U.S. Puts Algeria on Religious Freedom Watch List

The US department of State put Algeria on the Us Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom, said Antony Blinken in a statement on Friday.
Besides Algeria, the list includes the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam.
Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan were designated as Countries of Particular Concern, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
The Secretary of State pointed out that violation of religious freedom sows division, undermines economic security, and threatens political stability and peace.
He added that removal from this list is conditioned by the countries’ commitment to international standards.