European Parliament: Concern Over Asylum for Persecuted Christians From The Church of Almighty God

China’s deteriorating freedom of religious belief has long been a focus of the international community, which has repeatedly condemned the Chinese Communist government. The suppression and persecution of religious belief by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has continued to escalate since Xi Jinping took power. On June 27, a conference entitled Freedom of Religion or Belief and The Right to Asylum: The Case of China was held at the European Parliament in Brussels. During the conference, it was reported that freedom of religious belief in China has reached its worst level since the Cultural Revolution. At least 1.5 million people—including Xinjiang Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, and Christians from The Church of Almighty God (CAG)—have been arrested and sent to prison or re-education camps for no reason other than their faith. The conference also pointed out that the CCP’s systematic persecution suffered by The Church of Almighty God Christians has been especially severe. These Christians have been arbitrarily detained, tortured, and imprisoned; some have even died or been left disabled as a result of their mistreatment. Participants in the conference called on the international community to urge the Chinese Communist government to respect freedom of religious belief, stop persecuting people of faith, and take note of the issue of asylum for Christians from The Church of Almighty God.