How China defines religious extremism and how it justifies Xinjiang re-education camps for Muslims
October 13, 2018In practice a broad range of activities are deemed extremist. Besides targeting those who “promote extremism” the regulations target people who:
– enforce compulsory religious activities over others,
– intervene in other people’s marriages and burials,– intervene in social interactions between peoples of different ethnicities and religious beliefs,
– reject the consumption of mass media and entertainment programmes,
– practice a loose halal concept in everyday life “by extending the concept of halal to areas other than halal diet”,
– enforce the wearing of a veil or “abnormal” beards as a sign of religious dedication,
– prevent children from receiving national education,
– intimidate or persuade others to refuse to participate in national policy—which can range from refusing welfare entitlements to shirking civic responsibilities
– destroy resident ID cards or damage Chinese banknotes,– sabotage public or other private property,
– publish, distribute or possess extremist media content,
– violate birth control policies.