Blinken, who is billed to visit Nigeria disclosed this in a statement he issued.
The American government also blacklisted the Boko Haram terror group and had designated it as “Entities of Particular Concern” alongside al-Shabab, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, and the Taliban.
Each year the secretary of state has the responsibility of identifying governments and non-state actors, who, because of their religious freedom violations, merit designation under the International Religious Freedom Act. I am designating Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Eritrea, Iran, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern for having engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
“I am also placing Algeria, Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom,” Blinken stated.
Blinken’s predecessor, Mike Pompeo, had in December 2020 declared that Nigeria, and some countries, persecute citizens for their religious beliefs.
In the latest release, Blinken said the US is committed to freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country.