[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71064-71065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27787]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 10987]
Secretary of State's Determination Under the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and Frank R. Wolf International Religious
Freedom Act of 2016
The Secretary of State's designation of ``countries of particular
concern'' and ``special watch list'' countries 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), notice is
hereby given that, on December 18, 2019, the Secretary of State, under
authority delegated by the President, has designated each of the
following as a ``country of particular concern'' (CPC) under section
402(b) of 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, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The Secretary simultaneously designated
the following Presidential Actions for these CPCs:
For Burma, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in 22
CFR 126.1, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
For China, the existing ongoing restriction on exports to China
of crime control or detection instruments or equipment, under the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991
(Pub. L. 101-246), pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
For Eritrea, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in 22
CFR 126.1, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
For Iran, the existing ongoing travel restrictions in section
221(c) of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of
2012 (TRA) for individuals identified under section 221(a)(1)(C) of
the TRA in connection with the commission of serious human rights
abuses, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
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 sections 402 and 409 of the Trade Act
of 1974 (the Jackson-Vanik Amendment), and pursuant to section
402(c)(5) of the Act;
For Pakistan, a waiver as required in the ``important national
interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of the Act;
For Saudi Arabia, a waiver as required in the ``important
national interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of
the Act;
For Tajikistan, a waiver as required in the ``important national
interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of the Act;
and
For Turkmenistan, a waiver as required in the ``important
national interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of
the Act.
In addition, the Secretary of State has designated the following
countries as ``special watch list'' countries for engaging in or
tolerating severe violations of religious freedom: Comoros, Cuba,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan.
The Secretary of State's designation of ``entities of particular
concern'' for religious freedom violations. Pursuant to Section 408(a)
of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L.
[[Page 71065]]
105-292), notice is hereby given that, on December 18, 2019, the
Secretary of State, under authority delegated by the President, has
designated each of the following as an ``entity of particular concern''
under section 301 of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom
Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114-281), for having engaged in particularly
severe violations of religious freedom: al-Nusra Front, al-Qa'ida in
the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis,
ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Chyung, Office of International
Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, (Phone: (202) 647-3865 or
Email: [email protected]).
Daniel L. Nadel,
Director, Office of International Religious Freedom, Department of
State.
[FR Doc. 2019-27787 Filed 12-23-19; 8:45 am]
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