“Freedom of religious belief is not freedom for religion” – The Xinjiang Daily, 18 May 1996. There has been a substantial religious revival in China over the past 15 years, however, many religious believers belong to groups which are not recognized by the authorities, whose members are periodically harassed or detained. The implementation of national and local regulations on religious activities has resulted in severe restrictions on peaceful religious activities. Recent crackdowns in the Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions appear to be aimed at restricting religious activities seen by the authorities to “undermine national unity and social stability”. This document reports on the growth of religious activity in China, the registration and repression of religious groups, and cites cases of imprisonment and harassment of Christian groups, Buddhists and Muslims. Appended is the appeal for four Roman Catholics from Fujian Province.
