Religious freedom summit asks countries not to use technology as tool of repression

In an apparent reference to China, a US-led global meeting has asked countries to use technology to facilitate greater religious freedom and not as a tool for repression and unlawful and arbitrary surveillance.

Expressing concerns about the use of social media platforms for hate speech and incitement to violence, and for targeted disinformation campaigns, which often vilify members of religious minorities, the meeting condemned the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, including terrorist radicalisation and recruitment.

"We take seriously the need to counter the ability of terrorists to recruit and radicalise or inspire others to violence online while fully respecting freedom of expression," said a statement issued at the conclusion of Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom on Thursday.

"As representatives of the international community, we are committed to supporting the advancement of technology for the betterment of our world and the encouragement of greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the ministerial said.

"We support a vision of an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet where the same human rights that individuals have offline are also protected online, including with respect to right to freedom of religion and belief and the right to freedom of expression, including the sharing of religious beliefs, it said.

Participants renounced and deplored without reservation the use of surveillance technologies in some countries to repress religious freedom or commit other violations or abuses of human rights.

While the statement did not mention any country, it was apparently directed towards China.

"In response, we call on governments to use technology to facilitate greater religious freedom and not as a tool for repression, including for unlawful and arbitrary surveillance," the statement said.

As such the ministerial encouraged technology companies to enforce their terms of service and community standards to appropriately address the use of their platforms for terrorist purposes or for incitement to violence, and with respect for human rights and freedoms.

In another statement, the meeting expressed their deep concerned about China's escalating, widespread, and undue restrictions on religious freedom.

They called on the Chinese government to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals.

Many members of religious groups in China including ethnic Uighur, Kazakh and other Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants and Falun Gong face severe repression and discrimination because of their religious beliefs, the statement alleged.