Tuesday, May 15, 2018

USCIRF Denounces China's Crackdown on Uighurs; State Department Focuses On Yemen's Persecution of Bahais

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a press release yesterday denouncing China's increasing crackdown on Uighur Muslims.  It said in part:
In addition to longstanding restrictions on Uighur Muslims’ religious practice during Ramadan—such as preventing Uighurs from fasting and praying—the Chinese government has instituted a multifaceted security grid throughout Xinjiang comprised of both personnel and advanced technology, including armed checkpoints, facial and iris recognition software, and cell phone monitoring. Moreover, the Chinese government seeks to stymie the growth of the next generation of Uighur Muslims by banning Uighur language instruction in schools, prohibiting children from attending mosque, and proscribing Islamic baby names considered “extreme.”
Meanwhile yesterday the State Department issued a press release denouncing harassment of Baha'is by the Houthi leaders in Yemen.