I. Introduction: Faith Under Siege 
Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, China has become one of the most restrictive environments for religious practice in the world. Religious minorities—including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and practitioners of Falun Gong—face systemic harassment and control. Among them, the Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang endures the harshest persecution, marked by mass detention, forced assimilation, and severe human rights violations. This repression has driven many to flee abroad in search of safety and the freedom to practice their faith. 

II. The Uyghur Crisis in Xinjiang 
Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities in Xinjiang face unprecedented levels of persecution. Since 2017, reports confirm the detention of more than a million Uyghurs in so-called ‘re-education camps’. Detainees are subjected to political indoctrination, forced labour, torture, and restrictions on Islamic practices such as prayer and fasting. This campaign is widely regarded as an attempt to erase Uyghur identity and enforce conformity with Chinese Communist Party ideology. 

III. Restrictions on Islamic Practices 
Authorities in Xinjiang and beyond criminalise even basic expressions of Islamic faith. Wearing the hijab, growing beards, or observing Ramadan can result in harassment, arrest, or detention. Mosques are demolished or repurposed, and Islamic schools are shut down, leaving communities stripped of their cultural and religious institutions. 

IV. Surveillance and Control 
The Uyghur population is subjected to one of the most sophisticated surveillance regimes in the world. Facial recognition technology, checkpoints, and constant monitoring track religious practices and daily activities. This system of control creates a climate of fear where expressions of faith are heavily policed. 

V. Tibetan Buddhists and Cultural Suppression 
Tibetans face similar restrictions, with monasteries tightly controlled by the state. The selection of religious leaders, including reincarnated lamas, is overseen by authorities, undermining centuries-old traditions. Tibetan culture and religious identity are systematically eroded through state control and enforced assimilation. 

VI. Persecution of Christians 
China’s Christian population is subject to increasing restrictions. Unregistered churches are raided, pastors are detained, and congregations are pressured to align with state-approved institutions. Cross removals, surveillance of worshippers, and censorship of religious texts reflect the state’s deep suspicion of independent religious activity. 

VII. Falun Gong and Targeted Persecution 
Since 1999, practitioners of Falun Gong have been systematically persecuted. They face imprisonment, torture, and forced labour, with credible reports of organ harvesting targeting detained practitioners. This campaign of repression reflects the CCP’s intolerance for spiritual movements outside its control. 

VIII. Forced Assimilation Through Education 
Children of religious minorities are increasingly placed in state-run boarding schools where they are forbidden from practicing their faith. These schools promote Mandarin and CCP ideology, erasing cultural and religious identity from younger generations. 

IX. Gendered Dimensions of Religious Persecution 
Women from religious minorities face specific vulnerabilities, including forced sterilisation, sexual violence, and harassment. Uyghur women, in particular, have reported forced marriages and coercive birth control measures as part of the broader campaign of assimilation. 

X. International Condemnation and Sanctions 
China’s persecution of religious minorities has drawn widespread international condemnation. Governments and human rights organisations have accused China of crimes against humanity and, in some cases, genocide. Sanctions and import bans have been imposed, though global responses remain limited by geopolitical concerns. 

XI. Migration and Asylum Seeking 
For many religious minorities, fleeing China is the only way to survive and practice their faith freely. Uyghur, Tibetan, Christian, and Falun Gong asylum seekers frequently cite detention, torture, and religious persecution in their applications for protection abroad. 

XII. Conclusion: Faith in Exile 
Religious minorities in China face relentless persecution, with Uyghurs enduring the harshest measures of cultural erasure and repression. Until China ends its campaign of control and respects religious freedom, migration will remain a lifeline for those seeking dignity, safety, and the right to worship without fear.