The Congressional Executive Committee on China held a hearing on ‘Religion With “Chinese Characteristics”: Persecution and Control in Xi Jinping’s China’ on Thursday that looks at the deteriorating state of religious freedom in China and Tibetan regions. The Committee in its announcement for the hearing says that, the hearing will, “examine the restrictions faced by religious communities in China and will explore why protecting religious freedom matters for China’s future stability and prosperity. It will also seek recommendations for advancing this most basic of human rights, especially in the context of the scheduled September visit to Washington by President Xi.”

VOA Tibetan Service Chief Losang Gyatso in his testimony for the hearing informed he Committee on two developments in Tibet this July; the self-immolation protest by 26 year old monk Sonam Topgyal on July 9, and the controversial prison death of Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Gyatso also provided an overview of the state of religious freedom in Tibet over the last six decades of rule by the People’s Republic of China.

The other witnesses for the hearing are Rebiya Kadeer: President, the World Uyghur Congress, Bob Fu: President and Founder, ChinaAid, Anastasia Lin: Actress, Human Rights Advocate, and Miss World Canada 2015

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