"Whether or not the government is beginning a comprehensive effort to clear out house churches, local authorities of the government’s enforcement apparatus are bearing down on Christians," said the well-informed Washington DC-based Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). "In May, house church gatherings have been broken up and Christians have been arrested across the country."
In one of the latest incidents, the Public Security Bureau, one of China’s main law enforcement agencies, allegedly broke up a prayer service May 15 in Hebei Province where two dozen Christians had gathered to pray for the victims of the earthquake and for the Olympics.
"Officials declared the prayer meeting an "illegal gathering". In addition [they] also turned away and even arrested house church members who volunteered to help victims of the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province," IRD added.
BIBLE SCHOOL RAID
Two days earlier in Hubei Province a Bible school was reportedly raided by security forces. "Officials shut down the school and forced students from various provinces to return home. Property was confiscated and a pastor, teacher, and interpreter were all arrested, interrogated, and later released," IRD said.
The group noted that in Xinjiang Province authorities have posted signs asking citizens to report any "evil cult activity," meaning house churches. At least some three Christians in Xinjiang have been charged with the serious crime of being "separatists," IRD and other groups reported.
"INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE"
In a related development, a court in Xinjiang returned the case of Uyghur Christian Alimjan Yimit, charged with unspecified crimes, to state prosecutors this week citing "insufficient evidence," but it was unclear when and if he would be released, Chinese Christians said.
Police detained Alimjan on January 12 for "endangering national security" but apparently refused to explain the charges to his family.
The judge reportedly allowed Alimjan’s two lawyers to be present on Tuesday, May 27, but allegedly banned Alimjan’s wife Gulnur from entering the courtroom due to the “sensitivity” of the case. Alimjan, once a Muslim, converted to Christianity over a decade ago, and became active in the growing Uyghur church. Fellow Christians have said his faith is the real reason for his arrest.
IRD Director of Religious Liberty Programs, Faith J.H. McDonnell, said in a statement that "In the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics, we’ve witnessed further tightening of unfair restrictions on Christian practice in China." McDonnel stressed that the "increased spotlight has unfortunately not led to greater freedoms for the Chinese people."
PRAYERS URGED
IRD said it has urged$ its supporters to pray for Chinese Christians "in the face of both mounting persecution and the devastating death toll from the recent earthquake."
Nearly 70,000 people have died and over 18,000 were still listed as missing, following the May 12 quake, Chinese officials said. Over 15 million people have been displaced, according to official estimates.
"Once again, in the tragic death of over [Thousands of] people in the recent earthquake, the Chinese government demonstrates that it prizes control over doing what is best for its own people," McDonnel alleged. "Rather than accept the aid of Chinese Christians who want to ease the suffering of the people of Sichuan Province, the Chinese government chooses to persecute them."
Chinese officials could not be reached for comment, but the government has said that Christians are free to worship in the official state-run churches. However most Christians in China prefer to worship outside the control of the Communist government, often in homes of individuals as they have no permission to organize worship services in buildings, according to church groups.
