May 6, 2022
Since 2020, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern, or CPC, due to the Indian government’s promotion of Hindu nationalism, and engagement and facilitation of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The othering of those that are non-Hindu through the misuse of national and state-level legislation has turned India’s diverse and pluralistic society into more of a hostile state for many religious communities, particularly Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, and Dalits.
Today USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava joins us to discuss the growing climate of intolerance toward non-Hindus in India.
Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report Chapter on India
Additional Name(s): 李宗泽
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Han
Religion or Belief: Falun Gong
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 5 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: July/19/2020
Date of Sentencing: January/14/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Cult
Li Zongze
Extra Bio Info:
Li Zongze is imprisoned for his religious activity.
On July 19, 2020, public security officials in Beijing municipality detained 13 Falun Gong practitioners, including Li, living in Beijing for allegedly sharing photos of Beijing street scenes during the COVID-19 pandemic with a publication associated with Falun Gong. Authorities also reportedly seized Falun Gong related materials from the practitioners’ residences.
On January 14, 2022, the Dongcheng People’s Court sentenced Li to five years in prison and fined him 10,000 yuan for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
Related Cases: Xu Na, Li Lixin, Zheng Yanmei, Zheng Yujie, Deng Jingjing, Meng Qingxia, Li Jiaxuan, Jiao Mengjiao, Zhang Renfei, Liu Qiang
Publicly Available Information:
- "Li Zongze" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)
Additional Name(s): 许那
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Han
Religion or Belief: Falun Gong
Reports of Torture: Yes
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 8 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: July/19/2020
Date of Sentencing: January/14/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Cult
Xu Na
Extra Bio Info:
Xu Na is imprisoned for her religious activity.
On July 19, 2020, public security officials in Beijing municipality detained 13 Falun Gong practitioners, including Xu, living in Beijing for allegedly sharing photos of Beijing street scenes during the COVID-19 pandemic with a publication associated with Falun Gong. Authorities also reportedly seized Falun Gong related materials from the practitioners’ residences.
In December 2021, Xu's original lawyer was disbarred partly in relation to social media posts he made in support of the rights of Falun Gong practitioners.
On January 14, 2022, the Dongcheng People’s Court sentenced Xu to eight years in prison and fined her 20,000 yuan for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
Xu has served prison previously for her religious belief and activity. Xu served five years in prison between 2001 and 2006 for providing accommodation to Falun Gong practitioners visiting Beijing. During this imprisonment, she was tortured and mistreated. Xu was also sentenced to three years in prison in 2008 after being accused of possessing religious materials with intent to distribute.
Related Cases: Li Zongze, Li Lixin, Zheng Yanmei, Zheng Yujie, Deng Jingjing, Meng Qingxia, Li Jiaxuan, Jiao Mengjiao, Zhang Renfei, Liu Qiang
Publicly Available Information:
- "Xu Na" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)