The 11 minors and two adults were arrested Thursday, February 28, by local officials of China’s law enforcement agency, the Public Security Bureau (PSB), while attending a Bible study group of an underground house church in the region’s Huocheng County in Qingshuihe township, said religious rights group China Aid Association (CAA).
The reported arrests overshadowed news that in Inner Mongolia some 40 church leaders, including one missionary from South Korea, were released February 21, a day after their arrest for alleged illegal religious activities. CAA quoted the president of the Chinese House Church Alliance in Inner Mongolia, Pastor Wang Dawei, as saying the group was asked to pay a fine of 100,000 yuan ($13,000) for "illegal bible printing"
The Christians detained in Xinjiang this week were brought to the Qingshuihe township PSB office "in freezing weather and were not allowed to bring adequate clothing," claimed CAA, which has close knowledge about the situation.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Among those held are two women, including the owner of the house where their church meeting took place, identified as Fu Jun, 41, and fellow Christian Lu Lanxiang, 42, CAA said. In addition 16-year-old Lou Nan, daughter of pastor Lou Yuanqi, who leads the house church, has been arrested with the other children, according to local Christian sources.
Pastor Lou was reportedly detained in October 2006, along with three other church leaders for organizing a house church. All four pastors served 32 days in detention where "they were severely beaten by guards and inmates daily," CAA claimed.
Police officials have reportedly confirmed the detention. However, "Family members have been denied visitation. The condition and wellbeing of the church members remains [therefore] unknown," CAA said. The group added it also learned that on Wednesday, February 27, Beijing House Church Pastor Cai Zhuohua was detained for six hours at a PSB office of Changping District in the capital Beijing, where he came to register his son’s residence card.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS
He was held on false accusations of "making false documents" before being released later in the day CAA alleged. The group suggested that the police harassment was linked to his church activities: Pastor Cai was recently released after being sentenced to three years imprisonment for printing Bibles in 2004.
CAA said it had urged authorities to release Christians and "to remain consistent in policies of religious freedom."
Chinese officials have denied human rights abuses, saying all Christians are free to worship within the government-backed churches. Rights groups say pressure has increased on Christians ahead of the Olympic Games amid concerns among Communist officials that evangelicals will use the sports event to spread the Gospel and gain international attention for the plight of jailed believers. (With reports from China).
