The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) placed the People’s Republic of China on its 2006 recommendation for "countries of particular concern" or CPCs, Wednesday.
China has already come under fire by the Vatican for its recent appointment of 2 bishops without papal consent, and recent allegations that a number of clergymen were coerced to agree with the ordination by nonreligious government officials.
In March, the 2005 Human Rights report listed human rights in China as poor with government trying to regulate religious groups.
This year’s list, which was submitted to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, also included Burma, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The countries listed were noted for their egregious violations for religious freedom. In addition, the commission created a Watch List for countries not designated a CPC, but “require close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the governments.”
This year’s commission list added Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria.
USCIRF will also be monitoring the situations in India, Russia, Sri Lanka and Iraq though these countries are not on the Watch List.
