11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Government tried to control and regulate religious groups, particularly unregistered groups ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23280]

"The constitution and laws provide for freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe, although the constitution only protects religious activities defined as "normal." The government sought to restrict legal religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the activity of both registered and unregistered religious groups, including house churches. Religious groups must register with a government-affiliated patriotic religious association (PRA) associated with one of the five recognized religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. The PRAs supervised the activities of each of these religious groups and liaised with government religious affairs authorities charged with monitoring religious activity. The government tried to control and regulate religious groups, particularly unregistered groups. Nonetheless, membership in many religious groups continued to grow rapidly."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Some unregistered groups continued to experience varying degrees of official interference and harassment ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23281]

"The extent of religious freedom continued to vary widely within the country. Freedom to participate in officially sanctioned religious activity continued to increase in most areas. Religious activity grew not only among the five main religions, but also among the Eastern Orthodox Church and folk religions. Some unregistered groups continued to experience varying degrees of official interference and harassment. Severe crackdowns against unregistered Protestants and Catholics, Muslims, and Tibetan Buddhists continued, and the government increased its control over some peaceful religious practices. The level of repression of religious freedom in Tibetan areas increased, and there was some tightening of official control over religious freedom in the XUAR. The government also continued its severe repression of groups that it determined to be "cults," targeting the Falun Gong spiritual movement in particular."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

All religious venues were required to register with the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23282]

"All religious venues were required to register with the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) or its provincial or local offices, which are known as Religious Affairs Bureaus (RABs). SARA and the RABs were responsible for monitoring and judging whether religious activity was "normal" and therefore lawful. SARA and the CCP's United Front Work Department provided policy guidance and supervision over implementation of government regulations on religious activity.
The 2005 regulations on religious affairs (RRA) delineated regulatory activities governing religious affairs and consolidated official pronouncements within a legal framework. The regulations protect the rights of registered religious groups, under certain conditions, to possess property, publish literature, train and approve clergy, and collect donations. However, the regulations have done little to expand religious freedom, as the activities of unregistered religious groups remain outside the scope of the RRA's legal protection. The regulations provide general protection only for freedom of "religious belief," but not expressions of belief, and merely codify past practices, including restrictions over officially recognized religious communities. The regulations protect only those religious beliefs categorized vaguely as "normal." In practice party doctrine guides the resolution of religious issues and the implementation of regulations. The regulations also give authorities broad discretion to define which religious activities are permissible."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Pressure on religious groups to register or to come under the supervision of official religious organizations continued during the year ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23309]

"The law requires religious groups to register places of worship. Spiritual activities in places of worship that have not registered may be considered illegal and participants can be punished. Government officials stated that private homes where family and friends meet to study the Bible would not be required to register, but venues for formal worship services should be registered, even if such formal worship takes place in a private home. Clergy need not be approved by the government but must be reported to the government after being selected pursuant to the rules of the relevant government-affiliated religious association. Pressure on religious groups to register or to come under the supervision of official religious organizations continued during the year. Some groups registered voluntarily, while some registered under pressure. Several groups avoided officials in an attempt to avoid registration, and the government refused to register some groups. Various unofficial groups reported that authorities refused them registration without explanation. The government contended that these refusals were mainly the result of failure to meet requirements concerning facilities and meeting spaces. Some religious groups were reluctant to comply with the regulations out of principled opposition to state control of religion or due to fear of adverse consequences if they revealed, as required, the names and addresses of church leaders and members."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Government tightly regulated the publication of religious texts and prohibited individuals from printing religious material ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23317]

"Although Bibles and other religious texts were available in most parts of the country, the government tightly regulated the publication of religious texts and prohibited individuals from printing religious material. The 2005 religious regulations permits authorized religious organizations and venues to compile and print materials for internal and public distribution but requires publications to be prepared in accordance with national regulations. These regulations, in turn, impose strict prior restraints on religious literature, even beyond the restrictions on other types of publications. The regulations also provide for government oversight of the appointment of religious personnel."

Document(s): Open document

10.10.2007 - Source: Congressional-Executive Commission on China

Government harassment, repression, and persecution of religious and spiritual adherents has increased during the last five years ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 21320]

see report for further details

"Government harassment, repression, and persecution of religious and spiritual adherents has increased during the five-year period covered by this report. In 2004, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China reported that repression of religious belief and practice grew in severity. The Communist Party strengthened its campaign against organizations it designated as cults, targeting Falun Gong in particular, but also unregistered Buddhist and Christian groups, among other unregistered communities.1 The Commission noted a more visible trend in harassment and repression of unregistered Protestants for alleged cult involvement starting in mid-2006.2 The Commission reported an increase in harassment against unregistered Catholics starting in 2004 and an increase in pressure on registered clerics beginning in 2005.3 The government's crackdown on religious activity in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region has increased in intensity since 2001.4 New central government legal provisions and local measures from the Tibet Autonomous Region government intensify an already repressive environment for the practice of Tibetan Buddhism.5 Daoist and Buddhist communities have been subject to ongoing efforts to close temples and eliminate religious practices deemed superstitious, as well as made subject to tight regulation of temple finances.6 Members of religious and spiritual communities outside the five groups recognized by the government continue to operate without legal protections and remain at risk of government harassment, abuse, and in some cases, persecution. China has remained a ``Country of Particular Concern'' because of its restrictions on religion since the U.S. Department of State first gave it this designation in 1999."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government rejected attempts by several unregistered religious groups to register ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21161]

