A US reports criticizes China over religious restrictions

United States has criticized China for severely oppressing religious activities in its autonomous regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.The State Department released its annual International Religious Freedom Report on Monday. The report looks into how religious freedoms were respected during 2011 in 199 countries and territories around the world.

Report classifies China, North Korea, Iran and some others as countries of particular concern.The report says there was a marked deterioration in the Chinese government's respect for and protection of religious freedom in the country.It noted that China has placed greater restrictions on religious practice, especially in Buddhist monasteries and nunneries in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It said the clamp down contributed to a dozen of self-immolations by Tibetans last year.

It also cited reports that Buddhist monks protesting the government crackdown were arrested and that some apparently died as result of torture.

The State Department said that Tibetan Buddhists in China are not even free to venerate their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. It also said the Chinese government continued to severely repress Muslims living in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other parts of China.