The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, an arm of the State Department, has recently released the International Religious Freedom Report for 2008. Covering 198 countries and territories, the Executive Summary of this report states:
The promotion of religious freedom for all is central to American identity and a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. Our advocacy for religious freedom is grounded in our commitment to advance respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide. The right to believe or not to believe, without fear of government interference or restriction, is essential to human dignity, robust civil society, and sustainable democracy. Both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights articulate a right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
The Department of State monitors religious persecution and discrimination worldwide, implements policies, develops initiatives, funds programs, and actively works bilaterally and multilaterally to foster greater respect for religious freedom.
Included in the Executive Summary is a list of possible abuses of religious freedom, Countries of Particular Concern, and a list of countries in which religious freedom is of particular interest. Read the rest of the report here, remarks by Condolezza Rice here, and remarks by John V. Hanford III, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, here.