Chinese Religious Freedom Lawyers Aim For Obama's Attention

By Michelle Boorstein

Among the issues President Obama will confront when he goes to China next month are the serious restrictions on religious freedom there. A half-dozen Chinese legal experts are in Washington today to try and publicize the issue, but U.S. officials have thus far refused to meet with them.

The group of five lawyers who handle religious freedom cases and one legal journalist will be at the National Press Club this morning for a talk co-hosted by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a government body that this week called on the Obama Administration to do far more to press such issues around the world.

Human rights groups are worried that Obama isn't committed to the cause of human rights, particularly in China. Also hosting the Chinese lawyers is ChinaAid, a Christian advocacy group focused on the plight of Christians in China in particular. We'll see if we can get some update from their comments and if there is any reaction from the White House, which - according to USIRF - has declined to make available any officials available.

By Michelle Boorstein  |  October 28, 2009; 7:45 AM ET  | Category:  God in Government
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