"During the reporting period, the Government rejected attempts by several unregistered religious groups to register. Some groups reported that authorities denied their applications without cause or detained group members who met with officials when they attempted to register. The Government contended that these refusals were the result of these groups' lack of adequate facilities or failure to meet other legal requirements. A few unregistered religious groups were able to register as "meeting points" of one of the PRAs.
In order to register a "site for religious activity" or a "meeting point" under the RRA a religious group must also register as a social organization under the "Regulations on the Management of Registration of Social Organizations" (RSO), which are administered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA). Unregistered religious groups stated that it was difficult to obtain the "sponsorship" of a "qualified supervisory unit" without the support of one of the PRAs. The five PRAs are the only religious organizations known to be registered under the RSO. Religious groups that are not registered under the RSO do not enjoy legal protection and cannot register their own meeting points under the RRA."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

House churches report that local authorities frequently disrupted meetings and arrested participants on the grounds of participating in illegal gatherings ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21162]

"SARA considers unregistered churches as existing outside the legal framework of the RRA, although prayer meetings and Bible study groups held among friends and family in homes are legal and do not require registration. SARA has not publicly defined the terms "family and friends." House churches report that local authorities frequently disrupted meetings of friends and family in private homes and arrested participants on the grounds that they were participating in illegal gatherings."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In 1999 the Government began banning groups that it determined to be "cults" ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21163]

"In 1999 the Government began banning groups that it determined to be "cults," without publicly defining the term. The Government banned the Falun Gong, the Guan Yin (also known as Guanyin Famin, or the Way of the Goddess of Mercy), and Zhong Gong (a qigong exercise discipline). The Government also considers several Protestant Christian groups to be cults, including the "Shouters" (founded in the United States in 1962), Eastern Lightning, Society of Disciples (Mentu Hui), Full Scope Church, Spirit Sect, New Testament Church, Three Grades of Servants (also known as San Ba Pu Ren), Association of Disciples, Lord God Sect, Established King Church, Unification Church, the Family of Love, and South China Church.
Under article 300 of the criminal law, "cult" members who "disrupt public order" or distribute publications may be sentenced to 3 to 7 years in prison, while "cult" leaders and recruiters may be sentenced to 7 years or more in prison."

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Religious freedom is accorded little respect ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20401]

"Though constitutionally recognized, religious freedom is accorded little respect in China. All religious groups are required to register with the government, and while officially sanctioned groups are tolerated, members of unauthorized religious groups, such as Falun Gong, are harassed, detained, and imprisoned. Some 50 members of an “underground” Christian church in the Zhejiang province were arrested in July 2006, and their church building was demolished. In areas like the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, home to the predominantly Muslim Uighur ethnic group, the government has used the pretext of counterterrorism to crack down on Islamic organizations, labeling them religious extremists. Restrictions on Muslims’ religious activity, teaching, and places of worship in Xinjiang are “implemented forcefully,” according to the U.S. State Department’s 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

The government continued to crack down on religious observance outside officially sanctioned channels ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20014]

"The government continued to crack down on religious observance outside officially sanctioned channels. Thousands of members of underground protestant "house churches" and unofficial Catholic churches were detained, many of whom were ill-treated or tortured in detention. Members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement were detained and assigned to administrative detention for their beliefs, and continued to be at high risk of torture or ill-treatment.

• Bu Dongwei, a Falun Gong practitioner, was assigned to two and a half years' Re-education through Labour in June for "activities relating to a banned organization" after police discovered Falun Gong literature at his home. He had been working for a US aid organization when he was detained.

• Pastor Zhang Rongliang, an underground church leader who had been repeatedly detained and imprisoned since 1976, was sentenced in June to seven and a half years' imprisonment on charges of illegally crossing the border and fraudulently obtaining a passport."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

08.05.2007 - Source: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Query response whether a person detained at an underground church meeting would have his or her name placed in the Public Security Bureau (PSB) database ("Whether a person detained at an underground church meeting would have his or her name placed in the Public Security Bureau (PSB) database [CHN102493.E]") [ID 21970]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government restricts religious practice; extent of religious freedom continued to vary widely within the country ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19096]

"The constitution and laws provide for freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe. However, the government sought to restrict religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the activity of religious groups. The government recognized five main religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. A government-affiliated association monitored and supervised the activities of each of these faiths. Membership in these faiths as well as unregistered religious groups grew rapidly. The government tried to control and regulate religious groups, especially groups that were unregistered.

The extent of religious freedom continued to vary widely within the country. Freedom to participate in officially sanctioned religious activity continued to increase in most areas. Religious activity grew not only among the five main religions, but also among the Eastern Orthodox Church and folk religions. Bibles and other religious texts were available in most parts of the country. At the same time, some unregistered groups continued to experience varying degrees of official interference and harassment. Crackdowns against unregistered Protestants and Catholics, Muslims, and Tibetan Buddhists (see Tibet Addendum) continued. The government continued its repression of groups that it determined to be "cults" and of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in particular.

All religious venues were required to register with the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) or its provincial or local offices (known as Religious Affairs Bureaus (RABs). SARA and the RABs were responsible for monitoring and judging whether religious activity was "normal" and therefore lawful. SARA and the CCP's united front work department provided policy guidance and supervision over implementation of government regulations on religious activity.

New regulations governing religious affairs, which came into effect in March 2005, delineated regulatory activities governing religious affairs and consolidated official pronouncements within a legal framework. However, the regulations provide general protection only for freedom of "religious belief," and not for expressions of belief. The regulations protect only those religious beliefs categorized vaguely as "normal." In practice, party doctrine guides resolution of religious issues and implementation of the regulations. The regulations protect the rights of registered religious groups, under certain conditions, to possess property, publish literature, train and approve clergy, and collect donations. However, the regulations have not created additional room for lawful religious activity by groups not affiliated with the five main religions. In this regard, the regulations merely codify past practices and give authorities broad discretion to define which religious activities are permissible.

