Obama makes religious freedom pitch in Prayer Breakfast remarks

President Barack Obama speaks at the 62nd National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014. The president told the non-denominational gathering of political leaders that freedom of religion across the world is important to national security and is a central tenet of U.S. diplomacy.

Charles Dharapak, Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Obama on Thursday declared global religious freedom is "under threat" and he called on North Korea and Iran to release Americans jailed for practicing their Christian beliefs.

Speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Obama also denounced abuses in the name of religion that discriminate and oppress minorities.

"We sometimes see religion twisted in an attempt to justify hatred and persecution against other people just because of who they are or how they pray or who they love," he said at the private event that draws hundreds of members of Congress, national leaders and foreign dignitaries to the Washington Hilton ballroom.

His remarks drew both praise and skepticism from human rights advocates and a religious freedom scholar.

"I hope this is not another example of a splendid speech followed by no action whatsoever," said Thomas F. Farr, who directs the Religious Freedom Project and the Program on Religion and US Foreign Policy at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.

Obama singled out Americans Kennth Bae, a Christian missionary who has served 15 months of a 15 year sentence of hard labor in a North Korean prison, and Saeed Abedini, jailed in Iran for 18 months after being permitted to enter the nation for charitable activities.

He said his administration is working for the release of both men.

"Today, again, we call on the Iranian government to release Pastor Abedini so he can return to the loving arms of his wife and children in Idaho, Obama said.

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Obama makes religious freedom pitch in Prayer Breakfast remarks