China targeting Christians after Uyghurs? WeChat handles, Bible apps hit; reports of worse

China has been facing ire of global community for a number of reasons ranging from Coronavirus origins and suppression of WHO investigation, its aggression in Indo-Pacific waters, its human rights violations over religious persecution of Uyghur Muslims, and implementing a new security law in Hong Kong threatening democracy and autonomy of tre city.

However, communist country has now come into  spotlight for unwanted reasons once again, this time over alleged religious persecution of Christians. International media reports have stated that China has removed Bible apps from its own versions of app stores and has also shut down WeChat accounts of some of prominent upholders of Christianity, in a blow to online presence of people following Christian faith in country.

Below is a tweet by Paster Yi Liu who claims, "Some good Christian WeChat public accounts have been killed one after anor."

According to International Christian Concern, a Washington based NGO for human rights of Christians and religious minorities, landing page of WeChat accounts of people practising Christianity now says, "[We] received a report that [this account] violates ‘Internet User Public Account Information Services Management Provisions’ and its account has been blocked and suspended."

China planning to 'contextualise' Bible?

Reports have also stated that CCP is planning to 'contextualise' Bible and come out with a Bible with Chinese characteristics to make it more culturally acceptable and include core values of socialism.  policy of 'Sinicizing' of churches has been implemented nationwide and thousands of churches have eir been damaged or closed while in some parts of China, children under age of 18 are not allowed to attend church, as per reports.

Gravely, a report by Rio Free Asia (RFA) stated that China is detaining Christians in country at secretive and mobile transformation facilities and forcing m to renounce ir faith and several incidents of this nature have been reported in country.

state-backed United Front Work Department is allegedly behind oppression of Christians, working in tandem with state security police.  mobile facilities for detention could be set up anywhere even in some basement and are staffed with people from several government departments and members of Chinese Community Party. ir main target is Christians who are members of house churches, said RFA report quoting a Christian who was detained for 10 months after a raid on his church in 2018.

detainees are allegedly beaten, tortured and abused in dition to facing intimidation, insults and threats by staff members comprising various government employees. Quoting victim of religious persecution, report by RFA said victims were held in a windowless room for nearly 10 months, during which time y were beaten, verbally abused and mentally tortured by staff, eventually compelling m to resort to self-harm.

According to  US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)'s report of 2021, China has detained and tortured Catholic bishops who refused to join state-backed Catholic association.

China under lens

China has been facing widespre criticisms across globe for a range of issues. communist regime has been under lens of international fora for alleged human rights violations and alleged systemic ethnic cleansing of Uyghur Muslims by sending millions of m to detention camps. Moreover, it also implemented draconian national security law in Hong Kong threatening autonomy of city which led to widespre protests by Hong Kong civilians in 2020. global community has also called out China's aggression in Indo-Pacific waters and South China sea with US, India, Japan and Australia forming " Qu" to keep Chinese aggression under check. China's misventure in Lakh while indulging in a faceoff with Indian Army has also been criticised by Global community. Moreover, precise origin of COVID-19 to date remains a mystery as WHO investigating team was not given complete access by China to probe origins of virus and several international reports have pointed to fact that  virus may have been a lab leak and not a naturally occurring phenomenon; thus global community is demanding transparency from China over  probe into COVID-19 origins.