(Minghui.org) On July 16, 2026, US Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution of Falun Gong and emphasized that the US government is committed to using all appropriate tools to hold accountable the Chinese officials who are involved.
US Assistant Secretary of State Riley M. Barnes
Riley M. Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, stated while addressing the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Secretariat’s Peace Builders Forum in Washington, that religious freedom is a founding value of the United States and a key component of US foreign policy. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are committed to promoting and defending religious freedom globally, and view it as a vital pillar for upholding international peace, security, and US national interests.
The CCP Attacks Faith Groups
Addressing the human rights situation in China, Barnes stated, “Beijing disregards religious freedom and pursues hostile policies toward the vast majority of religious and spiritual groups, including predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, Tibetan Buddhists, Protestants, Catholics, and Falun Gong practitioners.”
He added that, “The CCP’s ongoing and escalating crackdown on Protestant Christian house churches is a grave threat to religious freedom. Across China, pastors and church leaders have had their churches raided and have been detained and sentenced to heavy prison terms simply for practicing their faith. These raids are not isolated incidents. They reflect the CCP’s systematic campaign to silence and suppress Christian churches and their leaders and laity.” The United States has raised concern at the highest levels regarding Beijing’s treatment of unregistered Christian groups. In October 2025, Secretary Rudio called on the CCP “to immediately release the detained church leaders and to allow all people of faith, including members of house churches, to engage in religious activities without fear of retribution.”
Attacks on Falun Gong Taken Seriously
In advance of the date that marks the start of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong (July 20, 1999), the senior US State Department official once again publicly condemned the persecution and explicitly stated that those responsible would be held accountable.
Barnes said, “July 20 marks [the] 27th anniversary of the CCP’s cruel campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. The US government takes attacks on members of religious groups such as Falun Gong seriously and is committed to using all appropriate tools to pursue accountability of Chinese officials’ involvement in repressive acts.”
New Measures to Sanction Persecutors and Combat Transnational Repression
Barnes also outlined several new measures recently advanced by the US government to promote accountability regarding religious freedom. He noted that the new visa restriction policy announced by Secretary Rubio in December 2025 applies not only to government officials who commit severe violations of religious freedom but also extends to any individuals—and their immediate family members—who authorize, participate in, support, or carry out religious persecution; such individuals may lose their eligibility to enter the United States.
In addition, the US government continues to fight for the freedom of prisoners of conscience through various means, including embassies and consulates abroad, high-level diplomatic contacts, and public statements by the president, and actively combats transnational repression. Barnes stated, “Transnational repression is committed against people and organizations here in the United States as well. And we are determined to hold perpetrators accountable for violating our sovereignty and targeting Americans on American soil.”
At the end of his speech, Barnes called on international religious freedom advocates, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, and governments to strengthen their cooperation, continue to provide the US government with evidence of violations of religious freedom, assist in the implementation of new visa restrictions, hold those who have seriously participated in religious persecution accountable, and work together to release prisoners of conscience and safeguard global religious freedom.
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