restriction on religious freedom in china on religious freedom in china challenges to religious...

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WILBERFORCE FACT SHEET

Restriction on Religious Freedom in China

Challenges to Religious Freedom

ISLAMMost of China’s Muslims belong to the Uighur ethnic group, and are located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. They fear arrest and harassment for attending unregistered mosques Isamic schools, fasting during Ramadan or crit-icizing the government.3 In November 2014 alone, 22 Uighurs were given prison sentences ranging from 5 to 16 years for alleged “illegal religious activities.”4

BUDDHISMThe Chinese government has allowed state-controlled forms of Buddhism to exist in some contexts. However, Tibetan Buddhism is being opposed because it’s seen as a threat to the Communist Party. A small number of mon asteries and religious figures are permitted to exercise their faith, but Lamas (Tibetan religious leaders) who refuse to renounce their faith are often imprisoned.5 As of July 2015, at least 137 Tibetans have immolated them selves in protest to the government’s religious intoler ance.6

CHRISTIANITYHouse Churches - The government allows heavily-regu lated “Three Self Churches;” however, many Christians attend illegal house churches, meeting in secret and at risk of arrest.

Cross Destruction - The Chinese government forcibly removed 1,800 crosses from churches in the Province of Zhejiang over the past two years.7 In 2014, 1,470 Chris tians were detained for protesting these cross demolitions and ten received prison sentences of a year or more.8

→ Government: Communist

→ President: Xi Jinping

→ Population: 1.4 Billion

→ Ethnic Groups: 56 Eth-nic Groups (Han 91.6%, Others 8.4%)

→ Religions: Unaffiliated 52.2%, Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, Other 22.7% 1 2

CIA World Factbook 2016

Country Overview: China

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Testimony of PersecutionLawyer Detained for Fighting Cross Demolitions

Human-rights lawyer Zhang Kai has been striving to end the cross demo-litions in Zheji ang and the arrests of fellow activists and lawyers. On August 25, 2015 he and his two assistants were dragged from his home and workplace by local Wenzhou police. His family and colleagues have since worked tirelessly for his release.

The police have refused Kai’s father and lawyer access to his location, condition, and case. They claim he was “gathering a crowd to disturb social order” and is a threat to national secu-rity. Kai strived to spread knowl edge of the law to other churches, speak out against the illegal demolitions of cross-es and the arrest of Christians through peaceful protest.

Kai stands with his faith and told his father that, “I am certain that I want to support the Lord’s impartial justice and work in accor dance with the law. I be-lieve that the govern ment can support the Lord’s equitable justice.”

[1] https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/ geos/ch.html[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/world/asia/ui ghurs-in-china-saybias-is-growing.htmI[3] http ://www. uscirf.gov/news-room/press-releases/china-ra madan-restrictions-violate-religious-freedom[4] http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/238500.pdf151 [5] https://www.savetibet.org/testimony-of-losang-gyatso-ser vice-chief-tibetan-service-voice-of-america-at-the-cecc-hearing-on-chinas-religiouspolicy/[6] http://www.cecc.gov/tibetan-self-immolations[7] http://www. bbc. com/news/world-asia-china-35457150[8] http://www.cecc.gov/media-center/press-releases/state ment-by-ceccchairs-representative-ch ris-sm ith-and-senator-marco[9] http://www.chinaaid.org/2015/10/father-of-imprisoned-hu manrights.html[10] http://www. nytimes. com/2015/08/28/world/asia/law yer-who-represented-churches-in-ch ina-is-missing.htm

Kai is still in prison today, his exact where abouts unknown, and his father and others continue to press for his release.9 10

Call to ActionSTUDY• Study the following passages in

light of religious freedom in China ...• Hebrews 13:3• 2 Timothy 2:9• Psalms 102:19-20• Isaiah 61:1

PRAY• That activists for religious free-

dom now in prison are given their freedom

• That Tibetan Buddhists refrain from self-immolation

• That the Chinese government would stop the destruction of crosses

• For growth of church communities’ faith, their protection, and their leadership

• That the Chinese government will stop persecuting people for expressing their religious beliefs, such as the Uyghurs during fasting times

LEARN• Read Clouds of Witnesses:

Christian Voices from Africa and Asia by Mark A. Noll and Carolyn Nystrom. The Cross: Jesus of Chi-na (DVD), Chapters 1 & 4 make for excellent small group discussion.

STAND• Stand in solidarity with these peo-

ple of faith by becoming informed and subscribing to Wilberforce’s

• E-newsletter at 21wilberforce.org,• Like us on Facebook or follow us on

Twitter @21Wilberforce

As religious freedom advocates, we mobilize and equip partners, including Christians, activists and people of other faiths, to promote global protections and reforms through Advocacy, Capacity Build-ing and Technology.



restriction on religious freedom in china on religious freedom in china challenges to religious...

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