SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Freedom From Religious Persecution Act of 1997'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Governments have a primary responsibility to promote, encourage, and protect respect for the fundamental and internationally recognized right to freedom of religion.

(2) The right to freedom of religion is recognized by numerous international agreements and covenants, including the following:

(A) Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that `Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance'.

(B) Article 18 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights declares that `Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion . . .' and further delineates the privileges under this right.

(3) Persecution of religious believers, particularly Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant Christians, in Communist countries, such as Cuba, Laos, the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Vietnam, persists and in some cases is increasing.

(4) In many Islamic countries and regions thereof, governments persecute non-Muslims and religious converts from Islam using means such as `blasphemy' and `apostasy' laws, and militant movements seek to corrupt a historically tolerant Islamic faith and culture through the persecution of Baha'is, Christians, and other religious minorities.

(5) The militant, Islamic Government of Sudan is waging a self-described religious war against Christian, non-Muslim, and moderate Muslim persons by using torture, starvation, enslavement, and murder.

(6) In Tibet, where Tibetan Buddhism is inextricably linked to the Tibetan identity, the Government of the People's Republic of China has intensified its control over the Tibetan people by perverting the selection of the Panchen Lama, propagandizing against the religious authority of the Dalai Lama, restricting religious study and traditional religious practices, and increasing the persecution of monks and nuns.

(7) The United States Government is committed to the right to freedom of religion and its policies and relations with foreign governments should be consistent with the commitment to this principle.

(8) The 104th Congress recognized the facts set forth in this section and stated clearly the sense of the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding these matters in approving--

(A) House Resolution 515, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the persecution of Christians worldwide;

(B) S. Con. Res. 71, expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the persecution of Christians worldwide;

(C) H. Con. Res. 102, concerning the emancipation of the Iranian Baha'i community; and

(D) section 1303 of H.R. 1561, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1996 and 1997.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Act:

(1) DIRECTOR- The term `Director' means the Director of the Office of Religious Persecution Monitoring established under section 5.

(2) PERSECUTED COMMUNITY- The term `persecuted community' means any religious group or community identified in section 4.

(3) PERSECUTION FACILITATING PRODUCTS, GOODS, AND SERVICES- The term `persecution facilitating products, goods, and services' means those products, goods, and services which are being used or determined to be intended for use directly and in significant measure to facilitate the carrying out of acts of religious persecution.