Citing religious freedom violations in Turkmenistan, other Central Asian states, and China, Seventh-day Adventists protested to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which is meeting March 19 to April 27, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Jonathan Gallagher, U.N. liaison director for the Adventist Church worldwide, represented the church at the commission. He said that in a number of instances countries were guilty of “a flagrant abuse of human rights and were committing severe violations of fundamental religious freedoms.”

“We are calling these nations to account,” Gallagher said. “These countries are signatories to such U.N. agreements as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.”

The Adventist Church’s statement, read to the full session of the commission, included the charge that “minority faiths in Turkmenistan are targeted for intimidation and persecution by the state. Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists and others are the targets for state-sponsored attacks on their faith. Attacks and methods of harassment have included the destruction of a number of places of worship, the seizing of personal possessions, arbitrary detention, levying heavy fines, physical abuse, confiscation of apartments, and imprisonment.”

In the case of China, Gallagher said the experiences of harassment and imprisonment of citizens for their spiritual beliefs continue to be a matter of great concern and, in the words of the statement to the commission, “Such a climate of control and hostility does not speak well of a commitment to human rights.”

The statement also highlighted the ongoing religious conflicts in East Indonesia, calling for the government there “to uphold the rule of law and order and, where police actions are required, to avoid compounding inter-religious conflict by not utilizing troops predisposed to one side of the dispute.” 

“As a religious organization, we are particularly concerned that religious freedom is respected in all countries for all citizens,” Gallagher concluded. “That is why we intentionally raise these matters at such high-level international meetings. We seek to ensure that nations honor their commitments to freedom of conscience and human rights, and that violations of people’s religious liberties are not disregarded.”