Human Rights Watch accuses China of closing and destroying mosques

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Chinese government of significantly reducing the number of mosques in Ningxia and Gansu provinces under its “mosque consolidation” policy, in violation of the right to freedom of religion.

The group said the Chinese authorities have decommissioned, closed down, demolished, and converted mosques for secular use as part of the government’s efforts to restrict the practice of Islam. The authorities have removed Islamic architectural features, such as domes and minarets, from many other mosques.

“The Chinese government is not ‘consolidating’ mosques as it claims, but closing many down in violation of religious freedom,” said Maya Wang, acting China director at Human Rights Watch. “The Chinese government’s closure, destruction, and repurposing of mosques is part of a systematic effort to curb the practice of Islam in China.”

There are about 20 million Muslims in China, which is officially atheist but says it allows freedom of religion.

Other ethnic and religious minorities in China have also been affected by the Chinese government’s clampdown.

Beijing, according to the BBC, has recently replaced the name “Tibet” on official diplomatic documents with “Xizang” – the region’s name in Mandarin. Authorities have also removed crosses from churches, jailed pastors, and taken Bibles off the shelves of online bookstores.

“Mosque consolidation”[1] is referenced in an April 2018 central CCP document that outlines a multi-pronged national strategy to “Sinicize” Islam, or make it more Chinese.[2] It instructs the CCP and state agencies throughout the country to “strengthen the standardized management of the construction, renovation and expansion of Islamic religious venues.” HRW said.

The document notes that a central principle behind such “management” is that “there should not be newly built Islamic venues,” in order to “compress the overall number [of mosques].” While there can be exceptions, the document states that “there should be more [mosque] demolitions than constructions.”

Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch’s Asia director, said Arab and Muslim leaders across the world should be “asking questions and raising concerns.”