IRF Summit Discusses Protecting Freedom of Belief, How Authoritarian Regimes Target Religion Abroad

The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit 2026 is held from Feb. 1 to 3 in Washington.

Schedule of plenary session on Feb. 3:

Fleeing for Faith: Protecting Freedom of Belief for People on the Move

This panel begins at 9:15 a.m. ET on Feb. 3. It explores the double challenge faced by victims of religious persecution: being forced to flee their homelands and then facing additional challenges to exercising their faith in exile.

Moderator

• HIAS Vice President for Policy and Advocacy Naomi Steinberg

Panelists

• Nazila Ghanea, United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
• A Demand for Action founder Nuri Kino
• Katherine Marshall, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs

Transnational Repression: How Authoritarian Regimes Target Religion, Belief Beyond Their Borders

This panel begins at 9:15 a.m. ET on Feb. 3. It explores the troubling rise of transnational repression, where authoritarian governments target citizens in exile—as well as family members who remain in their country of origin—to silence dissent, obstruct human rights reporting, and impact exiled faith communities globally.

Moderator

• Freedom House President Annie Boyajian

Panelists

• Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
• HIWA Executive Director Sardar Pashaei
• Enes Kanter Freedom, a human rights activist and former NBA player