Introduction In August 2021 CSW published a briefing on the case of Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church. In 2019 dozens of church members, led by Pastor Pan Yongguang, fled from China to Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea following increasing pressure from the authorities on their church and its associated school. The briefing documents the […]
Case Update: Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church (Jan. 2022) Read More »
In 2019, Pastor Pan Yongguang and dozens of members of his church, Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church (SHRC), fled from China to Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea following years of harassment by the Chinese authorities. Facing increasing pressure from the authorities on their church and its associated school, as well as the rapidly escalating
Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church: ‘There is no way back for us’ Read More »
Introduction The removal of crosses from Christian buildings, the demolition of churches, and the arrest of Christians in China over the past few years has been widely reported. Alongside these violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief, there are a number of new developments which indicate that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has
Nationwide crackdown on reading, writing and religion Read More »
Summary Chang Weiping (常玮平) is a human rights defender and lawyer who was taken away by police officers in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, on 22 October 2020. He is being held on suspicion of ‘subversion of state power’, under ‘Residential Surveillance in a Designated Location’ (RSDL): this is essentially a form of enforced disappearance. Chang
Urgent case briefing on human rights lawyer Chang Weiping Read More »
Introduction New research points to a sudden and significant increase in online hostility towards Christians. In a new and worrying trend, some internet users in China have alleged that the January 2021 coronavirus outbreak in Hebei Province originated in a church, causing a storm of online hostility towards Christians, with some online commentators calling for
Online hostility towards underground churches in Hebei amid COVID-19 outbreak Read More »
The Catholic Diocese of Fengxiang is located in Shaanxi in Northwest China. Despite the introduction of several economic and technological development zones, inequality and poverty persist, exacerbated by a rural-urban divide. Many churches in Fengxiang are not wealthy, and their priests sometimes live on the edge of poverty themselves, devoting their time to ministering to the rural poor. The information in this
A Catholic experience in western China Read More »
If not properly managed, [new and emerging technologies] can pose new challenges for the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and respect for human dignity…It is time to take a holistic approach to the broad spectrum of human rights implications posed by new and emerging technologies. – Joint Statement on New and
On 30 June 2020, a new national security law came into effect in Hong Kong, shortly after being passed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s highest legislative body. The law prohibits secession, subversion, terrorism and ‘collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security’, and was met with fierce opposition from activists, residents, legal experts and democratic governments around the world, who believe the law is a serious threat to human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Over recent months there have been a number of worrying developments concerning education, children’s rights, and the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in China. These include: Prohibitions against under 18s entering places of worship. Pressure from schools on children and parents to stop ‘believing in religion’. Blocked access to education on the basis
China: Children, education and freedom of religion Read More »
Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has authored a 40-page document detailing human rights abuses and related social issues in China during 2016. This is the first comprehensive human rights commentary written by a human rights lawyer still living in China. Gao Zhisheng is a prominent human rights lawyer who is best known for his
Briefing: Gao Zhisheng report Read More »
