§ 6412. — Reports.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC6412]
TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
CHAPTER 73--INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
SUBCHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACTIVITIES
Sec. 6412. Reports
(a) Portions of annual Human Rights Reports
The Ambassador at Large shall assist the Secretary of State in
preparing those portions of the Human Rights Reports that relate to
freedom of religion and freedom from discrimination based on religion
and those portions of other information provided Congress under sections
2151n and 2304 of this title that relate to the right to freedom of
religion.
(b) Annual Report on International Religious Freedom
(1) Deadline for submission
On September 1 of each year or the first day thereafter on which
the appropriate House of Congress is in session, the Secretary of
State, with the assistance of the Ambassador at Large, and taking
into consideration the recommendations of the Commission, shall
prepare and transmit to Congress an Annual Report on International
Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports
by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters
involving international religious freedom. Each Annual Report shall
contain the following:
(A) Status of religious freedom
A description of the status of religious freedom in each
foreign country, including--
(i) trends toward improvement in the respect and
protection of the right to religious freedom and trends
toward deterioration of such right;
(ii) violations of religious freedom engaged in or
tolerated by the government of that country; and
(iii) particularly severe violations of religious
freedom engaged in or tolerated by the government of that
country.
(B) Violations of religious freedom
An assessment and description of the nature and extent of
violations of religious freedom in each foreign country,
including persecution of one religious group by another
religious group, religious persecution by governmental and
nongovernmental entities, persecution targeted at individuals or
particular denominations or entire religions, the existence of
government policies violating religious freedom, including
policies that discriminate against particular religious groups
or members of such groups, and the existence of government
policies concerning--
(i) limitations or prohibitions on, or lack of
availability of, openly conducted, organized religious
services outside of the premises of foreign diplomatic
missions or consular posts; and
(ii) the forced religious conversion of minor United
States citizens who have been abducted or illegally removed
from the United States, and the refusal to allow such
citizens to be returned to the United States.
(C) United States policies
A description of United States actions and policies in
support of religious freedom in each foreign country engaging in
or tolerating violations of religious freedom, including a
description of the measures and policies implemented during the
preceding 12 months by the United States under titles I, IV, and
V of this Act in opposition to violations of religious freedom
and in support of international religious freedom.
(D) International agreements in effect
A description of any binding agreement with a foreign
government entered into by the United States under section
6441(b) or 6442(c) of this title.
(E) Training and guidelines of Government personnel
A description of--
(i) the training described in section 6472(a) and (b) of
this title and section 6473(b) and (c) of this title on
violations of religious freedom provided to immigration
judges and consular, refugee, immigration, and asylum
officers; and
(ii) the development and implementation of the
guidelines described in sections 6472(c) and 6473(a) of this
title.
(F) Executive Summary
An Executive Summary to the Annual Report highlighting the
status of religious freedom in certain foreign countries and
including the following:
(i) Countries in which the United States is actively
promoting religious freedom
An identification of foreign countries in which the
United States is actively promoting religious freedom. This
section of the report shall include a description of United
States actions taken to promote the internationally
recognized right to freedom of religion and oppose
violations of such right under title IV and title V of this
Act during the period covered by the Annual Report. Any
country designated as a country of particular concern for
religious freedom under section 6442(b)(1) of this title
shall be included in this section of the report.
(ii) Countries of significant improvement in
religious freedom
An identification of foreign countries the governments
of which have demonstrated significant improvement in the
protection and promotion of the internationally recognized
right to freedom of religion during the period covered by
the Annual Report. This section of the report shall include
a description of the nature of the improvement and an
analysis of the factors contributing to such improvement,
including actions taken by the United States under this
chapter.
(2) Classified addendum
If the Secretary of State determines that it is in the national
security interests of the United States or is necessary for the
safety of individuals to be identified in the Annual Report or is
necessary to further the purposes of this chapter, any information
required by paragraph (1), including measures or actions taken by
the United States, may be summarized in the Annual Report or the
Executive Summary and submitted in more detail in a classified
addendum to the Annual Report or the Executive Summary.
(c) Preparation of reports regarding violations of religious freedom
(1) Standards and investigations
The Secretary of State shall ensure that United States missions
abroad maintain a consistent reporting standard and thoroughly
investigate reports of violations of the internationally recognized
right to freedom of religion.
(2) Contacts with nongovernmental organizations
In compiling data and assessing the respect of the right to
religious freedom for the Human Rights Reports, the Annual Report on
International Religious Freedom, and the Executive Summary, United
States mission personnel shall, as appropriate, seek out and
maintain contacts with religious and human rights nongovernmental
organizations, with the consent of those organizations, including
receiving reports and updates from such organizations and, when
appropriate, investigating such reports.
(Pub. L. 105-292, title I, Sec. 102, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2792; Pub.
L. 107-228, div. A, title VI, Sec. 681(a), Sept. 30, 2002, 116 Stat.
1408.)
References in Text
Titles I, IV, and V of this Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(C),
(F)(i), are titles I, IV, and V of Pub. L. 105-292, Oct. 27, 1998, 112
Stat. 2791, 2800, 2811. Titles I and IV are classified principally to
this subchapter (Sec. 6411 et seq.) and subchapter III (Sec. 6441 et
seq.) of this chapter, respectively. Title V amended sections 2151n,
2452, 3965, 4013, and 6202 of this title and enacted provisions set out
as a note under section 2151n of this title. For complete classification
of titles I, IV, and V to the Code, see Tables.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(F)(ii), (2), was in the
original ``this Act'', meaning Pub. L. 105-292, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat.
2787, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out
under section 6401 of this title and Tables.
Codification
Section is comprised of section 102 of Pub. L. 105-292. Subsec. (d)
of section 102 of Pub. L. 105-292 amended sections 2151n and 2304 of
this title.
Amendments
2002--Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 107-228 inserted ``including
policies that discriminate against particular religious groups or
members of such groups,'' after ``the existence of government policies
violating religious freedom,''.
Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of
Functions
For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of
functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under
section 1551 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 6402, 6411 of this title.
