BITTER WINTER

Bitter Winter

A magazine on religious liberty and human rights

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LATEST ARTICLES

Beyond the Leader. 4. The Human Cost of Guilt by Association

Campaigns targeting “cults” for their leaders’ real or alleged wrongdoings cause massive unnecessary and innocent suffering.

Beyond the Leader. 3. Power, Hierarchy, and Guilt by Association

Power and legitimacy determine how much influence an accusation holds. Groups labeled as “cults” are seldom given fair treatment.

“Unbroken,” by Rushan Abbas: A Uyghur Woman’sFight for Her People

She played a crucial role in alerting the world to the genocide against the Uyghur. Now, she has told her story in a book.

The Uyghurs and the Hidden Risk of Trump’s China Trip: An Open Letter

Silence on the Uyghur issue would make it easier for the Chinese to manipulate any statement the U.S. President makes. 

Beyond the Leader. 2. The Legal Effects of Guilt by Association

In addition to ready-made stories for sale, the media can also produce scripts for more aggressive forms of state control.

The Doppa on Our Heads, The Homeland in Our Hearts: Amsterdam’s Lonely Uyghur on Doppa Day

Uyghurs celebrated their skullcap this month. It is much more than a headpiece. 

Beyond the Leader. 1. Guilt by Association and Stigma.

When leaders of religious minorities are accused of sexual crimes, media narratives can quickly mark the entire collective as either accomplices or victims.

France TV’s “Scientology, the Empire of Secrecy” (2026). 2. Mocking Belief and Silencing Believers

The public French broadcaster treated theology as a subject of ridicule and excluded Scientologists and independent experts from its show.

Singing “Bad” Religion Away: China’s New Musical Offensive Against the Xie Jiao

When folk festivals become political karaoke, even the mountains of Guangxi can’t help but hum along.

The Son Who Refuses to Give Up: A New Appeal for Chang Yuchun

As the jailed Christian’ bookseller’s health collapses, the family renews the fight for justice.

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