USCIRF Condemns Harsh Sentence for Christian Bookseller Chen Yu

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the harsh and disproportionate sentence handed down to Chinese Christian bookseller Chen Yu. In September 2019, local authorities in Linhai City, Zhejiang Province, criminally detained Chen for selling Christian books imported from overseas. In September 2020, authorities sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on the charge of “illegal business operations” and fined him 200,000 yuan (approximately US $30,000).

“The seven-year sentence for Christian bookseller Chen Yu is extremely disproportionate and outrageous. It further shows that the Chinese Communist government is becoming increasingly hostile toward Christianity,” said USCIRF Commissioner Gary Bauer. “I call on the local government in Linhai City to immediately grant him the right to post bail and appeal his sentence. Chen deserves to be home with his family this Christmas, not behind bars.”

Chen’s harsh sentence came against a larger background of China’s escalating persecution of religious communities, including Protestant Christians. Those involved in Christian publishing in particular—including the publication or distribution of Bibles—have come under increasing scrutiny. In addition to Chen Yu, authorities in Bao’an District of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province charged and sentenced two other Christian publishers in December for “illegal business operations.” The seven-year sentence against Chen, however, presents the harshest such penalty to date.

“Chen Yu’s sentence is not only disproportionate to his alleged crime—it is also yet another flagrant assault on religion by the Chinese government,” added USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel, “Chinese authorities have made it clear through their continued mistreatment of Uyghurs, Christians, Falun Gong Practitioners, and Tibetans that religious activity of any kind is unwelcome.”

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State continue to designate China as a Country of Particular Concern, a recommendation USCIRF has made since its first Annual Report in 1999.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected]

USCIRF Condemns Boko Haram Attacks and Threats against Christians

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned recent attacks by Boko Haram in Niger and northwest Nigeria, as well as threats by the group against Christians in the run up to the Christmas holiday.

“Boko Haram continues to commit gross violations of religious freedom in the Lake Chad Basin,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins. “These atrocious acts and religiously motivated threats are nothing short of deplorable.”

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for a December 11 attack on an all-boys school in northwest Nigeria that has left over 300 students missing. The group also claimed responsibility for a December 12 attack in Niger that left 27 people dead. In a three-minute video sent to French news agency AFP, Boko Haram promised Christians more attacks ahead of Christmas.

“The U.S. government must pressure the Nigerian and Nigerien governments to act fast to protect Christian communities from these despicable threats of violence in the coming days,” added Commissioner Fred Davie. “Christians have the right to celebrate free from fear and intimidation no matter where they live.”

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, and that Boko Haram be designated an “entity of particular concern,” or EPC, under the International Religious Freedom Act for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.

Earlier this month, the State Department designated Nigeria a CPC for the first time ever.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].

USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Bahrain

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in Bahrain:

Bahrain Country Update – This country update examines religious freedom conditions in Bahrain. Throughout 2020, Bahrain continued to systematically restrict religious freedom for its Shi’a Muslim population. The government arrested Shi’a religious figures and imposed restrictions on the observance of the Ashura holiday beyond reasonable and lawful restrictions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Shi’a prisoners in Bahrain also continued to be denied access to religious texts and had religious items confiscated despite a prison visit by the National Institute for Human Rights in August 2020.

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S State Department place Bahrain on its Special Watch List (SWL) for its ongoing and systematic religious freedom violations.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].