A/75/385 tightly controlled factories after their release. 46 It has further been reported that this ‘counterextremism’ campaign against Uighurs is illustrative of China’s broader ill-treatment of minority religion or belief communities such as Falun Gong and Tibetan Buddhists.47 Reports that Chinese authorities are responsible for the forcible sterilization of Uighur women assert that between 2015 and 201,8 population growth rates in the Uighur heartland plummeted by 84 percent.48 21. The DPRK reportedly employs a sweeping surveillance apparatus to imprison Christians that engage in non-state-sanctioned activities.49 Thai authorities reportedly surveil minority Muslim groups, including using an AI enabled CCTV system, biometric data and frequent police checks.50 22. Available data estimate that 178 countries require religious groups to register for various purposes, including so that such groups can obtain tax-exempt status or have legal personality.51 In many countries however, registration requirements – often involving onerous bureaucratic procedures – are used to restrict the peaceful exercise of freedom of religion or belief and disproportionately impact minority groups. In almost 40% of the States with registration requirements, such laws and policies are applied in a discriminatory manner against certain religious or belief groups. 23. Serbia distinguishes between “traditional” and newly formed religious organizations, the latter of which must register.52 Angola requires religion or belief groups to have at least 60,000 member signatures from legal residents of the country to obtain state registration and the State has no registered any new religious group since 2004.53 The Kazak Government requires religious organizations to undergo a complex four-tier registration process and the State has closed 1,400 religious associations since 2011.54 In Eritrea, only 4 religious denominations are recognized and the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea has repeatedly reported that State authorities arbitrarily arrest members of non-recognized Christian groups for practicing their faith in community with others. 55 24. The situation for Jehovah’s Witnesses is particularly precarious – in 34 countries Jehovah’s Witnesses are banned.56 It is reportedly difficult or illegal to run a humanist organization in over 30 countries.57 In DPRK, the State permits only a handful of religious organizations to exist.58 The Cuban government requires permission for any activity other than regular worship services, and often blocks access to religious services and events. 59 The right to legal identity (SDG-16) 25. The importance of the right to legal identity 60 –– the recognition of a person’s existence before the law which facilitates the realization of specific rights and corresponding 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Id. Submission to the Special Rapporteur (confidential). See, https://jamestown.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Zenz-Internment-Sterilizations-and-IUDsUPDATED-July-21-Rev2.pdf?x90091 at p 2; https://apnews.com/269b3de1af34e17c1941a514f78d764c; https://www.icij.org/investigations/chinacables/exposed-chinas-operating-manuals-for-mass-internment-and-arrest-by-algorithm/. Submission from Open Doors. Submission from Duayjai Group. https://www.pewforum.org/2009/12/17/global-restrictions-on-religion/#religious-restrictions-in-the25-most-populous-countries. Submission by Serbia. https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/angola/; See also, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/angola. Submission by Equal Rights Trust. A/HRC/44/23, para 43-45; A/HRC/41/53, paras. 39-43. https://www.rferl.org/a/countries-where-jehovahs-witnesses-activities-are-banned/29757419.html. https://humanists.international/what-we-do/freedom-of-thought-report/; Submission from European Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses. See also AL RUS 2/2017; UA BLR 2/2020. USCIRF, 2019 Annual Report: North Korea, (11 April 2019). AL CUB 1/2020. Art 16, ICCPR. 7