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On April 20, 2016, the Department of State published in the Federal Register a document [Public Notice: 9527] setting forth the Secretary of State’s designation of “countries of particular concern” for religious freedom violations pursuant to Section 408(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-292), as amended (the Act). The Secretary has designated each of the following as a “country of particular concern” under the Act, for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The Secretary simultaneously designated the following Presidential Actions for these countries:
- For Burma, the existing ongoing arms embargo referenced in 22 C.F.R. 126.1(a);
- For China, the existing ongoing restriction on exports to China of crime control and detection instruments and equipment, under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1990 and 1991 (Pub. L.101-246);
- For Eritrea, the existing ongoing arms embargo referenced in 22 C.F.R. 126.1(a);
- For Iran, the existing ongoing travel restrictions based on serious human rights abuses under sec. 221(a)(1)(C) of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012;
- For the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the existing ongoing restrictions to which the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is subject, pursuant to sec. 402 and 409 of the Trade Act of 1974 (the Jackson-Vanik Amendment);
- For Saudi Arabia, a waiver as required in the “important national interest of the United States”;
- For Sudan, the restriction in the annual Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act on making certain appropriated funds available for assistance to the Government of Sudan;
- For Tajikistan, a waiver as required in the “important national interest of the United States”;
- For Turkmenistan, a waiver as required in the “important national interest of the United States”;
- For Uzbekistan, a waiver as required in the “important national interest of the United States.”
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