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113-528: Different "Strike Hard" campaigns had been mounted by regional authorities in the 1990s. In February 1997, a police roundup and execution of suspected "separatists" during Ramadan led to large demonstrations, which led to a PLA crackdown on protesters resulting in at least nine deaths in what became known as the Ghulja incident . The Ürümqi bus bombings later that month killed nine people and injured 68, with Uyghur exile groups claiming responsibility. In March 1997,

226-494: A lawyer for long periods, exposing the detainees to the risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Booksellers, publishers , activists, and a journalist who went missing in neighboring countries in 2015 and 2016 turned up at detention in China, causing concerns about China's law enforcement agencies acting outside their jurisdiction . In a human rights report that assesses social, economic, and political freedoms, China has received

339-679: A 2024 visit to Xinjiang by a reporter from the British magazine The Economist, many Uyghurs do not fast during Ramadan because, according to locals, "the Chinese government guarantees freedom of religion". Some countries impose modified work schedules. In the UAE, employees may work no more than six hours per day and thirty-six hours per week. Qatar , Oman , Bahrain and Kuwait have similar laws. There are various health effects of fasting in Ramadan. Ramadan fasting

452-435: A believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam . Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many Muslims donate a larger portion – or even all – of their yearly zakat during this month. Tarawih ( Arabic : تراويح ) are extra nightly prayers performed during

565-559: A bus bomb killed two people, with responsibility claimed by Uyghur separatists and the Turkey -based "Organisation for East Turkistan Freedom". The July 2009 Ürümqi riots , which resulted in over one hundred deaths, broke out in response to the Shaoguan incident , a violent dispute between Uyghur and Han Chinese factory workers. Following the riots, Uyghur terrorists killed dozens of Han Chinese in coordinated attacks from 2009 to 2016. These included

678-568: A crescent new moon has been sighted or after completion of thirty days of fasting if no sighting of the moon is possible. Eid celebrates the return to a more natural disposition ( fitra ) of eating, drinking, and marital intimacy . The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur , while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar . Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline , motivated by hadith: "When Ramadan arrives,

791-609: A cultural revival since the 1950s, whereas the Dalai Lama says 'whether intentionally or unintentionally, somewhere cultural genocide is taking place'. Following the Chinese economic reform , businesspeople from other parts of China have made many business trips to Tibet, although most do not stay in the region. The New York Times has cited this ethnic diversity in Tibet as a cause of "ethnic tensions". It has also disagreed significantly with

904-458: A decline in productivity of 35–50%. The Saudi businesses proposed awarding salary bonuses in order to incentivize longer hours. Despite the reduction in productivity, merchants can enjoy higher profit margins in Ramadan due to increase in demand. Human rights in China Human rights in China are periodically reviewed by international bodies, such as human rights treaty bodies and

1017-445: A free Tibet and blocking the entrance, was cleared and the protesters deported. Foreign Internet search engines including Microsoft Bing , Yahoo! , and Google China have come under criticism for aiding these practices. Yahoo! , in particular, stated that it will not protect the privacy and confidentiality of its Chinese customers from the authorities. In 2005, after Yahoo! China provided its personal emails and IP addresses to

1130-606: A free choice of membership with trade unions and political parties. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), articles 20 and 23, every worker has the right to join an association of their choosing, to have their interests represented against their employer, and to take collective action including the right to strike . In China, on a model similar to the Deutsche Arbeitsfront from 1934 to 1945 in Germany,

1243-668: A horse-dragon hybrid creature allegedly inspired by the Buraq . In the Chinese-influenced capital city of Jakarta , firecrackers are widely used to celebrate Ramadan, although they are officially illegal. Towards the end of Ramadan, most employees receive a one-month bonus known as Tunjangan Hari Raya . Certain kinds of food are especially popular during Ramadan, such as large beef or buffalo in Aceh and snails in Central Java . The iftar meal

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1356-458: A majority of the applications were withdrawn, suspended, or vetoed, and the police detained some of the people who applied. References to certain controversial events and political movements, as well as access to web pages considered by the PRC authorities to be "dangerous" or "threatening to state security", are blocked on the internet in the PRC ; and content disputed by or critical of PRC authorities

1469-435: A postulation corroborated by other scholars, including theologian Paul-Gordon Chandler , but disputed by some Muslim academics. The Quran itself emphasizes that the fast it prescribes had already been prescribed to earlier biblical communities (2:183), even though an explicit intertext for this pre-Islamic practice does not exist. The first and last dates of Ramadan are determined by the lunar Islamic calendar . Because

1582-551: A previous history of cardiovascular disease. The fasting period is usually associated with modest weight loss, but weight can return afterwards. In many cultures, it is associated with heavy food and water intake during Suhur and Iftar times, which may do more harm than good. Ramadan fasting is safe for healthy people provided that overall food and water intake is adequate but those with medical conditions should seek medical advice if they encounter health problems before or during fasting. The education departments of Berlin and

