Churches and temples were rigorously restricted to reopen after coronavirus measures were eased, and authorities used the situation to expand control over them.
Religious Persecution
Awards Offered to Snitch on Unregistered Religious Venues
To prevent members of state-run churches from joining unregistered places of worship, the government implements new repressive measures to control them.
Xie Jiao-Free Communities Help Crush Banned Religious Groups
Local governments across China urge to create “model” towns or villages without residents who are members of religious groups labeled “heterodox teachings.”
Religious Activities Replaced with Veneration of Mao Zedong
Places of worship were off-limits to believers amid the coronavirus outbreak, while activities to worship China’s revolutionary leader in temples were green-lighted.
Catholic Churches Destroyed or Repurposed by the Government
To make unregistered Catholics join the official Patriotic Church, authorities throughout China harass congregations and clergy members.
Bitter Winter for the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
A digest of persecution in China for August 22, the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
Hunt for Unsanctioned Religious Materials Continues Nationwide
Provincial and municipal governments intensify measures to purge from state-run churches all publications that are not approved by the state.
Places of Worship Forced to Donate to the State or Stay Shut
Extending persecution of religious venues, the CCP demands them to contribute to the coronavirus relief fund, or they won’t be allowed to reopen after lockdown.
Only ‘Politically Correct’ Religious Venues Allowed to Reopen
Places of worship are issued strict prerequisites to open their doors after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted. The primary must—loyalty to the Communist Party.
Kazakhstan, Serikzhan Bilash in Court Again
There is no peace for the human rights activist who denounces the horrors of the transformation through education camps in Xinjiang.