Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the level of persecution of Jewish people in (a) China and (b) North Korea.

Whilst freedom of religion is stipulated in Article 36 of the Chinese Constitution, only five religions (Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism) are officially recognised. All legal religious observance must be organised by state-sanctioned religious associations, under the strict control of the State Administration for Religions Affairs. There are many reports that Chinese citizens who are involved in any religious activity outside state-sanctioned organisations have been imprisoned for practicing their beliefs. We regularly raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities.

We are unaware of any reports of persecution of Jewish people. However, there are many reports that North Koreans who are involved in any religious activity outside state-controlled organisations have been imprisoned for practising their beliefs. We regularly raise our concerns with the DPRK authorities.