1695-427: A residency permit system defining where people could work, and classified workers as rural or urban. In this system, a worker who was seeking to move from the country to an urban area in order to take up non-agricultural work would have to apply for permission to do so through the relevant bureaucratic institutions. There is uncertainty, however, as to how strictly the system has been enforced. People who worked outside

1808-510: A retired professor of CCP's Central Party School , criticized Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the CCP, called him a "mafia boss" and the ruling Communist Party a "political zombie". In a 20-minute audio on social networking sites, she said that everyone is Xi's slave, and there is no human rights and rule of law, She suggested that Xi should retire. On 17 August 2020, Cai Xia was expelled from

1921-511: A situation analogous to the passbook system in apartheid South Africa, which were designed to regulate the supply of cheap labor. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security has justified these practices on the grounds that they have assisted the police in tracking down criminals and maintaining public order, and they have also provided demographic data for government planning and programs. The People's Republic of China does not allow freedom of association in general; in particular, it does not allow

2034-651: A situation which is analogous to the passbook system that was implemented in South Africa in order to control the supply and actions of cheap labourers from underprivileged ethnic groups, as well as to control the quality and quantity of such labourers. In 2000, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy alleged that people of Han descent in Tibet have a far easier time acquiring the necessary permits to live in urban areas than ethnic Tibetans do. Abolition of this policy has been proposed in 11 provinces, mainly along

2147-488: A system often described as "rule by law" (alluding to the CCP's power), rather than rule of law. Moreover, the legal system lacks protections for civil rights , and often fails to uphold due process. This is opposed to a system of checks and balances or separation of powers . Foreign experts estimate that in 2000, there were between 1.5 million and 4 million people in prison in mainland China. The PRC does not allow outsiders to inspect its penal system. Although

2260-569: A tradition believed to have originated during the Fatimid Caliphate , where the rule of Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was acclaimed by people holding lanterns. On the island of Java , many believers bathe in holy springs to prepare for fasting, a ritual known as Padusan . The city of Semarang marks the beginning of Ramadan with the Dugderan carnival, which involves parading the warak ngendog ,

2373-592: Is absent from many publications, and subject to the control of the CCP within mainland China. Laws in the People's Republic of China forbid the advocacy of separation of any part of its claimed territory from mainland China, or public challenge to the CCP's domination of the government of China. An unsanctioned protest during the Olympics by seven foreign activists at the China Nationalities Museum , protesting for

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2486-510: Is announced every evening by striking the bedug , a giant drum, in the mosque. Common greetings during Ramadan include Ramadan mubarak and Ramadan kareem , which mean (have a) "blessed Ramadan" and "generous Ramadan" respectively. During Ramadan in the Middle East, a mesaharati beats a drum across a neighbourhood to wake people up to eat the suhoor meal. Similarly in Southeast Asia,

2599-426: Is considered safe for healthy individuals; it may pose risks for individuals with certain pre-existing conditions. Most Islamic scholars hold that fasting is not required for those who are ill. Additionally, the elderly and pre-pubertal children are exempt from fasting. Pregnant or lactating women are also exempt from fasting during Ramadan. There are known health risks involved in pregnant women who fast, which include

2712-460: Is considered to be the holiest night of the year. It is generally believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan; the Dawoodi Bohra believe that Laylat al-Qadr was the twenty-third night of Ramadan. The holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر), which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal , the next lunar month, is declared after

2825-523: Is correct and must be maintained in the long run". In November 2018, a UN panel condemned China's "deteriorating" human rights record in Tibet and Xinjiang. The Chinese government replied saying that such international condemnation was "politically motivated". Vice foreign minister Le Yucheng responded, "We will not accept the politically driven accusations from a few countries that are fraught with biases, with total disregard for facts. No country shall dictate

2938-626: Is for a bishop to be appointed by the Pope; the Catholic Church does not recognize the legitimacy of bishops elected by the Association, but not appointed by the Pope. According to Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic Church in particular is viewed in China as a foreign power. Its situation is somewhat analogous to that of the Catholic Church in Post-Reformation England, in which the official church

3051-662: Is labelled a fake by those who regard the PRC's effort to control organized religion as contradictory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other ethical principles. Examples of the political controls exercised over religion in 1998 include: Monks celebrating the reception of the US Congressional Gold Medal by the Dalai Lama have been detained by the PRC. In November 2012 the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner urged

3164-466: Is not in fact an innovation of monotheism but rather has always been necessary for believers to attain fear of God ( taqwa ). They point to the fact that the pre-Islamic pagans of Mecca fasted on the tenth day of Muharram to expiate sin and avoid drought . Philip Jenkins argues that the observance of Ramadan fasting grew out of "the strict Lenten discipline of the Syrian Churches ,"

3277-431: Is obligatory ( fard ) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill , travelling , elderly , breastfeeding , diabetic , pregnant , or menstruating . The predawn meal is referred to as suhur , and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar . Although rulings ( fatawa ) have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a midnight sun or polar night should follow

3390-661: Is often recommended that working Muslims inform their employers if they are fasting, given the potential for the observance to impact performance at work. The extent to which Ramadan observers are protected by religious accommodation varies by country. Policies putting them at a disadvantage compared to other employees have been met with discrimination claims in the United Kingdom and the United States. An Arab News article reported that Saudi Arabian businesses were unhappy with shorter working hours during Ramadan, some reporting

3503-471: Is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramaḍân˺. Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful. Muslims hold that all scripture was revealed during Ramadan, the scrolls of Abraham , Torah , Psalms , Gospel , and Quran having been handed down on

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3616-534: Is pronounced as /z/. The Muslim communities in some countries with historical Persian influence, such as Afghanistan , Azerbaijan , Iran , India , Pakistan and Turkey , use the word Ramazan or Ramzan . The word Romzan is used in Bangladesh . Ramadan is the month on which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong˺. So whoever

3729-618: Is reported to have banned Ramadan fasting for officials, students, and teachers in Xinjiang since 2012. Radio Free Asia alleged that residents in Kashgar Prefecture were encouraged to report those who fasted to the authorities. The ban has been denied by Chinese diplomats and Muslim associations in Xinjiang. Antara News , Daily Times , and Pakistan Today have also brought up accounts of residents in Xinjiang fasting. According to

3842-497: Is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, and to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity ( zakat ). Exemptions from fasting include those traveling, menstruating, severely ill, pregnant, or breastfeeding. Those unable to fast are obligated to make up

3955-528: Is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting ( sawm ), prayer ( salah ), reflection, and community. A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation , the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Fasting from dawn to sunset

4068-583: Is the world's biggest jailer of journalists. According to the report, China is trying to establish a "new world media order" and maintain a system of information hyper-control, the negative effects of which the entire world experienced during the coronavirus public health crisis. It states that the PRC never stops enhancing its system of information hyper-control and persecution of dissident journalists and bloggers, and that further evidence of this came in February 2020, when two citizens were arrested for their coverage of

4181-478: The hilāl , or crescent moon , typically occurs approximately one day after the new moon , Muslims can usually estimate the beginning of Ramadan; however, many Muslims prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent. The Laylat al-Qadr ( Arabic : لیلة القدر ) or "Night of Power" is the night that Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down to the world, and Muhammad received his first quranic revelation from it. The night

4294-680: The All-China Federation of Trade Unions has a monopoly on union activity: it is effectively a nationalized organization. This dynamic violates International Labour Organization Conventions Number 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining. The leadership of the ACFTU is not freely elected by its members, and it is not independent from the state or employers. The CCP effectively monopolizes organized political activity in China. There is, therefore, no possibility of genuine electoral competition at any level of government, nor within

4407-567: The Internet , mass media, and academia were significantly strengthened. For instance, Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Misplaced Pages are banned in mainland China. Repression of religious activities outside of direct state control increased. The CCP came to power in the late 1940s and instituted a command economy . In 1958, Mao Zedong , the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party , adopted

4520-469: The Middle East , iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal. Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf. Desserts may include lokma , baklava or knafeh . Over time,

4633-612: The PRC officially labelled 'judicial mutilation' against Tibetans by the Dalai Lama 's government, and the serfdom controversy , have been cited by the PRC as reasons to interfere for what they claim was the welfare of Tibetans, although their claims of 'judicial mutilation' are controversial and subject to scepticism and dispute by foreign countries and international organizations. Conflicting reports about Tibetan human rights have been produced since then. The PRC claims that Tibet has been enjoying

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4746-557: The Quran . The word Ramadan derives from the Arabic root R-M-Ḍ ([ر-م-ض] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |link= ( help ) ) "scorching heat", which is the Classical Arabic verb " ramiḍa ([رَمِضَ] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |link= ( help ) )" meaning "become intensely hot – become burning; become scorching; be blazing; be glowing". Ramadan is thought of as one of

4859-763: The September 2009 Xinjiang unrest , the 2011 Hotan attack , the 2014 Kunming attack , the April 2014 Ürümqi attack , and the May 2014 Ürümqi attack . The attacks were conducted by Uyghur separatists, with some orchestrated by the Turkistan Islamic Party (a UN-designated terrorist organization, formerly called the East Turkistan Islamic Movement). In April 2010, after the July 2009 Ürümqi riots , Zhang Chunxian replaced

4972-727: The United Kingdom have tried to discourage students from fasting during Ramadan, as they claim that not eating or drinking can lead to concentration problems and bad grades. A review of the literature by an Iranian group suggested fasting during Ramadan might produce renal injury in patients with moderate ( GFR <60 ml/min) or severe kidney disease but was not injurious to renal transplant patients with good function or most stone-forming patients. A study on 55 professional Algerian soccer players showed that performance during Ramadan declined significantly for speed, agility, dribbling speed and endurance, and most stayed low 2 weeks after

5085-461: The constitution , and the ruling party has embarked on campaigns to promote the idea that citizens have protection under the law. At the same time, however, a fundamental contradiction exists in the constitution itself, in which the Communist Party insists that its authority supersedes that of the law. Thus, the constitution enshrines the rule of law, yet simultaneously stresses the principle that

5198-604: The kentongan slit drum is used for the same purpose. Ramadan attracts significant increases in television viewership, as the usual prime time hours coincide with the iftar , and are commonly extended into the late-night hours to coincide with the s uhur . Broadcasters in the Arab world traditionally premiere serial dramas known as musalsal during Ramadan; they are similar in style to Latin American telenovelas , and are typically around 30 episodes in length so that they run over

5311-637: The names of God in Islam by some, and as such it is reported in many hadiths that it is prohibited to say only "Ramadan" in reference to the calendar month and that it is necessary to say "month of Ramadan", as reported in Sunni , Shia and Zaydi sources. However, the report has been graded by others as Mawḍūʻ (fabricated) and inauthentic . In the Persian language , the Arabic letter [[[ض]]] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |link= ( help ) ( Ḍād )

5424-455: The " leadership of the Communist Party" holds primacy over the law and the legal system. The judiciary is not independent of the CCP, and judges face political pressure; in many instances, private party committees dictate the outcome of cases. In 2007, law and the judiciary were further subordinated to the interests of the CCP under the doctrine of the Three Supremes . This has produced

5537-699: The 1980s after hundreds of millions of migrant workers were forced out of state corporations, co-operatives, and other institutions. Attempts to move to urban centers by workers who were classified as rural workers were tightly controlled by the Chinese bureaucracy, which enforced its control by denying them access to essential goods and services such as grain rations, housing, and health care, and regularly closing down migrant workers' private schools. The hukou system also enforced pass laws which have been compared to those which existed in apartheid South Africa. Rural workers who wanted to work in provinces other than their own were required to possess six passes, and

5650-557: The 1982 constitution guarantees freedom of speech, the Chinese government often uses the " subversion of state power " and "protection of state secrets " clauses in their law system to imprison those who criticize the government. Another crime used to jail critics such as Sun Dawu is " picking quarrels and provoking trouble ". During the 2008 Summer Olympics , the government promised to issue permits authorizing people to protest in specifically designated "protest parks" in Beijing. However,

5763-660: The Amnesty International report from 2016/2017 the government continued to draft and enact a series of new national security laws that presented serious threats to the protection of human rights. The nationwide crackdown on human rights lawyers and activists continued throughout the year. Activists and human rights defenders continued to be systematically subjected to monitoring, harassment , intimidation, arrest, and detention . The report continues that police detained increasing numbers of human rights defenders outside of formal detention facilities, sometimes without access to

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5876-531: The CCP has failed to live up to its promises about the freedom of the mainland Chinese media . The US-based NGO Freedom House consistently ranks China as "Not Free" in its annual press freedom survey, including the 2014 report. PRC journalist He Qinglian says that the PRC's media are controlled by directives from the Communist Party's propaganda department, and are subjected to intense monitoring which threatens punishment for violators, rather than to pre-publication censorship. In 2008, ITV News reporter John Ray

5989-587: The CCP's Central Party School and her retirement pensions were cancelled. During the Coronavirus crisis of 2020 , the PRC is reported to have suppressed the news of the virus and also attempted to downplay and under report deaths. There are reports of detentions, assaults, torture, and disappearances of whistleblowers including activists, doctors, lawyers, students, and businessmen who created and uploaded videos of overburdened hospitals and high numbers of deaths. Some of these whistleblowers were: Critics argue that

6102-550: The China Institute at the University of Alberta , said that the hukou system was one of the most strictly enforced apartheid structures in modern world history. He stated, "Urban dwellers enjoy a range of social, economic, and cultural benefits while peasants, the majority of the Chinese population, are treated like second-class citizens." The discrimination which was enforced by the hukou system became particularly onerous in

6215-542: The Chinese government began scaling up its military presence in the region and introducing more stringent restrictions on Uyghur civil liberties. In response to growing tensions between Han Chinese and the Uyghur population of Xinjiang itself, the recruitment of Uyghurs to fight in the Syrian Civil War , and several terrorist attacks orchestrated by Uyghur separatists, in early 2014, Chinese authorities in Xinjiang launched

6328-562: The Chinese government's restrictions on religion as among the highest in the world, despite low to moderate rankings for religious-related social hostilities in the country. The Chinese government tries to maintain tight control over all organized religions , including Christianity. The only legal Christian groups are the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association ,

6441-414: The Chinese government, reporter Shi Tao was sentenced to imprisonment for ten years for releasing an internal Communist Party document to an overseas Chinese democracy site. Skype president Josh Silverman said it was "common knowledge" that TOM Online had "established procedures to...block instant messages containing certain words deemed offensive by the Chinese authorities". In June 2020, Cai Xia ,

6554-578: The Chinese government, requiring approval similar to diplomatic employees. China has periodically deported foreign journalists. Ursula Gauthier , a journalist from France working for the media organization L'Obs , was sent back to France after she commented on China's response to the Paris attacks that happened in November 2015. She noted that China's sympathetic stance wasn't "without ulterior motives." Gauthier had previously reported on China's persecution of

6667-471: The Chinese perspective about the events?' Foreign journalists also reported that their access to certain websites, including those of human rights organizations, was restricted. International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge stated at the end of the 2008 Olympic Games that 'The regulations [governing foreign media freedom during the Olympics] might not be perfect but they are a sea-change compared to

6780-523: The Chinese public believes propaganda transmitted to them through the news media, but also that they disbelieve it. These contradictory results can be explained by realizing that ordinary citizens consider media sources to be credible to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the extent to which media outlets have undergone reform. In 2012 the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Chinese government to lift restrictions on media access to

6893-718: The Muslim Uyghur community from some countries as well as human rights observers. James A Millward, a scholar who has researched Xinjiang for three decades, declared that the "state repression in Xinjiang has never been as severe as it has become since early 2017". The US State Department has said it is deeply concerned over China's "worsening crackdown" on minority Muslims in Xinjiang and the Trump administration has reportedly considered sanctions against senior Chinese officials and companies linked to allegations of human rights abuses. Canadian officials have also raised concern in Beijing and at

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7006-535: The PRC claim improvement in human rights, as they define them differently, so as to be dependent on " national culture " and the level of development of the country. However, governments have a duty to promote and protect all human rights universally, regardless of their national circumstances. PRC politicians have repeatedly maintained that, according to the PRC Constitution , the " Four Cardinal Principles " supersede citizenship rights . PRC officials interpret

7119-639: The PRC to address the allegations of rights violations in Tibet; the violations had led to an alarming escalation of 'desperate' forms of protest in the region, including self-immolations. Amnesty International report reports that Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and in Tibetan-populated areas. Tibetans who opposed the diversion of irrigation water by Chinese authorities to the China Gold International Resources mining operations were detained, tortured, and murdered. Allegations of what

7232-938: The Party itself. This violates the UDHR article 21(1), which states, 'Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.' During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), particularly during the Destruction of the Four Olds campaign, religious affairs of all types were persecuted, renounced, and strongly discouraged by Chairman Mao Zedong's government and its ideological allies . Many religious buildings were looted or destroyed. Since then, there have been efforts to repair, reconstruct and protect historical and cultural religious sites. In its International Religious Freedom Report for 2013,

7345-463: The SAR governments have been the main factors which limit travel. In 2000, The Washington Times reported that although migrant labourers play a major role in spreading wealth in Chinese villages, they are treated "like second-class citizens by a system which is so discriminatory that it has been likened to apartheid ." Anita Chan also posits that the People's Republic of China's household registration and temporary residence permit system has created

7458-405: The Tibetan area, the current Dalai Lama resides in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh , in the Republic of India. In a regulation promulgated 3 August 2007 , the Chinese government declared that after 1 September 2007, "[no] living Buddha [may be reincarnated] without government approval, since the Qing dynasty, when the live Buddha system was established." The PRC Government-appointed Panchen Lama

7571-647: The US Department of State criticized the PRC as follows: The government's respect for and protection of the right to religious freedom fell well short of its international human rights commitments. (...) The government harassed, detained, arrested, or sentenced to prison a number of religious adherents for activities reported to be related to their religious beliefs and practices. These activities included assembling for religious worship, expressing religious beliefs in public and in private, and publishing religious texts. There were also reports of physical abuse and torture in detention. The 1982 Constitution provides its citizens

7684-541: The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC), their supporters, and other proponents claim that existing policies and enforcement measures are sufficient to guard against human rights abuses . However, other countries (such as the United States and Canada), international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including Human Rights in China and Amnesty International , and citizens, lawyers, and dissidents inside

7797-466: The United Nations about the internment camps: "We are gravely concerned about the lack of transparency and due process in the cases of the many thousands of Uyghurs detained in so-called 're-education camps', which continues to call into question China's commitment to the rule of law and which violate its international human rights obligations." Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated in May 2014 that "practice has proved that our party's ruling strategy in Xinjiang

7910-437: The Uyghur ethnic group , many of whom believe in Islam. China often accuses Uyghur people of terrorism and has set up a system of camps, which they claim are "vocational training centers." However, those who have lived through the camps allege that the authorities torture, rape, and sexually abuse the prisoners as well as force them into unpaid labor and sterilize the women. Moreover, many experts and foreign policymakers consider

8023-572: The conclusion of Ramadan. The length of the dawn to sunset time varies in different parts of the world according to summer or winter solstices of the Sun. Most Muslims fast for eleven to sixteen hours during Ramadan. However, in polar regions, the period between dawn and sunset may exceed twenty-two hours in summer. For example, in 2014, Muslims in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Trondheim, Norway, fasted almost twenty-two hours, while Muslims in Sydney, Australia, fasted for only about eleven hours. In areas characterized by continuous night or day, some Muslims follow

8136-447: The coronavirus crisis. China currently detains around 100 journalists, of whom the vast majority are Uyghurs. On 29 May 2022, the U.S. expressed concern over China's "efforts to restrict and manipulate" the UN human rights chief's visit to the Xinjiang region. The conditions imposed by the Beijing authorities on Michelle Bachelet 's visit, did not enable a complete and independent assessment of

8249-589: The countries of Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , Morocco , Algeria and Malaysia . In the United Arab Emirates , the punishment is community service. In some countries, on the contrary, the observance of Ramadan has been restricted by governments. In the USSR , the practice of Ramadan was suppressed by officials. In Albania, Ramadan festivities were banned during the communist period. However, many Albanians continued to fast secretly during this period. China

8362-431: The country, state that the authorities in mainland China regularly sanction or organize such abuses. Independent NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch , as well as foreign governmental institutions such as the U.S. State Department, regularly present evidence of the PRC violating the freedoms of speech , movement , and religion of its citizens and of others within its jurisdiction . Authorities in

8475-528: The definition of democracy and human rights." China has defended the strike-hard campaign as lawful, asserting that the country is a victim of terrorism, and that Uyghur men are motivated by global jihadi ideology rather than driven by grievances at home. The Chinese government denies the internment camps are for the purposes of re-education. Ramadan Ramadan ( Arabic : رَمَضَان , romanized :  Ramaḍān [ra.ma.dˤaːn] ; also spelled Ramazan , Ramzan , Ramadhan , or Ramathan )

8588-663: The detentions arbitrary rather than linked to provable terrorist charges. As such, journalists such as Gauthier have been critical of China's actions. At the time of Gauthier's expulsion, she was the first journalist to be deported since China expelled Melissa Chan from Al Jazeera in 2015. Chan had reported on China's " black jails " and government land confiscation. Of her deportation, China Global Television Network's Yang Rui wrote, "We should shut up those who demonize China and send them packing", according to The Wall Street Journal . The 2020 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), shows that mainland China

8701-590: The developed eastern coast. After a widely publicized incident in 2003, when a university-educated migrant died in Guangdong province, the law was changed in order to eliminate the possibility of summary arrest for migrant labourers. The Beijing law lecturer who exposed the incident said it spelt the end of the hukou system : he believed that in most smaller cities, the system had been abandoned, and it had 'almost lost its function' in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. In November 2005, Jiang Wenran , acting director of

8814-916: The fasting schedule observed in the nearest city that experiences sunrise and sunset, while others follow Mecca time. As sunrise and sunset occur sixteen times each a day in low-Earth orbit, Muslim astronauts in space schedule religious practices around the time zone of the last place on Earth they were on. For example, this means an astronaut from Malaysia launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida would center their fast according to sunrise and sunset times in Cape Canaveral, in Florida's Eastern Time . This includes times for daily prayers, as well as sunset and sunrise for Ramadan. Muslims continue to work during Ramadan; however, in some countries, such as Oman and Lebanon, working hours are shortened. It

8927-412: The first, sixth, twelfth, thirteenth (in some sources, eighteenth) and twenty-fourth Ramadans, respectively. Muhammad is said to have received his first quranic revelation on Laylat al-Qadr , one of five odd-numbered nights that fall during the last ten days of Ramadan. Although Muslims were first commanded to fast in the second year of Hijra (624 CE), they believe that the practice of fasting

9040-530: The formal opening of the Olympic media center on 25 July, and is checking at least 20 other reported incidents." Since the Chinese state continues to exert a considerable amount of control over media, public support for domestic reporting has come as a surprise to many observers. Not much is known about the extent to which the Chinese citizenry believe the official statements of the CCP, nor about which media sources they perceive as credible and why. So far, research on

9153-504: The former CCP chief Wang Lequan , who had been behind religious policies in Xinjiang for 14 years. Zhang Chunxian continued Wang's policy and even strengthened them. In 2011, Zhang proposed "modern culture leads the development in Xinjiang" as his policy statement. In 2012, he first mentioned the phrase "de-extremification" ( Chinese : 去极端化) campaigns. Under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping ,

9266-419: The fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar . Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages. In

9379-485: The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains." Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam . The fast ( sawm ) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims abstain from sexual relations and sinful speech and behaviour during Ramadan. Fasting

9492-513: The government to be mishandling, including: the death penalty ( capital punishment ), the one-child policy (in which China had made exceptions for ethnic minorities prior to abolishing it in 2015), the political and legal status of Tibet , and neglect of freedom of the press in mainland China. Other areas of concern include the lack of legal recognition of human rights and the lack of an independent judiciary , rule of law , and due process . Further issues raised in regard to human rights include

9605-408: The health of citizens, or interfere with the educational system of the state. Religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to any foreign domination. Members of the Communist Party are officially required to be atheists , but this rule is not regularly enforced and many party members privately engage in religious activities. Global studies from Pew Research Center in 2014 and 2017 ranked

9718-419: The human rights environment in China. More than sixty Internet regulations exist in mainland China and serve to monitor and control internet publication. These policies are implemented by provincial branches of state-owned Internet service providers, companies, and organizations. The apparatus of the PRC's and/or CCP's Internet control is considered more extensive and more advanced than in any other country in

9831-656: The lack of religious freedom – rights groups have highlighted repression of the Christian , Tibetan Buddhist , Uyghur Muslim , and Falun Gong religious groups. Some Chinese activist groups are trying to expand these freedoms, including Human Rights in China, Chinese Human Rights Defenders , and the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group . Chinese human rights attorneys who take on cases related to these issues, however, often face harassment, disbarment, and arrest. According to

9944-486: The latter of which has been condemned by the Pope. Both of these groups are under the control of the CCP. The members of the illegal, underground Catholic church and members of Protestant house churches face prosecution from PRC authorities. In 2007, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association elected a Catholic bishop of Beijing to replace the deceased Fu Tieshan. The standard Catholic practice

10057-454: The length of the month. Advertisers in the region have considered Ramadan to be comparable to the Super Bowl on U.S. television in terms of impact and importance; the cost of a 30-second commercial in peak time during Ramadan is usually more than double than normal. According to a 2012 Pew Research Centre study, there was widespread Ramadan observance, with a median of 93 percent across

10170-472: The lowest ranking globally for safety from state actions and the right to assemble. Since the legal reforms of the late 1970s and 1980s, the CCP has officially moved attempted to embrace the language of the rule of law and it has also attempted to establish a modern court system . During this process, it has enacted thousands of new laws and regulations, and it has begun to train more legal professionals . The concept of 'rule of law' has been emphasized in

10283-457: The media in China has focused on the changing relationship between media outlets and the state during the reform era. Nor is much known about how China's changing media environment has affected the government's ability to persuade media audiences. Research on political trust reveals that exposure to the media correlates positively with support for the government in some instances, and negatively in others. The research has been cited as evidence that

10396-410: The missed days later. Each day before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called the suhur . After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr . At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar , traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad's practice of breaking the fast with three dates. They then adjourn for Maghrib ,

10509-434: The month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory. Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran, which comprises thirty juz' (sections), over the thirty days of Ramadan. Some Muslims incorporate a recitation of one juz' into each of the thirty tarawih sessions observed during the month. In some Islamic countries, lights ( fanous ) are strung up in public squares and across city streets,

10622-486: The police periodically conducted raids in which they rounded up those workers who were without permits, placed them in detention centers for a short period of time, and then deported them. It is also found that rural workers have been paid under minimum wage to nothing at all. A group of coal miners in Shuangyashan were being paid little to nothing. With the families and people whom they had to care for, each and every one of

10735-446: The potential of induced labour and gestational diabetes . There are some health benefits of fasting in Ramadan including increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin resistance. It has also been shown that there is a significant improvement in 10 years coronary heart disease risk score and other cardiovascular risk factors such as lipids profile, systolic blood pressure, weight, BMI and waist circumference in subjects with

10848-603: The practice of iftar has evolved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi , the largest mosque in the UAE , feeds up to thirty thousand people every night. Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad . Zakat , often translated as "the poor-rate", is the fixed percentage of income

10961-594: The primacy of the Four Cardinal Principles as a legal basis for the arrest of people who the government says seek to overthrow the principles. Chinese nationals whom authorities perceive to be in compliance with these principles, on the other hand, are permitted by the PRC authorities to enjoy and exercise all the rights that come with citizenship of the PRC, provided they do not violate PRC laws in any other manner. Numerous human rights groups have publicized human rights issues in mainland China that they consider

11074-467: The promotion by PRC authorities of home ownership in nomadic Tibetan societies. Western politicians often level the charge that the Tibetan languages are at risk of extinction in Tibet. Others, however, both inside and outside China and Tibet, claim that for a vast majority of Tibetans, who live in rural areas, the Chinese language is merely introduced as a second language in secondary school. Article 36 of

11187-453: The region and allow independent, impartial monitors to visit and assess conditions in Tibet. The Chinese government did not change its position. In March 2020, China expelled employees of The New York Times , The Washington Post , and The Wall Street Journal in response to the U.S. declaring that five state-owned Chinese media outlets were operating as foreign missions of the government with their staff being re-designated employees of

11300-433: The region in which they were registered would not qualify for grain rations, employer-provided housing, or health care. There were controls over education, employment, marriage, and other areas of life. One reason which was cited for the instituting of this system was the desire to prevent the possible chaos which would be caused by predictable large-scale urbanization. As a part of the one country, two systems policy which

11413-402: The renewed "strike hard" campaign around New Year. It included measures targeting mobile phones, computers, and religious materials belonging to Uyghurs. The government simultaneously announced a "people's war on terror" and local government introduced new restrictions that included the banning of long beards and the wearing of veils in public places. Scholars have stated that the most pervasive of

11526-526: The repressive measures in Xinjiang may be the government's use of digital mass surveillance systems . Authorities collect the DNA, iris scans , and voice samples of the Uyghur population, regularly scan the contents of their digital devices, use digitally coded ID cards to track their movements, and train CCTV cameras on their homes, streets, and marketplaces. China has received criticism for its mass detention of members of

11639-526: The right to believe in any religion, as well as the right to refrain from doing so: Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organization, public organization, or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion. The state protects normal religious activities. No one may make use of religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair

11752-413: The severe lack of workers' rights (in particular the hukou system which restricts migrant labourers ' freedom of movement), the absence of labour unions independent of the CCP, the implementation of Social Credit System and its blacklist , which serve to restrict a person and their family members' rights, and allegations of discrimination against rural workers and ethnic minorities , as well as

11865-476: The situation before. We hope that they will continue.' The Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) issued a statement during the Olympics that "despite welcome progress in terms of accessibility and the number of press conferences within the Olympic facilities, the FCCC has been alarmed at the use of violence, intimidation, and harassment outside. The club has confirmed more than 30 cases of reporting interference since

11978-668: The thirty-nine countries and territories studied. Regions with high percentages of fasting among Muslims include Southeast Asia , South Asia , Middle East and North Africa , Horn of Africa and most of Sub-Saharan Africa . Percentages are lower in Central Asia and Southeast Europe . In some Muslim countries , eating in public during daylight hours in Ramadan is a crime . The sale of alcohol becomes prohibited during Ramadan in Egypt . The penalty for publicly eating, drinking or smoking during Ramadan can result in fines or incarceration in

12091-452: The timetable of Mecca , it is common practice to follow the timetable of the closest country in which night can be distinguished from day. The spiritual rewards ( thawab ) of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan. Accordingly, during the hours of fasting, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also tobacco products , sexual relations , and sinful behavior , devoting themselves instead to prayer and study of

12204-406: The workers protested for the money that they deserved. As in South Africa, the restrictions placed on the mobility of migrant workers were pervasive, and transient workers were forced to live a precarious existence in company dormitories or shanty towns , suffering abusive consequences. Anita Chan comments further that China's household registration and temporary residence permit system has created

12317-405: The world" and Paris-based Reporters Without Borders stated in 2010 and 2012 that "China is the world's biggest prison for netizens ." As an example of the censorship, in 2013, 24 years after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre , online searches for the term 'Tiananmen Square' were still censored by Chinese authorities. According to the Amnesty International report the controls on

12430-452: The world. The Golden Shield includes the ability to monitor online chatting services and mail, identifying IPs and all of the person's previous communication, and then being able to lock in on the person's location—because a person will usually use the computer at home or at work – which enables the arrest to be carried out. Amnesty International notes that China "has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in

12543-740: Was also controlled by the state. In early January 2018, Chinese authorities in Shanxi province demolished a church, which created a wave of fear among the Christians. In reports of countries with the strongest anti-Christian persecution , China was ranked by the Open Doors organization in 2019 as the 27th most severe country and in 2020 as 23rd most severe. The Dalai Lama is a highly influential figure in Tibetan Buddhism , who has traditionally lived in Tibet. Because of Chinese governmental control over

12656-513: Was arrested while covering a "Free Tibet" protest. International media coverage of Tibetan protests only a few months before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 triggered a strong reaction inside China. Chinese media practitioners took the opportunity to argue with propaganda authorities for more media freedom: one journalist asked, 'If not even Chinese journalists are allowed to report about the problems in Tibet, how can foreign journalists know about

12769-503: Was proposed by Deng Xiaoping and accepted by the British and Portuguese governments, the special administrative regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau retained separate border control and immigration policies with the rest of the PRC. Chinese nationals had to gain permission from the government before they were allowed to travel to Hong Kong or Macau , but this requirement was officially abolished for each SAR after its respective handover. Since then, restrictions which have been imposed by

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