criminalising actions deemed to “outrage religious feelings”, it stated.

The report also noted that 12 out of 28 states maintain anti-conversion laws.

India is among the 18 countries that the commission recommended for designation as “countries of particular concern”, along with Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.

Eleven countries were recommended to the Secretary of State for Special Watch List (SWL) designation, and seven entities were recommended for designation as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC).

“China arrests underground church members, mob violence is on the rise in India and Pakistan leading to attacks on religious minorities and the destruction of their homes, Burma’s military bombs houses of worship, and Tajikistan denies parents the right to teach their children about faith,” said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler in a press statement.

“As USCIRF’s Annual Report shows, far too many people in key nations are denied religious freedom through unjust laws, discrimination, harassment, violence, and even crimes against humanity. The U.S. government must continue to advance religious freedom abroad to make a difference for those facing religious persecution.”

Indian government repeatedly rejects the reports and concerns from USCIRF.

This article originally published in Maktoob Media click here