Recently, a local authority in northeastern China announced financial rewards to people who report “illegal religious activities”.
The Meilisi Daur District United Front Work Department of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, released "The Reward System For Reporting Illegal Religious Activities Offences" on Monday, saying that informants could be paid up to 1,000 yuan (US$150) for tips about illicit foreign infiltration.
Under the new reward scheme in Qiqihar, whistle-blowers can earn from 500 to 1,000 yuan for reports about unqualified religious personnel, unauthorized trans-regional activities, preaching and distributing printed religious works, audio-visual products outside places of worship, unauthorized donations, or private house gatherings, according to the statement.
The measures aim to “strengthen the control of illegal religious activities in the district, prevent any COVID-19 cluster resulting from religious gatherings, mobilize the public to engage in preventing, suppressing illegal religious activities, and ensure a harmonious and stable religious landscape”, the announcement said.
Reporting can be made through phone calls, emails, and letters.
Similar reward systems were also offered by the Boshan District in Zibo the next day, and Weihai City, Shandong, on August 8, respectively.
The latter stated that unauthorized religious training and summer or winter camps attended by minors, or any evangelistic activity for “parenting purposes”, should be reported. Unapproved Internet religious information, religious donation campaigns that violate the law, and charitable activities for evangelism would be also included.
Since last year, some city and county governments in other places such as Fujian, Guangxi, Henan, Hebei and Liaoning have been offering financial incentives for tip-off providers.
当前疫情形势严峻复杂，为进一步加强我区非法宗教活动的管控力度，严防因宗教活动聚集发生疫情传播，充分调动广大群众参与防范打击非法宗教活动的积极性，确保宗教领域和谐稳定，现结合实际，制定本制度。
一、非法宗教活动举报方式
电话：6562827、18945120006、 13845234439
邮箱:1371502076@qq.com
信件地址：齐齐哈尔市梅里斯区政府1号楼统战部507室
二、非法宗教活动的主要表现形式
(一)未取得宗教教职人员资格证的人员组织、主持宗教活动。(经查实奖励第一举报人500元)
(二)未经批准，擅自从外地聘请宗教教职人员，跨地区进行宗教活动。在宗教活动场所以外讲经布道，播放宗教音像制品、散发宗教宣传印刷品或者使用宗教标志的包装物。(经查实奖励第一举报人500元)
(三)未经批准，擅自接受国外宗教组织或个人用于宗教事务的捐赠。(经查实奖励第一举报人800元)
(四)未经登记和批准，私设活动点，擅自设立家庭聚会点，进行聚众传教。(经查实奖励第一举报人800元)
(五)与境外势力、反华势力或民族极端主义相勾结,利用宗教，在我区进行传播渗透。(经查实奖励第一举报人1000元)
三、奖励原则
(一)任何单位和个人均可以通过电话，邮箱和信件的方式对我区范围内非法宗教活动进行举报，对于举报人的信息，区宗教事务局承诺将严格保密。对于举报查实的，区宗教局事务局将给予对应的现金奖励。
(二)对符合奖励条件的举报人及其他相关人员，按以下原则进行奖励：
1.不重复发放对同一地点同一宗事件的举报奖励;
2.两个或两个以上举报人联名举报同一线索的，按一宗事件进行奖励;
3.两个或两个以上举报人分别举报同一线索的，按一宗事件进行奖励，奖励最先举报人。
4.负有防范打击非法宗教活动的宗教部门和行政事业单位工作人员举报非法宗教活动的，不适用本制度。
中共齐齐哈尔市梅里斯达斡尔族区委统战部
2021年8月9日
梅里斯区非法宗教活动举报奖励制度
Recently, a local authority in northeastern China announced financial rewards to people who report “illegal religious activities”.
The Meilisi Daur District United Front Work Department of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, released "The Reward System For Reporting Illegal Religious Activities Offences" on Monday, saying that informants could be paid up to 1,000 yuan (US$150) for tips about illicit foreign infiltration.
Under the new reward scheme in Qiqihar, whistle-blowers can earn from 500 to 1,000 yuan for reports about unqualified religious personnel, unauthorized trans-regional activities, preaching and distributing printed religious works, audio-visual products outside places of worship, unauthorized donations, or private house gatherings, according to the statement.
The measures aim to “strengthen the control of illegal religious activities in the district, prevent any COVID-19 cluster resulting from religious gatherings, mobilize the public to engage in preventing, suppressing illegal religious activities, and ensure a harmonious and stable religious landscape”, the announcement said.
Reporting can be made through phone calls, emails, and letters.
Similar reward systems were also offered by the Boshan District in Zibo the next day, and Weihai City, Shandong, on August 8, respectively.
The latter stated that unauthorized religious training and summer or winter camps attended by minors, or any evangelistic activity for “parenting purposes”, should be reported. Unapproved Internet religious information, religious donation campaigns that violate the law, and charitable activities for evangelism would be also included.
Since last year, some city and county governments in other places such as Fujian, Guangxi, Henan, Hebei and Liaoning have been offering financial incentives for tip-off providers.
Chinese Cities, Counties Offer Rewards for Reporting "Illegal Religious Activities"
