Diplomats, media, NGOs, Religions gathered in Geneva to celebrate the Universal Declaration. Bitter Winter was there, to bear witness about the struggle for human rights in China.
News China
Church in Henan Stripped of Religious Symbols as Punishment
All religious decorations and furnishings have been removed from an underground Catholic church in Henan’s Baizhuang village as a punishment for refusing to join the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
“The Time Has Come”: CCP Cracks Down on Early Rain Covenant Church
One of the most prominent Chinese house churches is raided by CCP, with at least 80 arrested.
Punished for Speaking Out: Authorities Crack Down on Dissent
Under the powerful “stability maintenance” policy, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to deprive the Chinese people of their freedom of speech.
Saving Buddhist Statues in Hebei
After the central government ordered to demolish all religious statues in Wu’an city, local people decided to conceal 500 Buddhist statues in an attempt to save them. An almost 30-meter-tall statue of Buddha did not survive.
Students Who Fail Anti-Religion Test May Not Graduate
Some universities in Henan Province have included the assessment of anti-religion knowledge as part of the graduation requirements and are intensifying the promotion of atheism to the newly-enrolled students.
Government Unleashes New Round of Religious Persecution
Since the launch of a nation-wide supervision program to inspect the implementation of Xi Jinping’s policies on religion in China’s provinces and municipalities, believers across the country are facing even more intense crackdown on their religious liberties.
Authorities Crack Down on Buddhists at Mount Jiuhua
A memorial archway at one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism has been forcibly demolished, and the president of the Mount Jiuhua Buddhist Association has been placed under house arrest.
More “Legal Education Centers” Exposed
It’s a common practice for Chinese law enforcement authorities to use hotels and hospitals or entire buildings as secret interrogation and indoctrination bases for religious believers and political dissidents. Bitter Winter has uncovered some such centers in the provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi.
Propaganda and Culture Shows Instead of Sunday Mass
Local authorities in parts of China are organizing “alternative” events nearby the places of worship in an attempt to deter people from participating in religious activities.