UNPO Press Release
November 19, 2007
China turns a deaf ear to an appeal sent by human rights organizations and members of the European Parliament on the right of Muslims to conduct the pilgrimage to Mecca. Each of China’s Muslims can go to Mecca – as long as s/he remains true to Communism and pays a hefty deposit.
This year again, large numbers of China’s Muslims will not be allowed to conduct the pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj is a fundamental duty for all able-bodied Muslims, but Chinese law, while theoretically protecting freedom of religion, operates a de facto selection of candidates to the Hajj on the basis of political beliefs and wealth.
Read the full Press ReleaseFact sheet on the situation of Uyghur Muslims in China