The law requires religious groups to register places of worship. Spiritual activities in places of worship that have not registered may be considered illegal and participants can be punished. Government officials stated that private homes where family and friends meet to study the Bible would not be required to register, but venues for formal worship services should be registered, even if such formal worship takes place in a private home. Clergy need not be approved by the government but must be reported to the government after being selected pursuant to the rules of the relevant government-affiliated religious association. Pressure on religious groups to register or to come under the supervision of official "patriotic" religious organizations continued during the year. Some groups registered voluntarily, while a number registered under pressure; several groups avoided officials in an attempt to avoid registration, and authorities refused to register others. Various unofficial groups reported that authorities refused them registration without explanation. The government contended that these refusals were mainly the result of failure to meet requirements concerning facilities and meeting spaces. Some religious groups were reluctant to comply with the regulations out of principled opposition to state control of religion or due to fear of adverse consequences if they revealed, as required, the names and addresses of church leaders and members."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Atheism in schools ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19102]

"The government supported atheism in schools. In March 2005 a Foreign Ministry spokesman said the country had no national regulations preventing children from receiving religious instruction, but said religion should not interfere with public education. In practice local authorities in many regions barred school-age children from attending religious services at mosques, temples, or churches and prevented them from receiving religious education outside the home.

The law does not prohibit religious believers from holding public office; however, party membership is required for almost all high-level positions in government, state-owned businesses, and many official organizations. Communist Party officials have stated that party membership and religious belief were incompatible. Government and CCP officials reiterated that religious believers should resign their party membership. The Routine Service Regulations of the People's Liberation Army state explicitly that service members "may not take part in religious or superstitious activities." CCP and PLA personnel have been expelled for adhering to Falun Gong beliefs.

Despite regulations encouraging officials to be atheists, some party officials engaged in religious activity, most commonly Buddhism or a folk religion. The NPC included several religious representatives. NPC Standing Committee vice chairmen included Fu Tieshan, a bishop and vice-chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Religious groups also were represented in the CPPCC, an advisory forum for "multiparty" cooperation and consultation led by the CCP, and in local and provincial governments. CPPCC Standing Committee vice chairmen included Pagbalha Geleg Namgyal, a Tibetan reincarnate lama.

Official religious organizations administered local religious schools, seminaries, and institutes to train priests, ministers, imams, Islamic scholars, and Buddhist monks. Students who attended these institutes had to demonstrate "political reliability," and all graduates must pass an examination on their political as well as theological knowledge to qualify for the clergy. The government permitted registered religions to train clergy and allowed an increasing number of Catholic and Protestant seminarians, Muslim clerics, and Buddhist clergy to go abroad for additional religious studies, but some religion students had difficulty getting passports or obtaining approval to study abroad. In most cases foreign organizations provided funding for such training programs.

Authorities continued to prohibit the teaching of Islam to elementary and middle school-age children in some areas, although children studied Arabic and the Koran without restriction in many others. Local officials stated that school-age children may not study religion or enter mosques in Xinjiang. In August 2005 a teacher, Aminan Momixi, and more than 30 students were reportedly detained for holding Koran study sessions during school vacation. Authorities confiscated their Korans and Muslim textbooks and the government declined to clarify Momixi's status. According to media reports, Xinjiang authorities confiscated religious publications on many other occasions, sometimes detaining those who possessed unapproved religious texts."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

State-controlled system of registration ("World Report 2007") [ID 18570]

"China does not recognize freedom of religion outside of the state-controlled system in which all congregations, mosques, temples, churches, and monasteries must register.

Registration entails government vetting and ongoing monitoring of religious personnel, seminary applicants, and publications; scrutiny of financial records and membership rolls; and veto power over group activities. Failure to register renders a religious organization illegal and subject to closure, fines, and criminal sanctions. Despite the restrictions, the number of religious practitioners continues to grow."

Document(s): Open document

20.09.2006 - Source: Congressional-Executive Commission on China

Freedom of Religion ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 17383]

see report for further details - Chapter V(d)

"• Chinese government restrictions on the practice of religion violate international human rights standards. Freedom of religious belief is protected by the Chinese Constitution and laws, but government implementation of Communist Party policy on religion, and restrictions elsewhere in domestic law, violate these guarantees. The Chinese government tolerates some aspects of religious belief and practice, but only under a strict regulatory framework that represses religious and spiritual activities falling outside the scope of Party-sanctioned practice.Religious organizations are required to register with the government and submit to the leadership of ‘‘patriotic religious associations’’ created by the Party to lead each of China’s five recognized religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism. Those who choose not to register with the government, or groups that the government refuses to register, operate outside the zone of protected religious activity and risk harassment, detention, imprisonment, and other abuses. Registered communities also risk such abuse if they engage in religious activities that authorities deem a threat to Party authority or legitimacy.

• The 2004 Regulation on Religious Affairs (RRA) has not afforded greater religious freedom to Chinese citizens, despite government claims that it represented a ‘‘paradigm shift’’ by limiting state control over religion. Like earlier local and national regulations on religion, the RRA emphasizes government control and restrictions on religion. The RRA articulates general protection only for freedom of ‘‘religious belief,’’ but not for expressions of religious belief. Like earlier regulations, it also protects only those religious activities deemed ‘‘normal,’’ without defining this term. Although the RRA includes provisions that permit registered religious organizations to select leaders, publish materials, and engage in other affairs, many provisions are conditioned on government approval and oversight of religious activities. [...]

