Whereas international law recognizes the right to religious liberty and the right to worship and manifest one’s faith of choice freely without fear of discrimination; Whereas Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance ; Whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 states that everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching … [and] no one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice ; Whereas Article 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China of 1982 states that Citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, any religion. ; Whereas the rights and safety of religious minorities in the People’s Republic of China have increasingly come under attack over the last several years with many religious minorities being singled out and specifically targeted because of their faiths; Whereas Freedom House has labeled persecution of Christians in the People’s Republic of China as high on its spectrum of religious persecution