Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Sous-comité des droits internationaux de la personne du Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, July 5, 2019 -

In many countries around the world, Christians face restrictions to the free and peaceful practice of their religion. They are targeted by state and non-state actors, and are persecuted for a variety of reasons, including their Christian identity, their missionary outreach, or their conversion to Christianity from another faith.

On 18 June 2019, the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development heard testimony from Lily Kuo, Chief of the Beijing Bureau at The Guardian; Mindy Michels, Director of the Emergency Assistance Program at Freedom House; Floyd Brobbel, Vice-president of International Operations at Voice of the Martyrs Canada; and Anna Lee Stangl, Head of Advocacy at Christian Solidarity Worldwide. They warned of human rights violations against Christians across the globe and elaborated on the ways in which Christian communities are persecuted and how hate is spread, including in China, India, Nigeria, Egypt, and Iran.

The persecution of Christians is often actively led by the state and enshrined in law, along with other measures that violate not only freedom of religion, but other universally recognized rights such as freedom of assembly or freedom of expression. For example, witnesses highlighted the increasing crackdown on house churches in China and the nefarious effects of a campaign of “Sinicization” of religion, powered by surveillance and mass arrests, such as in the case of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu City.

In many cases, Christians suffer at the hands of non-state actors, from extremist armed groups such as Daesh in Iraq or Boko Haram and the Fulani in Nigeria, to spontaneous mobs fuelled by a sense of nationalism, as in India, to family members who cannot tolerate conversion. Church leaders are often targeted to intimidate whole communities, even in Christian-majority countries such as Mexico. In some countries, such as Pakistan and Sudan, this persecution also affects those who defend the rights of Christians, regardless of their own faith background. Non-state actors who engage in harassment, discrimination or targeted attacks often enjoy impunity.

The Subcommittee reminds states of their commitments under domestic legislation and international covenants to uphold freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It commends the positive steps many states are taking to protect the rights of Christians and other religious communities, which serve as examples for the international community. The Subcommittee recognizes the need for further interfaith dialogue and cooperation among states. In addition, the Subcommittee stresses the need for Canada to continue efforts to shine a light on severe violations of religious freedom, including by considering the adoption of a list of countries of particular concern and taking proactive targeted measures to address the worst offenders.

Quotes

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and forms the underpinning of a number of other rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled. Canada and the international community have a responsibility to use the tools at their disposal to ensure the rights of religious communities are upheld around the world.”

-Anita Vandenbeld, M.P., Chair

“Human rights violations by non-state actors against Christians are enabled and aggravated when the state does not take action. Governments allowing the persecution of Christians to occur with impunity are complicit with such persecution and must be treated as such.”

-David Sweet, M.P., Vice-Chair

“I urge governments and the private sector to consider the role of social media in perpetuating human rights violations against Christians. While social media can serve as a positive platform for persecuted faith groups, it has also been used by states to monitor and target them, and has even led to hate-fuelled mob violence. There is a need for measures that address the use of social media to broadcast hate crimes, amplify hate speech, and spread misinformation.”

-Cheryl Hardcastle, M.P., Vice-Chair