Repairs carried out

Ilijan Anayt, spokesman for the regional government, said earlier that the Jiami Mosque, mentioned in the US State Department report, reopened on March 6 last year after major renovations were completed.

In September 2018, the gatehouse and gate tower at the mosque, which was built in 1540, were found to pose severe safety hazards. To protect worshippers and ensure religious activities were conducted smoothly, both structures were repaired in February last year, the spokesman said.

Mosques registered in Xinjiang are protected by law. Democratic management committees are responsible for the internal affairs of mosques and for religious activities. Local governments are required to help mosques improve infrastructure and provide better services to followers to ensure that freedom of religious beliefs is fully protected, the spokesman added.