Religious communities in China are under intense pressure, from administrative restrictions and church closures to criminal prosecutions of pastors and believers. Xiao Yunyang, a human rights lawyer from Guizhou, China, will provide an overview of government policies and regulations toward unregistered religious groups over time, from the relatively more relaxed Hu-Wen era in the early 2000s to the zero-tolerance approach of Xi Jinping. Drawing on over two decades of firsthand experience representing religious practitioners in administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings, he will discuss how authorities often frame religious cases as ordinary criminal offenses, what defense strategies are available, and what lawyers and communities can realistically do within China's current legal framework. Learn more.

In-person only, in Chinese with English translation. 本活动仅限现场出席，全程以中文进行，并提供英文翻译。