Washington, USA - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom submits its annual report to the State Department Friday, including a list of nations it says should be treated as the world's worst persecutors.
At a news conference Thursday on Capitol Hill, commissioners Nina Shea and the Reverend Richard Land left little doubt that they believe China and North Korea should be on that list.
Shea said the Chinese government harasses and detains Christians, Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners. Land said China also sends Christian refugees back to North Korea, where they can face torture and execution.
Members of Congress at the news conference said China has disgraced itself in advance of this summer's Beijing Olympics, and several urged President Bush to cancel his plans to attend the opening ceremony.