China Bans ‘Muhammad’ and ‘Jihad’ as Baby Names in Heavily Muslim Region
- 7 years ago
China Bans ‘Muhammad’ and ‘Jihad’ as Baby Names in Heavily Muslim Region
Sophie Richardson said that Uighur people have to be cautious if they want to give their children names they are happy with,
and at the same time avoid punishment from the government.
The list of names, a copy of which was provided to The New York Times by Uighur activists, is titled, "List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names." It bans more than two dozen names, including "Mujahid"
and "Medina." Security officials in Urumqi and other cities in Xinjiang confirmed the ban.
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZAPRIL 25, 2017
BEIJING — The Chinese government, further tightening its grip on Muslims in western China, has prohibited
parents from choosing names like "Muhammad," "Arafat" and "Jihad" for their children.
Officials described the ban, introduced this month, as part of an effort to "curb religious fervor" in
the western region of Xinjiang, home to more than 10 million Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority group.
Rights advocates said the ban showed the lengths to which the government would
go to limit the civil liberties of Uighurs in the name of fighting terrorism.
To combat what officials describe as extremism in Xinjiang, the Chinese government has put in place a series of restrictions in recent years.
Sophie Richardson said that Uighur people have to be cautious if they want to give their children names they are happy with,
and at the same time avoid punishment from the government.
The list of names, a copy of which was provided to The New York Times by Uighur activists, is titled, "List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names." It bans more than two dozen names, including "Mujahid"
and "Medina." Security officials in Urumqi and other cities in Xinjiang confirmed the ban.
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZAPRIL 25, 2017
BEIJING — The Chinese government, further tightening its grip on Muslims in western China, has prohibited
parents from choosing names like "Muhammad," "Arafat" and "Jihad" for their children.
Officials described the ban, introduced this month, as part of an effort to "curb religious fervor" in
the western region of Xinjiang, home to more than 10 million Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority group.
Rights advocates said the ban showed the lengths to which the government would
go to limit the civil liberties of Uighurs in the name of fighting terrorism.
To combat what officials describe as extremism in Xinjiang, the Chinese government has put in place a series of restrictions in recent years.