China escalates persecution of Christians under Hong Kong’s rule

The annual report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) documented a concerning increase in the persecution of Christians in Hong Kong by the Chinese government. This escalation in religious oppression comes in the wake of the approval of the new National Security Law by the local parliament, which is heavily influenced by the communist regime in Beijing. This legislation severely restricts fundamental freedoms such as expression, association, assembly, and press, directly impacting religious individuals living in the semi-autonomous territory.

In addition to the broad constraints affecting the entire population, specific articles within the National Security Law target religious individuals, imposing intrusive surveillance measures. For instance, article 23 mandates Catholic leaders to divulge confessional secrets that authorities believe could help in identifying dissidents. Violating this provision could lead to prison sentences of up to 14 years for priests. The USCIRF classified the state of religious freedom in Hong Kong as “worrisome” due to these restrictive policies that compel churches and religious groups to self-censor to avoid retribution from the local government or the Chinese regime.

Recent instances of persecution include the arrest of Protestant pastor Garry Pang Moon-yuen, the first Hong Kong clergy member to be convicted under the National Security Law for alleged “seditious preaching.” The USCIRF’s latest report underscores the deteriorating conditions for religious freedom in China in 2023. The communist government has intensified its campaign of “Sinicization of religion,” requiring major religious entities to conform to the Chinese Communist Party’s ideology.

The report further highlights a heightened crackdown on Protestant house churches across the country, with authorities arresting and sentencing independent worshippers on charges of posing security threats. Detained Christians have reportedly been subjected to torture in detention centers and covert prisons. The British and Foreign Bible Society also revealed that thousands of Hong Kong Christians have sought refuge in the United Kingdom in response to escalating persecution, establishing around 30 new churches in the country. The history of Hong Kong, transitioning from a British colony in 1842 to Chinese control in 1997, underscores the complex political environment within which these religious freedom violations occur.