China - November 2023

Human Rights Watch released a report on 22 November alleging that Chinese authorities have expanded their campaign of closing down mosques beyond the Xinjiang region, where the country has been criticized for persecuting Muslim minorities. Mosque closures have occurred in the Ningxia and Gansu provinces, which house the largest Muslim populations after Xinjiang. While the Chinese government claims it is “consolidating” mosques, rights advocates have criticized that the “closure, destruction and repurposing of mosques is part of a systematic effort to curb the practice of Islam in China” while violating freedom of religion.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, International IDEA