Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HCR224 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 224 THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the people's republic of china to stop persecution based on religion and for the united states department of state to hold the people's republic of china accountable for violating the right of religious freedom.
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3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 224
4	4	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
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9	9	H.C.R. NO.
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13	13	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
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29	29	HOUSE CONCURRENT
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31	31	RESOLUTION
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37	37	urging the people's republic of china to stop persecution based on religion and for the united states department of state to hold the people's republic of china accountable for violating the right of religious freedom.
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43	43	WHEREAS, since 1999, the United States Department of State has labeled China as a country of particular concern regarding religious freedom; and WHEREAS, in December 2023, the Biden Administration reported the People's Republic of China as one of the countries of particular concern regarding religious freedom; and WHEREAS, in February 2024, the United States Congress introduced a resolution to recognize religious freedom as a fundamental right and expressed concern over continuing threats to religious freedom around the world; and WHEREAS, the People's Republic of China has the highest population of religious prisoners in the world, many of whom face high levels of persecution, and are pressured to adhere to Chinese Communist Party ideology; and WHEREAS, certain religious and spiritual groups have been banned by the People's Republic of China, claiming that these religious groups will use religion as camouflage, spread superstitious ideas, deceive members, and endanger society; and WHEREAS, religious minorities have been subject to torture, mass arbitrary detention, forced disappearances, mass surveillance, cultural and religious persecution, separation of families, forced labor, sexual violence, and violations of reproductive rights; and WHEREAS, regulations on religious belief implemented by the Chinese government only recognize five religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism, but religious measures in the People's Republic of China's Constitution create undefined and broad religious regulations that do not guarantee the right to practice or worship; and WHEREAS, as reported in a United States Congress Senate Resolution the People's Republic of China has harassed, intimidated, imprisoned, and committed acts of violence against minorities based on religion which include but are not limited to: Uyghur Muslims, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners; and WHEREAS, the Human Rights Watch expressed concern over new regulations, worried that religious practitioners are expected to conform with ideologies of the Chinese Communist Party or risk imprisonment; and WHEREAS, as reported by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, the People's Republic of China has committed crimes against humanity for systematic abuse against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang; and WHEREAS, in 2014, the People's Republic of China launched a movement titled Strike Hard Campaign Against Violent Terrorism that resulted in extreme religious regulations over Xinjiang and implemented punishments for religious online activities involving owning digital copies of the Quran; and WHEREAS, as further reported by Human Rights Watch in February 2024, the People's Republic of China implemented regulations to tighten control over religious practices to sinicize (modify by or adjust to Chinese influence) religions as a new government priority under President Xi Jinping; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the Senate concurring, that the government of the People's Republic of China is urged to stop the persecution of religious minorities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if this practice is still state-sanctioned and continues, the United States Department of State is urged to express and promote concern over the violations of the People's Republic of China on religious minorities subject to persecution and deprivation of religious freedom; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Department of State is urged to hold the People's Republic of China accountable for violating rights to religious freedom; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States Secretary of State, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States, and Hawaii's congressional delegation. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: People's Republic of China; United States Department of State; Religious Persecution
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45	45	WHEREAS, since 1999, the United States Department of State has labeled China as a country of particular concern regarding religious freedom; and
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49	49	WHEREAS, in December 2023, the Biden Administration reported the People's Republic of China as one of the countries of particular concern regarding religious freedom; and
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53	53	WHEREAS, in February 2024, the United States Congress introduced a resolution to recognize religious freedom as a fundamental right and expressed concern over continuing threats to religious freedom around the world; and
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57	57	WHEREAS, the People's Republic of China has the highest population of religious prisoners in the world, many of whom face high levels of persecution, and are pressured to adhere to Chinese Communist Party ideology; and
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61	61	WHEREAS, certain religious and spiritual groups have been banned by the People's Republic of China, claiming that these religious groups will use religion as camouflage, spread superstitious ideas, deceive members, and endanger society; and
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65	65	WHEREAS, religious minorities have been subject to torture, mass arbitrary detention, forced disappearances, mass surveillance, cultural and religious persecution, separation of families, forced labor, sexual violence, and violations of reproductive rights; and
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69	69	WHEREAS, regulations on religious belief implemented by the Chinese government only recognize five religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism, but religious measures in the People's Republic of China's Constitution create undefined and broad religious regulations that do not guarantee the right to practice or worship; and
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73	73	WHEREAS, as reported in a United States Congress Senate Resolution the People's Republic of China has harassed, intimidated, imprisoned, and committed acts of violence against minorities based on religion which include but are not limited to: Uyghur Muslims, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners; and
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77	77	WHEREAS, the Human Rights Watch expressed concern over new regulations, worried that religious practitioners are expected to conform with ideologies of the Chinese Communist Party or risk imprisonment; and
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81	81	WHEREAS, as reported by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, the People's Republic of China has committed crimes against humanity for systematic abuse against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang; and
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85	85	WHEREAS, in 2014, the People's Republic of China launched a movement titled Strike Hard Campaign Against Violent Terrorism that resulted in extreme religious regulations over Xinjiang and implemented punishments for religious online activities involving owning digital copies of the Quran; and
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89	89	WHEREAS, as further reported by Human Rights Watch in February 2024, the People's Republic of China implemented regulations to tighten control over religious practices to sinicize (modify by or adjust to Chinese influence) religions as a new government priority under President Xi Jinping; now, therefore,
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93	93	BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the Senate concurring, that the government of the People's Republic of China is urged to stop the persecution of religious minorities; and
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97	97	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if this practice is still state-sanctioned and continues, the United States Department of State is urged to express and promote concern over the violations of the People's Republic of China on religious minorities subject to persecution and deprivation of religious freedom; and
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101	101	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Department of State is urged to hold the People's Republic of China accountable for violating rights to religious freedom; and
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105	105	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States Secretary of State, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States, and Hawaii's congressional delegation.
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113	113	OFFERED BY: _____________________________
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159	159	Report Title:
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161	161	People's Republic of China; United States Department of State; Religious Persecution