China Aid Association
(Gaoxue village, Sichuan – Dec. 23, 2011) As part of an annual escalation of persecution against Christians in China, local authorities on Friday moved against house churches in two provinces to prevent planned Christmas celebrations from being held, ChinaAid has learned.
In southwest China’s Sichuan province, police from Gaoxue village, Dazhu county, were mobilized at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 23 to attack the village’s house church, which was in the middle of making preparations for its Christmas celebration. Police grabbed believers and confiscated the church’s musical instruments. Five believers were taken to the police station. The identities of three of them are Gao Qiyun, Li Qiong and Guo Xuying.
Contact Brother Su for more information: 86-18781837654 or 86-13508241073.
In coastal Zhejiang province, members of the Hongtang village house church in Huangtianfan township, Dongyang county, were preparing for their Christmas meeting when they were attacked Friday morning by police from the local police station as well as village government and Communist Party officials and officials from the Religious Affairs Bureau. In the attack, some believers were beaten, including Brother Luo Sennian, who was punched in the face. The believers were also threatened and told that they must not hold any Christmas celebrations on Saturday, which is Christmas Eve.
Brother Luo’s contact phone number is 86-13967446752
ChinaAid strongly condemns the police and the government departments involved in these two incidents. ChinaAid urges them to respect citizens’ right to freedom of religion and their basic right to celebrate Christmas and calls for the immediate release of the five believers and an apology for the believers who were beaten.
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chinaaid.org
