China Aid to host religious freedom press conference on Capitol Hill

China Aid
By Rachel Ritchie

(Washington, D.C.—Sept. 17, 2015) China Aid will host a press conference at 2:30 p.m., EDT, on Wednesday, Sept. 23, on Capitol Hill about religious persecution in China in preparation for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming trip to Washington, D.C.

Speakers at the press conference include Tencho Gyatso of International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), Rebiya Kadeer of the World Uyghur Congress, Pastor Jonathan Liu, the former pastor of a Chinese government-sanctioned church, Pastor Guo Baosheng, a former prisoner of conscience, and China Aid Vice President Kody Kness.

More information on the press release can be found below.

                  

“Worsening Religious Freedom Abuse in China under the Xi Administration”

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.

Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2456

In preparation for the visit of President Xi Jinping to Washington, China Aid will host a press conference for representatives of religious communities in China to speak about persecution against their respective communities and call for greater religious freedom in China.

China’s religious freedom and human rights record has significantly declined since President Xi took power, with state-sanctioned campaigns to demolish places of worship, and a multitude of religious leaders, practitioners, and religious freedom advocates being detained, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and in many cases perishing at the hands of the government.

Undeniably, religious communities in China stand united in calling for Xi to unconditionally release prisoners of conscience and respect freedom of religion as enshrined in Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.  

Moderator:  Tina Mufford: U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

                                                            Speakers Include-

Rebiya Kadeer, President, World Uyghur Congress

Kody Kness, Vice President, China Aid

Pastor Jonathan Liu, Former Chinese Government-Sanctioned Church Leader

Pastor Guo Baosheng, Former Prisoner of Conscience and Member of the Association of Overseas Chinese House Church Pastors

For further information, please contact Kody Kness at [email protected].