U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Names China and Eight Other Countries As Worst Violators of Religious Freedom

August 16, 2001

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has nominated nine countries, with China being the second, for designation by the State Department as "countries of particular concern." These are the world's worst violators of religious freedom, and are subject to U.S. action under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The action came in an August 16 letter to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.

Of the countries nominated, the State Department designated five countries, with China being the second, as countries of particular concern in 1999 and 2000.

In urging the redesignation of China and another country, the Commission noted that particularly severe violations of religious freedom have increased in both nations during the past year. "In China, numerous Falun Gong practitioners throughout the country have been subjected to psychiatric detention and abuse, as part of the government's crackdown on that group," the Commission wrote. "More than 35 members of the underground Roman Catholic Church (including two bishops and 23 priests) were arrested in April and July of this year.

The full text of the Commission's letter to the Secretary, with accompanying attachments, is available on its Web site at www.uscirf.gov, or can be obtained by contacting the Commission's communications office at [phone], ext. 27.

(The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to give independent recommendations to the executive branch and the Congress.)