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China religious freedom record on display

Religious freedom is nonexistent in China, according to ChinaAid founder and president Bob Fu. He'll be testifying before the European Parliament on Wednesday, reports MNN.

Fu said human rights and religious freedom in China have deteriorated to its lowest point since the period after the crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square student-led pro-democracy demonstration.

Fu and several other ChinaAid witnesses were invited by the European Parliament to testify at its hearing on "the human rights situation in China" at the parliament building in Brussels, Belgium.

The next day, the delegation will be in The Netherlands to participate in a human rights forum on "the situation of Christians in China," where Fu will be making a similar presentation on the serious deterioration of religious freedom, the rule of law and human rights in general.

At the EU hearing, ChinaAid will deliver recommendations that were requested to help the European Union set its China policy and address human rights problems in China. In attendance at the hearing will be members of the European Parliament and their assistants.

This is the second time that ChinaAid and Fu have appeared before the European Parliament. In 2009, Fu and two Christian lawyers engaged in rights defense work also testified before the same body.

Fu expressed appreciation to the European Parliament for the opportunity to testify.

"The grave human rights violations by the Chinese government [are] a global issue," said Fu. "We urge the European leaders to take more concrete steps to encourage the Chinese government to improve its record by building an international coalition founded on an unwavering solidarity with the Chinese rights defenders community."

In Ridderkerk, The Netherlands, the ChinaAid delegation will be speaking to an audience of mainly NGOS, representatives of the missionary organizations of several churches, some individuals with ties to China and members of the Dutch Political Reformed Party (SGP), Holland's most orthodox Protestant party, as well as members of the Dutch media.

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TAGS: China religious freedom Bob Fu European Parliament ChinaAid

[12/06/2011]

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