An excellent report focused on disinformation produced by non-democratic states such as Russia (quoting “Bitter Winter”) and China. It could have added that some democratic states do just the same.
by Massimo Introvigne
The spread of false information about religious minorities by governments is threatening the global right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). The rise of social media and internet platforms amplifies these falsehoods through both unintended misinformation and intentional disinformation. Government-led campaigns are often aimed at religious communities, sometimes even denying official policies against them. This propagation of lies not only endangers FoRB but also increases the potential for violence against vulnerable groups.
These are the main conclusions of a report released this month by the USCIRF, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). Its Commissioners are appointed by the President and by Congressional leaders of both political parties.
According to the report, when governments spread false information about religious groups, they undermine FoRB in two main ways. First, fake news can lead to increased intolerance and potential harassment against these groups by people who believe the false narratives. Second, it suggests to these religious communities that the government won’t protect, and might even infringe upon, their religious freedoms. This threat may cause individuals within these communities to conceal their beliefs or avoid practicing their religion openly due to concerns for their safety.
The report offers what it admits are “selected examples,” warning that there are many more cases throughout the world of slander and fake news systematically spread by governments against religious minorities they persecute. In addition to some cases from Iran, India, and Pakistan (where the Ahmadiyya Community is especially targeted), the USCIRF discusses fake news about the Uyghurs in China and against different minority religions, including Evangelical churches, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Church of Scientology in Russia.
The report denounces the “genocide tourism” to Xinjiang organized by the Beijing regime, where visitors are misled to believe that all is well in the region by being allowed to visit carefully selected locations only. Meanwhile in the West, “Online actors working at the behest of Chinese authorities overload search engines and social media feeds to drown out critical information and criticism of state policies in Xinjiang. These actors have engaged in fake grassroots campaigns to give the appearance of widespread public support for China’s purported economic development in the region. They have also boosted fabricated positive stories about life in Xinjiang, featuring Uyghurs who deny allegations of state mistreatment. Pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) online accounts have harassed Uyghur diaspora communities to stop members from criticizing the Chinese government and telling their personal experiences of state abuse. Additionally, Chinese officials have selectively invited CCP-sympathetic diplomats, journalists, religious scholars, and others on carefully curated tours of Xinjiang with Uyghurs who promote state talking points about life in the region and have been forced to deny their own torture and ill treatment at the risk of additional mistreatment.”
Quoting “Bitter Winter,” the USCIRF also reports that, after having ridiculously accused Ukrainian leaders to be Nazis and Satanists, Russian propaganda spread by anti-cultists and state officials claims that Ukrainian and Western intelligence agencies are at work to spread “cults” and Satanic organizations in Russia. The USCIRF also mentions bizarre Russian fake news accusing the pacifist Jehovah’s Witnesses of “stockpiling ammunition and threatening Russian war efforts in Russian-occupied Crimea.”
The report states that government-promulgated misinformation and disinformation targeting people for their religious beliefs are increasingly alarming and impact FoRB in several countries. More governments are resorting to these methods to coerce, bully, and target individuals and groups due to their faith. The USCIRF concludes that U.S. should keep working with allies to devise ways to counteract such governmental tactics that promote limitations on FoRB.
The report sheds light on a crucial strategy used by the enemies of religious liberty: mobilizing governments to spread fake news on religious minorities. While applauding the document, “Bitter Winter” notes that these strategies also involve governments of democratic countries. The lies spread against the Unification Church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan have been denounced by the United Nations themselves. Argentina supports discredited theories of “brainwashing” to discriminate against religious minorities and accuse them of human trafficking. Courts of law in both France and Belgium have found governmental anti-cult agencies guilty of spreading false information against the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Governmental reports on child sexual abuse in several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, also misrepresented the position of Jehovah’s Witnesses on abuse. China and Russia are not alone in spreading disinformation against stigmatized minorities.
