Violations against Freedoms

 

According to the Human Rights Watch, violations of freedom of religion have increased considerably in the past years.

-Officially sanctioned mosques, Islamic schools, and imams are tightly controlled. Religious leaders must “stand on the side of the government” and attend patriotic education courses.

-Imams who do not abide by the government's orders face retaliation. In May 2001, government media reported that seven imams were arrested and two underground mosques were destroyed in Urumqi.

 

Praying Uyghurs. Photo courtesy of Radio Free Asia.

 

-Authorities have banned personal religious practices in state-controlled structures. Students at state schools and universities are forbidden to pray, observe the fast of Ramadan, or show any pious behavior. Possessing a Quran can lead to sanctions.

-Newspapers, magazines, as well as non-profit organizations have been the target of government campaigns. Many registered social groups have undergone repeated “rectification drives,” and as a result, have been shut down in recent years. The number of associations in Urumqi went from 250 in 1996 to 119 at the end of 1999.

In January 2001, Wang Lequan, Xinjiang Party Committee Secretary, explained to journalists the “freedom of press” in Xinjiang. Lequan said, “Our media does not allow any noise that counteracts the party’s voice,” and “Journalists should remember the principle of news reports serving the party and socialism.”