Gender: Female
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Falun Gong
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 4 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September/10/2021
Date of Sentencing: July//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Cult
Wang Jiafang is imprisoned for her religious practice.
On September 10, 2021, authorities reportedly detained Wang for practicing Falun Gong.
In July 2022, the Liwan District Court of Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, sentenced Wang to four years in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
On an unspecified date, Wang's appeal was reportedly rejected.
Prior to this most recent conviction, Wang had reportedly spent more than 15 years in prison since 2000 for practicing Falun Gong.
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
USCIRF Conversation: Rising Authoritarianism in ASEAN Member States
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual event discussing the intersection between international religious freedom and rising authoritarianism in the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The world is witnessing what many refer to as a rise of authoritarianism and anti-democratic forces. This trend is clearly evident in Southeast Asia, which has experienced in the last decade diminishing civic space and disastrous military coups. Even among the democratic countries of the region, an increasing number of political actors have turned to ethno-religious sentiments in pursuit of electoral politics, promising to reshape legal systems to cater to their own communities at the expense of others. USCIRF has long expressed concern over the impact of this trend, particularly as authoritarian regimes control the majority of countries included in its Annual Report each year. This virtual conversation focused on this troubling phenomenon and its effect on the unique religious freedom contexts of Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.
USCIRF Commissioners David Curry and Stephen Schneck joined guest panelists Hisham Muhaimi and Dan Slater. Commissioner Schneck recently returned from a USCIRF delegation to Indonesia and Malaysia. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt moderated the conversation, followed by questions and answers from attendees.
Panelists
This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Indonesia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Orthodox
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: December//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Blasphemy (Religious Texts) Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Gratia Pello is detained for blasphemy.
In December 2022, authorities in Surabaya, East Java, reportedly arrested Pello, a professor at a Christian theological school, in relation to his popular YouTube videos, in which he often compared Christianity to Islam. Police reportedly questioned Pello over comments he made about the Prophet Muhammad and his family in a February 2022 video.
"Police Arrest Christian Apologist in Indonesia" Morning Star News
"Indonesian Apologist Vanished Following December Arrest" International Christian Concern (ICC)
"Indonésie: un théologien chrétien arrêté, sa famille menacée" Portes Ouvertes