China’s Systematic Repression of Muslim Fasting During Ramadan
Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam, is a period of fasting, prayer, and reflection. For Muslims around the world, it is a time of deep spiritual significance. However, for millions of Uyghur Muslims and other Muslim minorities in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, observing Ramadan has become a dangerous act of defiance against a repressive state apparatus. Since at least 2015, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has intensified its campaign to suppress Islamic religious practices, and the sacred traditions of Ramadan have been a particular target.
Forced Labor During the Holy Month
Recent reports from Xinjiang reveal that Uyghur Muslims are being forced to perform unpaid labor during Ramadan, a tactic clearly intended to break the fast and prevent religious observance. Videos circulating on social media in early 2025 show Uyghurs working en masse—tilling fields, cleaning public areas, and renovating infrastructure—under orders from local authorities. These duties are not voluntary; residents who resist face threats of detention or even incarceration in the infamous re-education camps.
A staff member from Onsu County in Aksu Prefecture confirmed that residents had been subjected to continuous unpaid labor throughout Ramadan. Uyghur households were divided into groups and compelled to complete designated cleaning tasks. Refusal to comply reportedly resulted in punishment ranging from short-term detentions to longer-term detention in camps designed for political indoctrination. One police officer justified the repression by suggesting that labor was good for the Uyghurs and helped identify those “ideologically problematic”—i.e., those trying to fast.
State Surveillance and Psychological Manipulation
Beyond forced labor, Chinese authorities have ramped up surveillance and ideological control. In Aksu Prefecture, for example, Uyghur villagers are subjected to mandatory political study sessions focused on Chinese government policy in Xinjiang. These sessions are deliberately scheduled during sahur (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (post-sunset meal) to disrupt fasting rituals.
Officials openly state that the aim is to detect and “correct” fasting behavior. If someone appears physically weak, refuses to eat, or avoids drinking water, they are flagged as fasting and subjected to “intensified ideological work.” This manipulation—framing religious observance as a sign of extremism—is emblematic of China’s broader efforts to criminalize faith and erase Uyghur cultural identity.
Suppression in Education and Civil Service
University students and civil servants are among those most heavily targeted. As far back as 2014, Uyghur students in universities across Xinjiang reported being forced to eat meals with professors to prove they were not fasting. Those who refused faced punishment, including threats to their academic and professional futures. According to the BBC, students at Kashgar Normal University feared expulsion or denial of degrees for attempting to fast.
In government institutions, staff have been ordered to sign pledges not to fast, and restaurants have been mandated to stay open during Ramadan to discourage public participation in fasting. These policies form part of a broader ideological campaign aimed at detaching Uyghurs from their religious roots.
Official Justifications and Propaganda
The Chinese government justifies its anti-Ramadan measures as part of a strategy to combat religious extremism. However, these actions disproportionately target peaceful religious practices. Editorials in state-run newspapers routinely warn about the “dangers” of fasting and portray it as unhealthy or radical. This messaging, paired with coercive surveillance, transforms Ramadan from a sacred observance into a politically subversive act.
In some instances, even health institutions have discouraged fasting under the guise of medical safety, echoing state propaganda designed to delegitimize Islamic practices. These messages are particularly insidious in a context where expressing religious devotion is seen not only as undesirable but potentially criminal.
A Broader Campaign of Cultural Erasure
The crackdown on fasting during Ramadan is not an isolated phenomenon; it is a critical component of China’s broader campaign of repression against the Uyghur population. Alongside restrictions on prayer, dress, language, and cultural expression, the Ramadan bans serve as a tool to force assimilation into a state-sanctioned secular identity. These actions fit into what human rights organizations have widely condemned as crimes against humanity, including mass arbitrary detention, forced sterilization, and cultural erasure.
Conclusion
China’s repression of Muslims during Ramadan reveals a disturbing intersection of religious persecution, political authoritarianism, and cultural genocide. By preventing Uyghurs from fasting, praying, and celebrating their faith, the Chinese government is not merely suppressing religious expression—it is attempting to annihilate a people’s identity. Ramadan, a month of peace and introspection for Muslims worldwide, has become in Xinjiang a symbol of silent resistance and targeted suffering. The international community must not turn away. The systematic denial of the right to observe Ramadan is an urgent human rights crisis and an affront to the fundamental freedoms of belief and conscience.
Written: SHEN