• Despite strict government controls on the practice of religion, Chinese authorities accommodate the social programs of Buddhist, Daoist, Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant communities when these programs support Party goals. For example, domestic Muslim civil society organizations carry out social welfare projects, and international Muslim charities have supported projects in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces, as well as in the XUAR. The Amity Foundation, affiliated with the registered Protestant Church, sponsors projects in social services and development aid, including education, healthcare, and care for the elderly."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Annual report on religious freedom 2006 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17069]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2006 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17962]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Religious Demography ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 18167]

"The country has an area of 3.5 million square miles, and its population is approximately 1.3 billion. According to an April 2005 Government White Paper, there were "more than 100 million religious adherents," representing a great variety of beliefs and practices. According to this official publication, the country had more than 85,000 sites for religious activities, 300,000 clergy, and more than 3,000 religious organizations. These same official statistics have been used unchanged since 1997, when the State Council Information Office published a White Paper on Freedom of Religious Belief. Given the growth in religion since 1997, unpublished estimates suggest the country had over 200 million believers and 100,000 sites for religious activities.

The country has five main religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. While these are the primary religions, the 2005 religious affairs regulations did not identify "official" religions. The Russian Orthodox Church also operated in some regions, and other religions existed in the country's expatriate community. Most of the country's population did not formally practice any religion. Approximately 8 percent of the population was Buddhist, approximately 1.5 percent was Muslim, an estimated 0.4 percent belonged to the official Catholic Church, an estimated 0.4 to 0.6 percent belonged to the unofficial Vatican-affiliated Catholic Church, an estimated 1.2 to 1.5 percent was registered as Protestant, and perhaps 2.5 percent worshipped in Protestant house churches that were independent of government control.

Religious officials offered no official estimate of the number of Taoists, but academics placed the number at several hundred thousand. According to the Taoist Association, there were more than 25,000 Taoist monks and nuns and more than 1,500 Taoist temples.

Traditional folk religions (worship of local gods, heroes, and ancestors) have been revived, are practiced by hundreds of millions of citizens, and are tolerated to varying degrees as loose affiliates of Taoism, Buddhism, or ethnic minority cultural practices. During the year, the national religious affairs ministry known as SARA (the State Administration for Religious Affairs) set up a new unit to supervise folk religions as well as religions outside the main five, including religions practiced by foreigners.
"

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Government's respect for religious freedom and freedom of conscience remaines poor ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 18323]

"During the period covered by this report, the Government's respect for religious freedom and freedom of conscience remained poor, especially for members of many unregistered religious groups and for groups, such as the Falun Gong, which the Government considered "cults." The Government tends to perceive unregulated religious gatherings or groups as a potential challenge to its authority, and it attempts to control and regulate religious groups to prevent the rise of sources of authority outside the control of the Government and the CCP.

Some local authorities continued a selective crackdown on unregistered religious groups, and the Central Government did not oppose this crackdown. Police closed unregistered mosques and temples, as well as some Catholic churches and Protestant "house churches," many with significant memberships, properties, financial resources, and networks. Several unregistered church leaders reported continuing pressure from local authorities. Despite these efforts at control, official sources, religious professionals, and members of both officially sanctioned and unregistered places of worship all reported that the number of religious adherents in the country continued to grow.

The Government makes political demands on the clergy or leadership of registered groups. For example, authorities have required clergy to publicly endorse government policies or denounce Falun Gong. In other areas, including Xinjiang and the Tibetan Autonomous Region, authorities require clergy to participate in patriotic education. The Government continued its harsh repression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and of "cults" in general. As in past years, local authorities moved against houses of worship outside their control that grew too large or espoused beliefs considered threatening to "state security." Overall, the basic policy of permitting religious activity to take place relatively unfettered in government-approved sites and under government control remained unchanged.

Official tolerance for Buddhism and Taoism has been greater than that for Christianity, and these religions often face fewer restrictions. However, as these non-Western religions have grown rapidly in recent years, there were signs of greater government concern and new restrictions, especially on groups that blend tenets from a number of religious beliefs. The Government also sought to regulate closely the financial affairs of Buddhist and Taoist temples.
"

Document(s): Open document

11.09.2006 - Source: Forum 18

Analysis of the advantages of a national religion law that would help end arbitrary treatment of religious believers and restrictions on their rights by allowing them to appeal to an objective law; however, authorities avoided adopting a religion law and instead passed updated religion regulations in late 2004 ("Would a religion law help promote religious freedom?") [ID 17895]

Document(s): Open document

16.08.2006 - Source: Forum 18

Article on economics' large effect on religious communities and country's religious freedom ("The Economics of Religious Freedom") [ID 17963]

Document(s): Open document

15.08.2006 - Source: Forum 18

Xinjiang: Control over Islam much stricter than over other religions; mosques used by Uighur Muslims stricter controlled than those used by Dungans; ban on the private Islamic religious education of children ("Strict control of China's Uighur Muslims continues") [ID 17964]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: Forum 18

Government's increasingly hard-line policy on religion coming under increasing strain, as repressive actions continue against many religious communities ("Despite new Regulations, religious policy still under strain") [#46390],  [ID 17124]

Document(s): Open document

01.03.2006 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Right of freedom of religion remains subject to arbitrary restrictions despite last year's religious freedom-law Regulations on Religious Affairs ("A Year After New Regulations, Religious Rights Still Restricted") [#45225],  [ID 17125]

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Religious Belief and Expression ("World Report 2006") [#42330],  [ID 17332]

"The Regulations on Religious Affairs that went into effect in March 2005 codified religious policy in effect since 1982. All congregations, mosques, temples, churches, and monasteries must be registered to be legal. However, registration brings vetting and ongoing monitoring of religious personnel, seminary applicants, and publications; scrutiny of financial records and membership rolls; and veto power over group activities. Failure to register renders a group illegal and subject to closure, fines, and criminal sanctions.  
 
Particularly troublesome are limits on large-scale religious gatherings and on the number of religious sites in a given area; acceptance of “guidance, supervision and inspection” by “relevant departments of the local people’s government;” and a requirement that religious bodies “safeguard unification of the country, unity of all nationalities, and stability of society.” This last requirement is vague enough to give the state control of any and all religious teachings and is rigorously enforced in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, and in other areas with large concentrations of non-Han populations.  
 
Equally troubling is increased vetting of relationships between Chinese religious bodies and their foreign counterparts. Officials continue to express fears that international religious ties are a façade for Western infiltration.  
 
The new policies have been reflected in round-ups of non-registered Christians attending training sessions. Most are released quickly, some after paying fines. Despite statements suggesting accommodation between China and the Vatican, at this writing some forty Catholic clergy were being detained, imprisoned, or otherwise restricted from freely moving about."

Document(s): Open document

08.11.2005 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2005 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2005") [#38869],  [ID 3684]

Document(s): Open document

08.11.2005 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2005 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2005") [#38869],  [ID 3912]

Document(s): Open document

12.10.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

U.S.: No improvement in China'S human rights; controls on political, religious, and media expressions tightened ("U.S. Sees No Improvement In China's Human Rights") [#38152],  [ID 3685]

Document(s): Open document

11.10.2005 - Source: Congressional-Executive Commission on China

Government continues to harass, abuse, and detain religious believers ("Annual Report 2005") [#37506],  [ID 3686]

see report for further details - chapter III(d)

"The Chinese government continues to harass, abuse, and detain religious believers who seek to practice their faith outside state-controlled religious venues. In 2005, the government and Party launched a large-scale implementation campaign for the new Regulation on Religious Affairs to strengthen control over religious practice, particularly in ethnic and rural areas, violating the guarantee of freedom of religious belief found in the new regulation.
[...]
Religious believers in China practice their faith in the shadow of government and Party propaganda, control, and harassment. Believers who choose to worship outside state-controlled venues face detention or arrest, and in some cases police abuse. Such repression, while not uniform across China, has created an atmosphere of anxiety and unpredictability for most Chinese believers. The new Regulation on Religious Affairs (RRA), which took effect in 2005, requires local religious affairs officials to ‘‘standardize’’ the management of religion. As a result, local officials measure their success in terms of the number of unauthorized religious venues that they merge, correct, or shut down, or the number of unregistered believers detained and arrested."

Document(s): Open document

04.2005 - Source: UK Home Office

Country Report April 2005 - Religion and the State ("Country Report - April 2005") [#31975],  [ID 3687]

"6.31 As reported by the Washington Post on 10 March 2004, “The Chinese government allows people to worship only in party-run churches, mosques and temples, [and] considers any autonomous religious organization a threat and routinely imprisons priest, monks and others.” As noted by to the same source, “There is rising interest in religion and spirituality – from Falun Gong to Christianity – as people struggle to cope with rapid social change and the vacuum left by the collapse of Maoist ideology.” [10ad]

6.32 As reported by the official China Daily newspaper on 18 December 2004, “The Religious Affairs Provisions, promulgated on November 30 with the approval of Premier Wen Jiabao, will formally come into effect on March 1, 2005.” According this to report, “The provisions, a set of comprehensive administrative rules concerning China's religious affairs, explicitly specifies that the legitimate rights of religious groups, religious sites and the religious people are protected. It also offers guidance on religious affairs involving state and the public interests. The rules are regarded as a significant step forward in the protection of Chinese citizens' religious freedom.” [14p]

6.33 As reported by the BBC on 19 December 2004, the wording of the regulations makes it clear that there will be no basic relaxation of the policy. This report also noted, “Some scholars have welcomed the fact that officials who abuse their powers in dealing with religious groups could face prosecution under the new rules.” [9bs]

6.34 According to a report by the Association for Asia Research (AFAR) dated 29 January 2005, “The new rules even singled out the Muslim, Tibetan Buddhist and Catholic communities in specifying requirements for religious pilgrimages and clerical appointments. While one article in the provisions stipulated that government officials (there was no mention of Communist Party officials) would be held legally accountable for abuses, there is no assurance that this accountability will be enforced.” [19ag]

6.35 The same source continued:
“Other than Falun Gong practitioners' well-known public displays of civil disobedience in the early days of the state's repression against the movement, and periodic protests by Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists, which also involve the important political issue of autonomy or independence vis-a-vis China, no significant public demonstrations are known to have been mounted in the name of religion or religious freedom within recent memory.” [19ag]

6.36 Further to this the same source also stated that resistance to state regulation was essentially evasive in nature, with practitioners generally choosing to avoid direct confrontation with the authorities. [19ag]

6.37 According to the report the most common types of resistance were as follows:
• Refusing to register, for reasons of faith or reasons of practicality.
• Meeting clandestinely.
• Establishing their own religious training institutions, sometimes involving foreign instructors.
• Teaching children under the age of 18, despite government regulations that prohibit this.
• Secretly seeking papal consent (Catholics).
• Refusing to sign papers denouncing their religious/spiritual leader(s).
• Using religious material not printed by the state.
• Communuicating via Internet chatrooms. [19ag]"

Document(s): Open document

18.01.2005 - Source: Forum 18

New Religious Affairs Provisions come into force on 1 March 2005; article highlights forms of resistance of religious groups against state religious policy ("China: How believers resist state religious policy") [#28950],  [ID 3688]

"The new Religious Affairs Provisions, to go into effect on 1 March 2005, have been claimed by Chinese officials to represent a "paradigm shift" in official thinking about religious affairs. But most analysts agree that they represent almost no real change. However, the rules do offer insights into the "everyday forms of resistance" that religious believers – such as 'underground' and 'overground' Protestants and Catholics, Falun Gong practitioners, Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists - practice against arbitrary state regulations and oppressive actions by officials. Chinese believers are not just passive victims of the state's repressive religious policy. While few are openly defiant, they are certainly resisting - in many cases quite effectively. It is still too early to see who will eventually win in this continuing struggle between a state with ever-declining control over society and a society becoming more assertive in protecting its rights against the state."

