2018 United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review China LIREC

2018 United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review China Omnium des Libertés

In China, in 1989, a religious revival involved both the House Churches (i.e. the Protestant Churches whose activity is not authorized by the government) and the religious movement known as the Shouters, originating from the Chinese preachers Watchman Nee (1903–1972) and Witness Lee (1905–1997). In the same year 1989, the person later identified as Almighty God by her followers began participating in meetings of the Shouters. In 1991, she began to utter words that followers compared, for authority and power, to those expressed by Jesus Christ. Many Christians started reading these utterances and believing they were “what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Rev 2:7, 17). Among these was Zhao Weishan, who would later become the administrative leader of the movement. Not until 1993 did the readers of the utterances start believing that their author was the incarnate God, the second coming of Jesus Christ and Almighty God, the unique God. The movement, born in 1991, became known as The Church of Almighty God (CAG, also known as Eastern Lightning). While stating that God incarnated in our time in a female human being, the CAG never mentions her name. Several scholars identify her with Yang Xiangbin, a woman born in 1973 in northwestern China.

On August 31, despite protests by the Red Cross, the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, and several NGOs, including mine, a member of The Church of Almighty God, Zhao Xueliang, was deported back to China from Germany. Her cell phone, money (she was left with 60 euros only), and even most of her personal belongings were confiscated and she was taken forcibly to the airport. She has now “disappeared” in China.

We wish to draw the Council’s attention to the fact that the French Government, despite many warnings, continues to fund more than 92% of a non-governmental organization, the FECRIS (European Federation of Centers of Research and Information on Sectarianism) whose activities are severely detrimental to the freedom of religion and belief of European citizens.

UPR : The Russian Federation and Religious Freedom : The hidden factor behind the bad religion concept

United Nations 30th UPR session : The Russian Federation and Religious Freedom

UPR : The Russian Federation and Religious Freedom

As NGOs specialized in religious liberty issues, and on religion-based refugee claims,  we recognize  that Germany  has a good  record  in these  fields.  Indeed, Germany should be applauded for raising its voice on behalf of refugees within the framework  of  an  international  situation  where  too  often  xenophobia  and  anti- refugee feelings, fueled by extremist political forces, prevail.