China-Vatican deal on bishops is ‘escalating repression’ of Catholics: Human Rights Watch

China-Vatican deal on bishops is ‘escalating repression’ of Catholics: Human Rights WatchA sweeping new report documents arbitrary detention, surveillance and intimidation of Catholics, alongside demolished churches, as Xi Jinping's Sinicization campaign intensifies. Chinese authorities are increasing pressure on Catholic communities to join the state-controlled church under tighter ideological and administrative restrictions.On April 15, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report according to which the Chinese government has escalated measures against Catholic communities across the country by strengthening ideological oversight, surveillance systems, and administrative restrictions. The government is particularly targeting underground Catholics who refuse to join the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic...