Party members are punished for engaging in “superstitious activities.” Normally, such campaigns soon extend to the general population.
Massimo Introvigne
“Fighting Corruption”: Xi Jinping’s Code Word for “Fighting Dissent”
Before you applaud the CCP’s anti-corruption measures, consider that in China the notion of corruption is politically constructed and includes criticism of the Party.
The South Korean Verdict on Chairman Lee: COVID-19 and Religious Liberty
The decision absolving Shincheonji’s leader from charges of obstructing the anti-pandemic efforts has important international implications.
New French Law on Religion Goes to the Parliament— Minister Offends “Evangelicals”
A member of the government claims that “Evangelical branches from the US” require a “certificate of virginity” from women before marriage.
Shincheonji’s Chairman Lee Not Guilty of Breaking Virus Law: The Decision
The Suwon District Court debunked the fake news, and stated that Shincheonji “promptly and actively” cooperated with health authorities when requested.
Panama: Anti-Cult Amendment to Criminal Code Introduced
A tragedy where seven people died during exorcisms performed by an evangelical sect is leading to a broad provision targeting “cults” in general.
The 2016 Ambush Telephone Survey: A Telling Chapter in Tai Ji Men’s Legal Saga
The Taiwan National Tax Bureau tried to invalidate the results of its own previous open survey through suggestive phone interviews and fax response forms.
Orthodox Dissidents Now Regarded as “Cultists” in Russia
In Rostov Oblast, a cleric of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church is prosecuted as a “cult leader.”
“The Chief Witness”: Alexandra Cavelius Tells the Story of Sayragul Sauytbay
Soon in English, the German best seller gives voice to a woman whose testimony about the transformation through education camps in Xinjiang cannot be impeached.
Chinese Spies Tried to Create False “Uyghur Terrorists” in Afghanistan
Ten Chinese agents were arrested and quietly expelled after trying to establish a false branch of the defunct East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
Massimo Introvigne
Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of California Press' Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the "Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions" of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.