Du Yang/China News Service via Getty Images)
- Quran Majeed was taken off of the Apple App Store in China, according to the BBC.
- It's one of the most popular Quran apps, with millions of users, and at least one million in China.
- Apple's human rights policy states that they are "required to comply with local laws."
Quran Majeed, a Quran app used by one million in China and millions elsewhere, was taken off of the Apple App Store after a request from Chinese authorities, according to BBC.
According to the report, the disappearance of the app was first noticed by Apple Censorship, which monitors when apps are deleted from the App Store around the world.
The creator of the app, PDMS, told the BBC, "According to Apple, our app Quran Majeed has been removed from the China App store because it includes content that requires additional documentation from Chinese authorities." PDMS did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
According to the BBC, the app was removed for "hosting illegal religious texts."
PDMS added that the company is "trying to get in touch with the Cyberspace Administration of China and relevant Chinese authorities to get this issue resolved."
Although the Chinese Communist Party officially recognizes Islam as a religion, its reported treatment of Muslim Uighur ethnic minorities in Xinjiang has been condemned by the US, the UK, and others.
According to reports from the BBC, Uighur women in labor camps claim to have been raped, Imams and religious institutions have been targeted, and men in 'thought transformation' camps have alleged being subjected to forced labor. China denies these claims and has said that they are vocational programs.
The BBC reported that Apple sent the outlet its Human Rights Policy in response to inquiries about the app's removal. Insider could not immediately reach Apple for comment.
The policy states that Apple is "required to comply with local laws, and at times there are complex issues about which we may disagree with governments."