May 5, 2016

Asian nations top US list on religious repression

The deplorable treatment of Rohingya in Myanmar, anti-Christian and Muslim campaigns in China, and wholesale repression in North Korea saw the three Asian nations again top an annual U.S. government list of countries with the least religious freedom.

Released on May 2, the report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom rates Myanmar, China and North Korea among nine of the most severe violators — on an unranked list that includes Saudi Arabia and Iran. Vietnam is also listed as a "country of particular concern."

On lower tiers, but also noted as countries being monitored, are India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

In China, Christians and Muslims have both faced a steady barrage of abuse at the hands of state authorities. The report cites the case of pastor Bao Guohua—who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for opposing a government cross-removal campaign—as well as that of Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti, who was sentenced to life in prison on "separatism" charges. (Courtesy of ucanews.com)

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