Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page

9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report

LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code FOR

16. Specific lobbying issues

On behalf of 61 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to express deep concern about the deteriorating religious freedom situation in Russia; and to urge U.S. government leaders to raise this issue in public statements and bilateral discussions, and leverage the growing network of foreign institutions that are eager to partner with the United States to advance international religious freedom. This fundamental right is in serious peril as the Russian government continues to foster an atmosphere of intolerance, discrimination and persecution against religious minorities throughout the entire country. The 2002 Extremism Law laid the foundation for an alarming trend in repressions against civil society and non-traditional minority religions. The law was initially passed to combat terrorism after 9/11 but it provides no clear definition for the term extremism, thus rendering virtually any group or individual vulnerable to political and legal harassment. In fact, it has been frequently misused to target a vast multitude of peaceful and law-abiding civil society organizations and individuals; to censor religious materials, arrest and detain believers for reading or disseminating Scriptures, refuse to register religious groups, harass and prosecute religious groups that are refused registration, and liquidate and close down places of worship for targeted religious faiths. Such oppressive measures have no place in a democratic society. Most recently, the Scientology religion, its parishioners and its religious and social organizations have become a primary target of this Russian national campaign of religious repression. The campaign has been chillingly wide-ranging. Russias Supreme Court has declared Jehovahs Witnesses, a Christian denomination that rejects violence, as extremist, confirming an order by the Justice Ministry that the group be liquidated and thereby banning them from operating on Russian territory. Further, Muslims, Evangelicals, Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists, Presbyterians, Hindus, Buddhists and others have been targeted. In spite of the principles of non-discrimination and equal treatment at the heart of the UN Bill of Rights, the Russian Government is systematically using the Extremism Law to: 1) seize and censor peaceful religious scriptures read without incident the world over; 2) arrest and detain members of minority faiths for reading and disseminating these religious materials; and 3) initiate proceedings to liquidate and shut down religious organizations in order to disrupt and suppress their right to conduct religious activities in contravention of the fundamental human right to religious freedom. This misuse of the Extremism Law against religions has been widely criticized by the UN Human Rights Committee (28 April 2015), the Parliamentary Assembly Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe (14 September 2012), and the Venice Commission (1 June 2012), which found the law and its use against religions violated human rights and called on Russia to correct the law. Over fifty cases regarding Russias misuse of the Extremism Law against religions have been filed by numerous religious groups before the European Court of Human Rights.

On behalf of 53 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to recommend with the utmost enthusiasm the immediate confirmation of Governor Sam Brownback as the new Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. We cannot allow the post of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom to go vacant at this critical time when assaults on religious freedom around the world are systemic and growing. In fact, the current state of international religious freedom is one of deepening crisis- according to the Pew Research Centers latest annual study on global restrictions on religion, 79% of the worlds population lived in countries with high or very high levels of restrictions and/or hostilities in 2015 (up from 74% in 2014). The previous Ambassador, Rabbi David Saperstein, stands as a witness to the fact that having an experienced and well-connected person in this position can advance our most fundamental values as a nation and support our strategic national security interests. Likewise, Governor Brownback clearly possesses the deep experience, political understanding and connections to leverage the Ambassador position to powerfully advance international religious freedom, which will contribute to U.S. national security by combating violent religious extremism and terrorism, while increasing political stability, encouraging economic growth, and supporting the protection of other fundamental human rights. Governor Brownback is superbly qualified for this position, having been one of the earliest congressional advocates for U.S. action to advance international religious freedom during his long service as a U.S. Senator (1996-2011), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission. He has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to work on religious freedom for everyone, everywhere; across the aisle and a broad spectrum of religious and political differences. The Governors work has earned him bipartisan credibility on international religious freedom issues and human rights, and we are confident that his confirmation will enable the United States to continue its vital leadership for religious freedom. We urged the swift confirmation of Governor Brownback to send a signal to the world that our nation takes this issue seriously. It is integral to the solutions that our global challenges demand that this vital position is not left vacant.

