The CCP authorities continue taking down Islamic symbols from mosques and other buildings in China’s Xinjiang region.
The crescent moon and star, commonly recognized as the symbol of the Islamic faith, is disappearing from both secular and religious buildings in China. Bitter Winter presents photographic evidence of the government’s crackdown on religious liberties in Xinjiang.
Bitter Winter has previously reported about many cases of the demolition of mosques in Wusu city, Lianmuqin town, and other locations in Xinjiang, as well as forceful removal of symbols associated with the Muslim cultural identity or faith. The clampdown is the result of the President Xi Jinping’s policy to “sinicize religion,” introduced in 2015 and meant to bring religions into line with the Communist Party ideology.
Reported by Li Zaili
Li Zaili (uses pseudonyms for security reasons), born in Xinjiang in 1982, went to the United States to study at the age of 16. After graduating from university, Li returned to Xinjiang and worked in journalism. In 2014, Xinjiang authorities started detaining large numbers of Muslims in “transformation through education camps.” Learning of that, he left his original position and began independently collecting and organizing information related to “transformation through education camps,” and submitted articles for publication in overseas media outlets. After Bitter Winter was founded in May 2018, Li Zaili became a special correspondent of Bitter Winter covering Xinjiang, Xizang and some other regions in China.