Repression of Uyghur Muslims and the Freedom of Religious Beliefs in China

Abstract

China has been accused by the international community for placing tight constraints on the religious freedom of Uyghurs in the northwest Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). It has been widely reported that China has placed in detention over a million Uyghur Muslims in order to ‘re-educate’ them to adapt to ‘Chinese culture’. It has been alleged that China is using a system of surveillance, control, and suppression of religious activity aimed particularly at Uyghurs accusing them of actively involving in separatist activity with foreign funding in order to destabilise the region. Note that, China has also brought in polices on regulation of religious affairs that makes it difficult for a religious body or a church, mosque to exist in China without prior State approval. The policy also gives unfettered power of oversight to the government over minority religious institutions and their day to day management. In light of the above, this article examines the issue of right to freedom of religion or belief in the backdrop of China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. Further, this article also comments upon China’s current domestic policy regulating religion and its commitment at the international level to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief of all its citizens.