On behalf of 28 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to express our continuing deep concern about rising restrictions on religion in the Republic of Kazakhstan; and to urge U.S. government leaders to engage Kazakh President Nazarbayev and leaders of his government regarding the 2011 Religion Law and related amendments to the Criminal Code and Administrative Code, and urge them to amend the 2011 Religion Law and related articles in these Codes in order to bring them into conformity with international human rights standards, Kazakhstan's international commitments, and its own Constitution. Related to this, shared the Kazakhstan report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, which recommends reforms to the 2011 Religion Law. The brief summary of this formal report on his mission to Kazakhstan stated:
While acknowledging a general appreciation of religious diversity in the country, he noticed adverse attitudes towards some non-traditional religious communities. The State monitors religious activities strictly, with a view to preventing extremism and to combating sects deemed destructive to peoples well-being. Many of the measures adopted for this purpose are not in line with international standards of freedom of religion or belief. Moreover, the mandatory registration of religious communities, in conjunction with tightly knit stipulations, largely hampers free religious practice, which takes place in an atmosphere of legal insecurity.
Further, the Special Rapporteurs conclusions include:
66. the 2011 Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations shows restrictive features that are not in line with international standards of freedom of religion or belief. The most obvious problem concerns the mandatory status of official registration. Failure to obtain this status means that a religious community is deemed illegal, which has far-reaching negative repercussions on the enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief. Moreover, even those communities which are registered suffer to some extent from legal insecurity, inter alia due to the official confinement of permitted religious activities to certain predefined issues and territorial boundaries. In general, the 2011 Law is based on the assumption that the exercise of core aspects of freedom of religion depends on specific acts of Government approval - thereby turning the relationship between freedom and limitations, as generally understood in the framework of human rights, upside down.
67. While Kazakhstan has broadly embraced religious pluralism, members of non-traditional small religious communities, frequently branded as sects, continue to experience suspicion, mistrust and discrimination in society. Moreover, some provisions of the Criminal Code and of the Code on Administrative Offences - both the existing and the new Codes - which are aimed at combating religious hatred or religious extremism - are defined only vaguely, thus creating a climate of legal insecurity, which is further exacerbated by shortcomings in the handling of criminal procedures, long pretrial detention and related problems. Similar problems are associated with the 2005 Law on Countering Extremism.
Finally, the Special Rapporteurs recommendations include:
(a) The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government consider amending the relevant provisions of the Constitution to bring them into line with article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(b) The Government should bring its constitutional provisions pertinent to freedom of religion or belief fully into line with article 18 of the Covenant and other relevant international human rights standards.
(d) Above all, the Special Rapporteur would like to recommend far-reaching reforms of the 2011 Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations based on an understanding that registration should be in the service of freedom of religion or belief which, due to its status as a universal human right, inheres in all human beings, prior to - and independent of - any specific acts of administrative approval. The most important consequence would be that registration should be an offer, not a mandatory requirement, for religious community practice. Non-registered communities must be able to operate free from discrimination and free from fear of intimidation.
Also shared a recent UN Human Rights Committee decision that adopted views and conclusions that an individual-Viktor Yakovlevich Leven (the author)-was a victim of violations by Kazakhstan of his rights under Article 18 of the ICCPR. In the Consideration of the merits section of this decision against Kazakhstan are the following three points:
9.2 In the present case, the Committee notes that, not having been registered as a foreign missionary on behalf of his church, the author was convicted for conducting missionary activity, which consisted of preaching and praying and conducting meetings and religious rituals among the followers of the church
9.4 The Committee concludes that the punishment imposed on the author, and in particular its harsh consequences for the author, who is facing deportation, amount to a limitation of the authors right to manifest his religion under article 18, paragraph 1; that the limitation has not been shown to serve any legitimate purpose identified in article 18, paragraph 3; and neither has the State party shown that this sweeping limitation of the right to manifest religion is proportionate to any legitimate purpose that it might serve. The limitation therefore does not meet the requirements of article 18, paragraph 3, and the Committee accordingly finds that the authors rights under article 18, paragraph 1, have been violated.
10.The Human Rights Committee, acting under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is of the view that the facts before it discloses a violation by the State party of the authors rights under article 18 of the Covenant.
Also shared the UN Human Rights Committee's second periodic report of Kazakhstan. On July 11, 2016, the Committee adopted principal matters of concern and recommendations, including:
13.The Committee is concerned about the broad formulation of the concepts of extremism, inciting social or class hatred and religious hatred or enmity under the State partys criminal legislation and the use of such legislation on extremism to unduly restrict freedoms of religion, expression, assembly and association. It is also concerned about reports that counter-terrorism activities continue to target in particular members or presumed members of banned or unregistered Islamic groups, such as the Tabligh Jamaat.
14.The State party should bring its counter-terrorism and counter-extremism legislation and practices into full compliance with its obligations under the Covenant, inter alia by revising the relevant legislative provisions with a view to clarifying and narrowing the broad concepts referred to above, to ensure that they comply with the principles of legal certainty and predictability and that the application of such legislation does not suppress protected conduct and speech
47.The Committee is concerned about undue restrictions on the exercise of freedom of religious belief, including in the 2011 Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations, such as the mandatory registration of religious organizations, the ban on unregistered religious activities, and the restrictions on the importation and distribution of religious materials. The Committee is further concerned about the use of broadly formulated crimes and administrative offences in the Criminal Code, including of articles 174 and 404, the Administrative Code, and the legislation on combating extremism to punish individuals exercising their freedom of religion and belief with severe sanctions.
48.The State party should guarantee the effective exercise of the freedom of religion and belief and freedom to manifest a religion or belief in practice. It should consider bringing article 22 of its Constitution in line with the Covenant and revise all relevant laws and practices with a view to removing all restrictions that go beyond the narrowly construed restrictions permitted under article 18 of the Covenant.
Also shared the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) call for Kazakhstan to make revisions to the Religion Law. The call came in its Preliminary Opinion on the Draft Amendments to the Legal Framework On Countering Extremism and Terrorism in the Republic of Kazakhstan, issued on 6 October 2016:
80. UN human rights monitoring bodies have recently reiterated their concerns about undue restrictions on the exercise of the right to freedom of religion or belief imposed by the 2011 Law On Religious Activities and Religious Associations of Kazakhstan the Law On Religious Activities and Religious Associations should be revised to ensure that religious groups/organizations can be formed and operate freely even in the absence of registration or without the States prior approval.

