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| Zhang Chongzhu (Photo: China Aid) |
China Aid
By Brynne Lawrence
(Wenzhou, Zhejiang—May 9, 2016) The pastor of a state-run church in China’s coastal Zhejiang province was released at noon today after an eight-month detention.
Authorities took Zhang Chongzhu, the pastor of Pyongyang Three-Self Patriotic Movement Church into custody on Sept. 8, 2015, after he spent most of the year resisting a government-backed cross demolition campaign and charged him with “stealing, spying, buying, or illegally providing state secrets or intelligence to entities outside China.”
This same charge was given to Zhang Kai, a human rights lawyer who legally defended churches affected by demolition efforts. Both men had been scheduled to meet with the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, David Saperstein, causing members of Zhang Chongzhu’s church to suspect a correlation between this meeting and his detention.
China Aid will continue to update this case as more information becomes available.
China Aid reports on cases such as that of Zhang Chongzhu in order to expose abuses and 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