International Religious Freedom Report, 2011: China.

摘要

Reports on Hong Kong, Macau, and Tibet are appended at the end of this report. The constitution provides for freedom of religious belief, but limits protections for religious practice to normal religious activities. The government applies the term normal religious activities in a manner that does not meet international human rights standards for freedom of religion. The governments respect for and protection of the right to religious freedom deteriorated. The constitution says that no state, public organization, or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not believe in, any religion. Only religious groups belonging to one of the five state-sanctioned patriotic religious associations (Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Protestant) are permitted to register with the government and legally hold worship services. Other religious groups, such as Protestant groups unaffiliated with the official patriotic religious association or Catholics professing loyalty to the Vatican, are not permitted to register as legal entities. Proselytizing in public or unregistered places of worship is not permitted. Some religious and spiritual groups are outlawed. Tibetan Buddhists in China are not free to venerate the Dalai Lama openly and encounter severe government interference in religious practice (see Tibet section). Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members are required to be atheists and are generally discouraged from participating in religious activities.