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| Chinese officials often raid house churches such as this one in Zhejiang. (Photo: China Aid) |
China Aid
Reported in Chinese by Qiao Nong. Translated by Carolyn Song. Written in English by Brynne Lawrence.
(Yining, Xinjiang—Jan. 4, 2016) Dozens of officials in China’s western Xinjiang region raided a Thanksgiving gathering at a house church on Nov. 18 and detained three church attendees for 27 days.
Ban, a Christian who attends this house church, informed a China Aid reporter on Dec. 25 that, police raided a gathering of 66 Christians and accused the church of being an unregistered religious institution and the Christians of engaging in illegal religious activities and gathering a crowd to disturb social order.
“… [the detainees] were all required to have their ID cards and phone numbers registered,” Ban said. “All of their phones were confiscated. Two Taiwanese teachers were questioned on the spot and later allowed to leave. Three detained people were released on the evening of Dec. 14: Li Yan, the owner of the house [where the church] meets and Christians Huo Jinrong and Pan Xiangrong.”
According to church members, authorities also confiscated the church’s computers and projectors and have not returned them.
When a China Aid reporter contacted the local police station to inquire about the incident, the official insisted he was unfamiliar with the situation.
Also in Xinjiang, on Dec. 10, police arrested Fang Jianying, a Christian, after breaking into another church meeting in Kashgar Prefecture. The next day, they placed Fang under criminal detention.
Similarly, the authorities apprehended Chen Ai’E, another Christian, on Dec. 15 without stating any alleged charges and have yet to release her. Additionally, her family members have received no information regarding the duration of her detention.
China Aid exposes religious freedom abuses, such as those experienced by the Christians in Xinjiang, in order to promote religious freedom and rule of law in China.
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