Document(s): Open document

29.09.2004 - Source: Forum 18

Article on the Public Security Bureau's role in state control of religious affairs ("China: How the Public Security system controls religious affairs") [#25968],  [ID 3689]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2004 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2004 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2004") [#26253],  [ID 3690]

(Also contains reports on Hong Kong, Macau, and Tibetan areas of China)

"Section I. Religious Demography
[...]
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
[...]
Section III. Societal Attitudes
[...]
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
[...]"

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2004 - Source: Forum 18

Xinjiang: all Imams have to be appointed by authorities; mosque education also under state control ("Xinjiang: Imams and mosque education under state control") [#25629],  [ID 3691]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2004 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2004 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2004") [#26253],  [ID 3913]

(Also contains reports on Hong Kong, Macau, and Tibetan areas of China)

"Section I. Religious Demography
[...]
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
[...]
Section III. Societal Attitudes
[...]
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
[...]"

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Country Assessment - October 2003 - Freedom of Religion ("Country Report - October 2003") [#49232],  [ID 3693]

"6.23. China is a multi-faith country, the main religions being: Buddhism (100 million adherents); Christianity (20 million adherents, 3:1 in favour of Protestants); Taoism (numbers unknown) and; Islam (20 million adherents)

These religions are tolerated to differing degrees (see below). As a rule of thumb the majority Han believe in Buddhism, Christianity or Taoism. The Hui and Ughurs follow Islam, while Tibetans and Mongolians are Buddhists.

6.24. Although the Constitution affirms tolerance of religious belief, the government seeks to restrict and control religious practice. All religious groups are required to register with the Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB) and come under the supervision of official "patriotic" religious organisations. The police and religious officials have been responsible for shutting down unauthorised mosques, temples, seminaries and "house church" groups. The leaders of such groups have, on occasions, been subjected to detention and lengthy questioning. Since 1996 all registered groups are subject to annual inspection. The restrictions under which they operate vary by location. However, the government generally tolerates the existence and activities of unsanctioned churches as long as the services are small and there is no higher-level organising. In some areas registered and unregistered churches are treated similarly by the authorities and adherents worship in both types of churches. In general, individual worshippers are not harassed by the regime, whose sporadic efforts principally target leaders for harassment, detention and physical abuse.

6.25. The monitoring of religious activities is primarily undertaken by the state council's Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB). The RAB is the arbiter of what is held to be a "true" religion, dealing with the registration of places of worship, and monitors such venues.

6.26. Since 1979, there has been a gradual relaxation of government policy towards religious activities. This has led to churches, temples, mosques and lamaseries (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries) closed or destroyed during previous decades being restored and reopened. According to the government, there are now more than 85,000 registered places of worship. Students at officially administered religious institutes must demonstrate "political reliability". Religious belief is considered to be incompatible with CCP membership and participation in religious activity is forbidden to members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

6.27. China has invited an increasing number of foreign religious organisations to visit religious sites and talk to official religious figures and leaders.

6.28. The US State Department in their March 2003 report (for 2002) wrote that “Overall, government respect for religious freedom remained poor, and crackdowns against unregistered groups, including underground Protestant and Catholic groups, Muslim Uighurs, and Tibetan Buddhists continued. The Government continued its repression of groups that it determined to be "cults" and of the Falun Gong in particular.”

The Role of Religion in the State

6.29. To the Chinese Communist Part[y] (CCP) religion is synonymous with separatist movements and in the case of Christianity and Islam also associated with malign foreign influence. The Taiping rebellion (1851-64) succeeded in mobilising a great deal of support amongst the poorer classes and was initially supported by foreign powers. Its leader, Hung Xiuquan was a Christian convert and, until internal feuding and military blunders led to his defeat, he threatened to overthrow the Manchu dynasty.

6.30. In December 2001, state media sources reported a senior official from the RAB calling for the party to relax rules on religion to allow Party members room for "philosophical" worship. Another news report on the conference where the above call for limited tolerance was made, stated that one concrete result of the conference was an announcement that it would be easier for religious groups to register with the Bureau. The registration process can be and usually is very laborious for applicant groups and in the case of Protestant Christian groups, there is much antipathy between the official Three Self-Patriotic Association and protestant groups wishing to exist independently.

6.31. On 1 February 2002, new rules came into force increasing state control over the media, banning materials that promote “cults” and increasing fines for the abuse of official licences.

6.32. In May 2002, the deputy director-general of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (translated in other sources as the Religious Affairs Bureau - RAB), Wang Zuoan singled a shift towards a more relaxed approach to religion, in part to further undermine the appeal of “cults”. Former President Jiang Zemin (1993 - 2003) also lent is wait for calls for permitted religious groups to unite with the state to stop the "invasion of evil cults".

6.33. Documents smuggled out of China and published on the Internet in February 2002 appear to show an organised attempt by the authorities to coerce religious groups into following an approved party line."

Document(s): Open document

09.2003 - Source: Forum 18

F18: Xinjiang religious freedom survey ("Xinjiang religious freedom survey, September 2003") [#16411],  [ID 3692]

"In its survey analysis of the religious freedom situation in the Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region of north-western China (previously known as Eastern Turkestan), Forum 18 News Service reports on the pervasive state control over the religious life of native Muslims, who make up about half the local population. Mosques are strictly controlled by the authorities and all the imam-hatybs are state-appointed. Posters on mosques declare that children under 18 cannot attend, while an unofficial order bans employees of state-run companies from attending under threat of dismissal. Only approved religious literature can be sold. Despite Xinjiang's impressive recent economic growth, Forum 18 found that tension between local Muslims and the Chinese government has not been relieved.
[...]"

Document(s): Open document

11.06.2003 - Source: New York Times

New York Times: The jailed leader of an evangelical sect has severe health problems as a result of beatings and mistreatment in prison ("Jailed Chinese Pastor Is Suffering After Beatings, His Relatives Say") [#13509],  [ID 3694]

"The jailed leader of an evangelical Christian sect has severe health problems as a result of beatings and mistreatment in prison, according to his relatives and supporters.
Pastor Gong Shengliang, head of the outlawed South China Church, is suffering from internal bleeding, hearing loss and other problems, an informant inside the Jinzhou Prison in Hubei Province told his relatives at the end of May.
Mr. Gong is serving a life sentence on charges, fervently denied by him and his supporters, that he fostered an illegal cult, promoted the beating of errant followers and raped some church members. He was arrested in 2001 and sentenced to death. After a global outcry, his punishment was reduced to life in prison.
Four other leaders of the church, which was most active in Hubei Province and claimed some 50,000 followers, received the same stringent penalties. But some of the witnesses who helped convict Mr. Gong and others later recanted, saying they had been tortured into testifying against the pastor, according to Human Rights in China, a group based in New York, and they were subsequently sent to labor camps.
[...]
The Chinese government requires religion to be practiced within government-approved churches and to limit their efforts to spread the faith. Mr. Gong's South China Church is one of many evangelical Protestant movements that have defied the authorities and have spread widely in parts of China, outside the purview of the official church."

Document(s): Open document

09.04.2003 - Source: Freedom House

Freedom House: Religious Freedom in China ("The world`s most repressive regimes 2003") [#12683],  [ID 3696]

"Beijing sharply restricts religious freedom by placing religious groups under the tight control of state-sponsored bodies and cracking down on religious leaders and ordinary worshippers who reject this authority. For each of the five religions recognized by the government, the respective “patriotic association” appoints clergy; monitors religious membership, funding, and activities; and controls publication and distribution of religious books and other materials. Beijing does not allow the Roman Catholic patriotic association and its member churches to be openly loyal to the Vatican. The five recognized religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. Buddhism claims the most adherents.

The extent to which congregations actually must submit to these regulations varies by region. In many areas, unregistered Protestant and Catholic congregations worship freely. Elsewhere, however, zealous local officials sometimes break up underground services. They also harass and at times fine, detain, beat, and torture church leaders or ordinary worshippers, and raid, close, or demolish underground churches, mosques, temples, and seminaries, according to the U.S. State Department report and other sources.

In Xinjiang, officials sharply restrict the building of new mosques, limit Islamic publishing and education, ban religious practice by those under 18, and control the leadership of mosques and religious schools. Officials recently have also shut down many mosques in Xinjiang, Amnesty International says. Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners continue to be detained in China, with the vast majority apparently held without trial in “reeducation through labor” camps, Amnesty International said in a September report. At least 200 Falun Gong adherents reportedly have died in detention since 1999, according to the U.S. State Department report. Chinese authorities generally show leniency toward ordinary practitioners who recant while severely punishing those who refuse as well as core leaders. “Anti-cult” laws developed to crush the Falun Gong, which combines qiqong (a traditional martial art) with meditation, have also been used to sentence members of at least 16 other religious groups to long prison terms, the New York–based Human Rights Watch reported in February."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

USDOS: Freedom of Religion ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11836],  [ID 3697]

"The Constitution provides for freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe; however, the Government sought to restrict religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the activity of religious groups. There are five officially recognized religions--Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. A government-affiliated association monitored and supervised the activities of each of the five faiths. Membership in religions was growing rapidly; however, while the Government generally did not seek to suppress this growth outright, it tried to control and regulate religious groups to prevent the rise of groups or sources of authority outside the control of the Government and the Communist Party.

Overall, government respect for religious freedom remained poor, and crackdowns against unregistered groups, including underground Protestant and Catholic groups, Muslim Uighurs, and Tibetan Buddhists continued. The Government continued its repression of groups that it determined to be "cults" and of the Falun Gong in particular. Various sources reported that thousands of FLG adherents have been arrested, detained, and imprisoned, and that several hundred or more FLG adherents have died in detention since 1999; many of their bodies reportedly bore signs of severe beatings or torture or were cremated before relatives could examine them. The atmosphere created by the nationwide campaign against the FLG reportedly had a spillover effect on unregistered churches, temples, and mosques in many parts of the country.

All religious groups and spiritual movements were required to register with the State Council's Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB), which was responsible for monitoring and judging the legitimacy of religious activity. The RAB and the CCP's United Front Work Department (UFWD) provided policy "guidance and supervision" over implementation of government regulations on religious activity. The Government continued and in some areas intensified a national campaign to enforce the State Council and provincial regulations that require all places of religious activity to register with the RAB or to come under the supervision of official "patriotic" religious organizations. Some groups registered voluntarily, some registered under pressure, some avoided officials in an attempt to avoid registration, and authorities refused to register others. Some unofficial groups reported that authorities refused them registration without explanation. The Government contended that these refusals were mainly the result of failure to meet requirements concerning facilities and meeting spaces. Many religious groups were reluctant to comply with the regulations out of principled opposition to state control of religion or due to fear of adverse consequences if they revealed, as required, the names and addresses of church leaders and members. In some areas, efforts to register unauthorized groups were carried out by religious leaders and civil affairs officials. In other regions, police and RAB officials performed registration procedures concurrently with other law enforcement actions. Police closed scores of "underground" mosques, temples, seminaries, Catholic churches, and Protestant "house churches," including many with significant memberships, properties, financial resources, and networks.

Leaders of unauthorized groups were sometimes the targets of harassment, interrogations, detention, and physical abuse. Authorities particularly targeted unofficial religious groups in Beijing and the provinces of Henan, Shandong, and Guangxi, where there were rapidly growing numbers of unregistered Protestants, and in Hebei, a center of unregistered Catholics. [...]

Official religious organizations administered local religious schools, seminaries, and institutes to train priests, ministers, imams, Islamic scholars, and Buddhist monks. Students who attended these institutes had to demonstrate "political reliability," and all graduates must pass an examination on their theological and political knowledge to qualify for the clergy. The Government permitted limited numbers of Catholic and Protestant seminarians, Muslim clerics, and Buddhist clergy to go abroad for additional religious studies. In most cases, funding for these training programs was provided by foreign organizations. Both official and unofficial Christian churches had problems training adequate numbers of clergy to meet the needs of their growing congregations. Since no priests or other clergy in the official churches were ordained between 1955 and 1985, the shortfall was most severe for persons between the ages of 40 and 70. Due to government prohibitions, unofficial churches had particularly significant problems training clergy or sending students to study overseas, and many clergy received only limited and inadequate preparation. Members of the underground Catholic Church, especially clergy wishing to further their studies abroad, found it difficult to obtain passports and other necessary travel documents (see Section 2.d.). In 2001 RAB officials started to interview candidates for ordination to the Catholic priesthood in Shenyang. Some Catholic clerics also complained that they were forced to bribe local RAB officials before being allowed to enter seminaries. [...]

The Government taught atheism in schools. While the Government claimed that there were no national-level regulations barring children from receiving religious instruction, in some regions local authorities barred persons under 18 from attending services at mosques, temples, or churches."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

USDOS: Tibetan Buddhists ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11836],  [ID 3698]

"Buddhists made up the largest body of organized religious believers. Tibetan Buddhists in some areas outside of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) had growing freedom to practice their faith. Diplomats have seen pictures of a number of Tibetan religious figures, including the Dalai Lama, openly displayed in parts of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu Provinces. Likewise, abbots and monks in those predominantly Tibetan areas outside the TAR reported they had greater freedom to worship and conduct religious training than their coreligionists within the TAR. However, restrictions remained, especially at monasteries with close ties to foreign organizations. Some monks who studied abroad were prevented from returning to their home monasteries. [...]

During Tibetan New Year in February, a monk in Aba City in Sichuan Province was arrested for passing out pictures of the Dalai Lama, posting pro-democracy leaflets, and distributing information on China's human rights violations. The materials notably did not advocate Tibetan independence. Following the arrest, authorities tightened security and further restricted travel to the area. In October in Ganzi city, also in Sichuan Province, more than 10 persons were arrested in connection with foreign-sponsored long-life ceremonies for the Dalai Lama that had been held earlier in the year, and hundreds of PLA troops were stationed in the area. At least five of those arrested were sentenced to 2 to 3 years of reeducation-through-labor.

In 2001 the Government expelled thousands of Tibetan nuns, monks, and students from the Serthar Tibetan Buddhist Institute (also known as the Larung Gar Monastic encampment) located in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. The Government maintained that the facility, which housed the largest concentration of monks and nuns in the country, was reduced in size for sanitation and hygiene reasons. Authorities demolished hundreds of residential structures. Foreign observers believed that the authorities moved against the Institute because of its size and the influence of its charismatic founder, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok. After a year's absence, during which time he underwent medical treatment, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok was allowed to return to Serthar in July. Thousands of monks and nuns also returned."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

USDOS: Muslims ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11836],  [ID 3699]

"Regulations restricting Muslims' religious activity, teaching, the religious education of youths under the age of 18, and places of worship continued to be tight in Xinjiang, and the Government dealt harshly with Muslims who engaged in political speech and activities that the authorities deemed separatist. Regional-level party and government officials repeatedly called for stronger management of religious affairs and for the separation of religion from administrative matters. Authorities reportedly reserved the right, in some cases, to censor imams' sermons particularly during sensitive religious holidays. In 2000 the authorities began conducting monthly political study sessions for religious personnel; the program continued during the year. In addition they required every mosque to record the numbers and names of those attending each day's activities. The official Xinjiang Daily reported that early in 2000 Yining county reviewed the activities of 420 mosques and implemented a system of assigning ethnic party cadres to mosques in order to improve vigilance against "illegal religious activities." The authorities also initiated a campaign to discourage overt religious attire such as veils and to discourage religious marriage ceremonies. In addition, in some areas fasting reportedly was prohibited or made difficult during Ramadan. There were numerous official media reports that the authorities confiscated illegal religious publications in Xinjiang. The Xinjiang People's Publication House was the only publisher allowed to print Muslim literature in Xinjiang.

In some areas where ethnic unrest has occurred, particularly among Central Asian Muslims (and especially the Uighurs) in Xinjiang, officials continued to restrict the building of mosques. However, in other areas, particularly in areas traditionally populated by the non-Central Asian Hui ethnic group, there was substantial religious building construction and renovation.

The Government permitted Muslim citizens to make the Hajj to Mecca, and in some cases subsidized the journey. According to the China Islamic Association, 2,000 Muslims took part in the Hajj as members of official delegations in 2001. According to some reports, the major limiting factors for participation in the Hajj were the cost and controls on passport issuance. Other Muslims made the trip to Mecca via neighboring countries, especially Pakistan, and may not have been counted in government statistics."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

USDOS: Traditional folk religions ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11836],  [ID 3700]

"Traditional folk religions have been revived in recent years and were widespread. They were tolerated to varying degrees, often seen as loose affiliates of Taoism or as ethnic minority cultural practices. However, at the same time, folk religions have been labeled as "feudal superstition" and sometimes were repressed because their resurgence was seen as a threat to party control. Local authorities have destroyed thousands of shrines."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

USDOS: Catholics ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11836],  [ID 3701]

"The Government refused to establish diplomatic relations with the Holy See, and ther