Under the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Muslim population in China faces severe restrictions and repression of their religious beliefs and practices. While the situation varies across different Muslim ethnic groups, a disturbing pattern of escalating state control and human rights violations has emerged, particularly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The revival of Islam in China over the past decade has been met with a bifurcated policy response from the CCP. Hui Muslims, who have largely assimilated into the dominant Han Chinese culture, enjoy significantly more religious freedom compared to the Uyghur Muslims of Xinjiang. Routine Islamic practices that are considered normal around the world—such as growing beards, wearing headscarves, fasting during Ramadan, or attending religious gatherings—have increasingly been criminalized for Uyghurs.
Since Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012, the already restrictive environment in Xinjiang has deteriorated at an alarming rate. A range of new laws and regulations have formalized draconian controls over the Uyghurs’ religious lives. The 2015 Xinjiang Religious Affairs Regulations prohibit any religious activity outside of officially sanctioned venues. Disturbingly, even private gatherings for prayers or Quran study can lead to lengthy prison sentences, with penalties extending to farmers, imams, and even young children. Bans on Islamic attire like veils and beards have expanded under the pretext of countering extremism, even as their precise definitions remain ambiguous. Signs openly deny service to veiled women or bearded men in public spaces. Police routinely approach, search, fine, and even imprison those deemed to have violated these arbitrary restrictions. One grim case saw a man sentenced to six years in prison simply for refusing to shave his beard.
The CCP’s assault on Uyghur religious identity extends to other sacred traditions and milestones as well. Authorities have restricted fasting during Ramadan, deployed measures to prevent people from attending prayers, banned Islamic teachings for children under 18, and made it nearly impossible for Uyghurs to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. In a chilling escalation, there have been increasing reports of the state using excessive force against civilians, with police opening fire and causing casualties even during minor alterations. Beyond physical violence, the party-state has resorted to symbolic humiliation by forcing Uyghurs to participate in state-sponsored dance performances and compelling businesses to sell alcohol, both deeply offensive acts in their cultural context.
The CCP’s unrelenting attempts to dilute the religious consciousness of future generations signal an intent to erode and ultimately erase the Uyghurs’ distinct Islamic cultural identity within China’s borders. These harsh policies, layered atop existing socioeconomic marginalization and decades of state repression, have fueled resentment, anger, and isolated incidents of violence against authorities or civilians by some Uyghurs. Rather than addressing legitimate grievances, however, the CCP has responded with further militarization, intensive surveillance systems, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and torture—creating a vicious cycle of repression and unrest. The near-complete lack of due process, combined with the authorities’ expansive definition of “extremism,” has ensnared countless Uyghurs for simply practicing their faith.
Tragically, Hui Muslims are not entirely immune from the CCP’s growing anxiety over a perceived Islamic threat. As ultraconservative Salafi ideology gains traction among a minority, Beijing has taken steps to restrict certain Hui practices as well, especially regarding religious education. In 2016, nationwide regulations expanded state controls over religious schools, signaling a potential end to the limited breathing room Hui communities previously enjoyed. The economic priorities underlying China’s Belt and Road ambitions and the CCP’s desperation to ensure “stability” in resource-rich Xinjiang have underpinned the escalating repression. But the authorities’ systematic conflation of peaceful religious expression with terrorism and extremism not only makes a mockery of religious freedom—it threatens to turn an entire ethnic group against the state.
While some Hui Muslims have historically taken an accommodationist approach, defying restrictions through more discreet practices like underground madrassas, Uyghurs find themselves with far fewer options. Many are choosing subtle forms of protest and resistance, secretly defying bans through private rituals or avoiding participation in state-sanctioned events. Yet even these acts of personal resilience in clinging to their faith and identity risk triggering severe punishments. As international outcry over the crackdown in Xinjiang grows, the CCP remains defiant, justifying its policies as a counterterrorism imperative. However, its brutal disregard for the religious freedom and cultural rights of millions betrays a cynical campaign of forced assimilation cloaked in security rhetoric.
For a rising global power that seeks greater international influence and respect, China’s systematic repression of its Muslim minorities represents a moral stain that will continue to overshadow its international standing. The CCP must reverse course on its repressive policies in Xinjiang, restore religious freedoms as enshrined in China’s constitution, and pursue a path of constructive dialogue and ethnic reconciliation. Failing to do so will only perpetuate this human rights crisis while stoking further instability—outcomes that serve neither China’s interests nor those of its people.
