China Mandates Video Proof from Uyghurs During Ramadan

Chinese authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are enforcing a controversial mandate requiring Uyghurs to provide video evidence that they are not fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, RFA reported. Residents must record themselves eating lunch daily and submit these videos to local officials until Eid al-Fitr.

This measure is part of a broader crackdown on Islamic practices in Xinjiang, where Chinese officials have long justified restrictions on religious observance as efforts to combat extremism. Police have confirmed that fasting is prohibited, with one officer stating that even Uyghur police are not allowed to fast.

In addition to the video requirements, local authorities plan to organize collective feasts to disrupt any secret fasting among the population. Previous years have seen increased surveillance, with officials patrolling neighborhoods and warning Muslims against fasting.

Rushan Abbas, executive director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, condemned these actions, highlighting the stark contrast between how Muslims around the world observe Ramadan and the oppressive conditions faced by Uyghurs. He emphasized that Uyghurs are stripped of their religious freedoms, facing severe repercussions for practicing their faith, including imprisonment and forced labor. The situation underscores the ongoing systematic persecution of Uyghurs in China.