§6417 Prisoner lists and issue briefs on religious freedom concerns

Summary

Requires executive branch officials to push for more talk and action on religious freedom when they meet foreign leaders. The Secretary of State must, after consulting relevant State Department officials, chiefs of mission, experts, and human rights and religious groups, create and keep country-by-country issue briefs. These briefs list people believed to be targeted for their religious activity (for example, imprisoned, detained, disappeared, under house arrest, tortured, or forced to renounce faith) and include short evaluations of each country’s policies that limit religious freedom. The Secretary must use judgment to protect the safety and benefit of listed persons. The Secretary must give these briefs to executive branch officials and Members of Congress before bilateral meetings with foreign leaders. The Commission must, when practical, publish online and in reports lists of people it finds were targeted for religious activity by a government that the Commission recommends for designation under section 6442(b)(1)(A)(ii) or by a non-state actor the Commission recommends under section 6442a. The Commission must include as much public information as possible and also use discretion to protect the safety and benefit of those people and their families.