On behalf of 25 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts in support of the FY 2018 budget request of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which is an appropriation of $4.5 million in support of its vital activities. It is important to fully fund USCIRFs mandate at this critical time when assaults on religious freedom around the world are systemic and growing. Millions are subject to violent persecution because of their religious beliefs. While many suffer persecution around the world, the genocide and crimes against humanity practiced by ISIS against Yezidis, Christians, Shiite Muslims, Sunni Muslims who reject ISIS, and other minorities in Iraq and Syria constitutes the vilest contemporary case. What is happening to minorities in the Middle East represents a humanitarian catastrophe and a serious national security threat. We believe that the most effective way to address both is to uphold the principle of religious liberty for all people in the Middle East-indeed, to support religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. American leadership is needed now more than ever. Increasing the U.S. Governments capacity and practical effectiveness in advancing the global spread of religious freedom ought to be a national and international security imperative. Congress recently passed the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-281) to strengthen U.S. law and more prominently integrate this foundational human right into U.S. foreign policy and national security strategies. The U.S. government now has a remarkable opportunity, at low cost, to consolidate and build upon these recent improvements, expand and further strengthen U.S. international religious freedom policy and make a major contribution to international justice and stability, fundamental human rights, economic growth, and U.S. national security. The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act increased USCIRFs role. This expansion of USCIRFs mandate will require additional resources, staff, contractor support, and technology to strengthen its expertise and expand its outreach and advocacy efforts. USCIRF is therefore requesting an appropriation of $4.5 million, an increase of $1 million. Please note this FY 2018 budget request would return to previous funding levels USCIRF had received in FY 2010 and FY 2011. Since its inception in the landmark 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, USCIRF has been vital to elevating the promotion of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy. For those who have worked most closely with the Commission it has been a consistent and reliable voice for people around the globe who desire nothing more than to peacefully worship and live out their faith according to the dictates of their conscience. USCIRF can be counted upon to give an unvarnished view of the state of religious freedom in any given country regardless of the complexities of the bilateral relationship between our respective governments. We rely on USCIRFs reports and policy recommendations when engaging the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress on international religious freedom matters and situations; and we are grateful for USCIRF's new Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project, which was established to highlight individuals imprisoned for exercising their freedom of religion or belief.

On behalf of 21 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts in support of the swift nomination of an Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. As representatives of diverse organizations, faith groups, and constituencies we are collectively aware of the vital role of the United States in bilateral relationships across Africa. The Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs is pivotal in helping implement strategic and tactical plans for U.S. engagement on the continent. Africa is becoming an increasingly important partner as can be seen with the relatively high economic growth seen on the continent. But even with the increasing importance of Africa, there are growing challenges, here are two examples:
1. The instability, wars, and persecution in various places on the African continent has increased pressure on European allies as refugees seek safety on the continent. These pressures have distracted Europe with domestic instability rather than allowing it to fully focus on ISIS abroad.
2. Boko Haram is one of the deadliest terrorist organization in the world and has pledged allegiance to ISIS. As ISIS suffers defeats in the Middle-East by the U.S. and its allies, many terrorists will look for a new base of operations, and the many regions in Africa that fall outside of central government control will be hospitable places or ISIS to re-group.
An Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs could help deal with these challenges by:
Partnering with Africas developing nations and institutions against violent extremism and in support off necessary human rights, especially defeating transnational terrorist organizations that not only undermine Africas stability but also threaten the United States strategic interests.
Addressing refugee flows and working to support every individuals ability to capitalize on economic opportunities to live within their country with dignity, freedom, responsibility, and prosperity.
Supporting economic and societal sustainability through capacity building on infrastructure and institutional challenges, and perhaps most pressingly, the millions across the continent facing famine.
From our perspective, an Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs is essential to ongoing relationship between Africa and the United States. Such a position helps the U.S. by cooperatively addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities, while ensuring governance and anti-corruption measures. This position will strengthen security and support our ties and leadership in the many bi-lateral relationships between Africa and the United States. As you continue to build your leadership team we encourage you to swiftly nominate an Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, State - Dept of (DOS), U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, U.S. SENATE, Executive Office of the President (EOP), Natl Security Council (NSC)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.

20. Client new address

21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)

22. New General description of client’s business or activities

LOBBYIST UPDATE

23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client

ISSUE UPDATE

24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains

AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)

Internet Address:

26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client

FOREIGN ENTITIES

27. Add the following foreign entities:

28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization