Beijing Accused by Human Rights Watch of Shutting Down and Demolishing Mosques in China

According to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), China is taking actions to close, destroy, and repurpose mosques as part of a broader effort to suppress the practice of Islam in the country. China, officially an atheist nation but claiming to allow religious freedom, is cracking down on organized religion in an attempt to establish greater control. The report highlights the systematic human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, which Beijing denies. In Ningxia, a Muslim-majority village, several mosques have had their domes and minarets removed, while others have had their main prayer halls destroyed. Satellite footage revealed a mosque dome being replaced with a Chinese-style pagoda. According to a scholar on Chinese Muslims, more than a third of mosques in Ningxia have been closed or converted since 2020. Under President Xi Jinping, China's Communist Party has sought to align religion with its political ideology and exert control over religious institutions. A document published in 2018 urged the demolition of mosques and strict monitoring of their construction, layout, and funding. The repression of religious groups has extended beyond Xinjiang and Tibet, affecting other areas as well. There are two major Muslim ethnic groups in China, the Hui and the Uyghurs, with the latter mostly residing in Xinjiang where around two-thirds of the mosques have been damaged or destroyed since 2017. The report suggests that Ningxia has been a pilot site for the implementation of the "Sinicisation" policy, an effort by President Xi to transform religious beliefs to align with Chinese culture. The consolidation of mosques is claimed to reduce the economic burden on Muslims, but some Hui Muslims view it as an attempt to redirect their loyalty towards the Party. Opposition to these policies has been met with resistance, with many residents being jailed or detained. Facilities essential for religious activities, such as ablution halls and preacher's podiums, have been removed from mosques. In Gansu province, mosques have been periodically closed down, consolidated, and altered. Linxia, previously known as China's "Little Mecca," saw authorities ban minors under 16 from participating in religious activities or study. Mosques were converted into workspaces and cultural centers. This crackdown on religious freedom is viewed as reflecting the state's Islamophobia and its prioritization of patriotism and religious observance. Human Rights Watch called on Arab and Muslim leaders worldwide to raise concerns and ask questions about these human rights abuses. The government's campaign has also impacted other ethnic and religious minority groups in China, including Tibetans and Christians.