Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 263 - Wed 17 Mar 2004

------------------- CHINA: MORE ARRESTS -------------------

China Aid Association (CAA) has just had confirmation of the arrest of 19 house church leaders in Henan Province. On 24 January 2004, Ms Qiao Chunling and her husband, leaders of a house group church with some 100,000 members, were arrested in their home, and their computer, Christian literature, phone, cash and other belongings were confiscated. The Qiaos had with them the train tickets for 19 of their house church leaders to attend a Seminar on Christian Marriage that day in Beijing.

Later, all 19 house church leaders were arrested either at Luoyang City Train Station or on the train. The Qiaos are reportedly being held in Mangshan Detention Centre, Henan province. The location of eight of the ten still in custody is unknown. Those who have been released all say they were tortured. Some reported the interrogators from Henan told them this operation was directed by the Beijing National Security Bureau. According to CAA, Public Security Bureau officers (PSB) then broke up the Beijing Christian Marriage seminar half an hour after it started.

Human Rights in China reports that Beijing house church leader Hua Huiqi was put under house arrest on 5 March (during China's National People's Congress). When he protested, he and his wife, Wei Jumei, were arrested and later beaten. Wei lost a tooth in the assault.

On Tuesday 16 March, three Christians appeared in the Hangzhou Intermediate Court charged with 'providing intelligence to overseas organisations'. They are Zhang Shengqi (23), a computer technician; Liu Fenggang, a church historian, house church leader and pro- democracy campaigner; and Xu Yonghai, a psychiatrist. They were accused of giving information to an overseas magazine in 2000. The information related to an open-to-the-public court case in Anshan city, Liaoning province, where a house church Christian, Ms Li Baozhi, was appealing against an 18 months' re-education through labour sentence after she was charged as an 'evil cult member'.

Family members were turned away from the court and the 16 March trial was conducted in secret. A verdict could be days or weeks away. Bob Fu of CAA (http://www.chinaaid.org/) reports, 'According to the Article 111 of the Chinese Criminal Law, these Christians could face up to 10 years, or even life in prison if convicted.'

UPDATE from RLP 259 (18 February)

* Zeng Guangbo (36) was re-arrested on 1 March. He is in the custody of the Nanyang PSB and there are grave fears for his safety.

* Ms Xu Yongling (Deborah Xu) was recently confirmed to be held at the Henan National Security Bureau. On 6 March Nanyang police raided her nephew's home. On 15 March, thanks to intense international prayer and advocacy, Deborah Xu was bailed. She was ordered not to leave her village for the next six months while formal charges against her are being filed.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT:

* the government will enforce the 1 January police rules (supposed to curb police brutality and prevent torture), and for God's strength and comfort for China's imprisoned and suffering believers, especially remembering Pastor Gong Shengliang serving a life sentence.

* those deciding the current case against three believers 'providing intelligence to overseas organisations' - which was neither intelligence nor a state secret - will deliver and uphold justice.

* the Chinese government will accept rather than fear Christianity, and give the Church its freedom. 'Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear perceived, no eye has seen any God beside you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.' (Isaiah 64:4)

** We PRAISE AND THANK GOD that Deborah Xu was bailed and we now pray for charges against her to be dropped.

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ------------------------------------------------------------ CHINA - MORE ARRESTS

Ms Qiao Chunling and her husband lead a 100,000-member house church. On 24 January, they and 19 of their house church leaders were arrested in Henan Province. The location of eight of the ten still in custody is unknown. Those who have been released all say they were tortured. The Beijing National Security Bureau reportedly directed the operation. On Tuesday 16 March, three Christians appeared in court charged with 'providing intelligence to overseas organisations'. They had reported details of an open-to-the-public court case to an overseas Christian magazine. The information was neither 'intelligence' nor a 'state secret'. Tuesday's trial against the three believers was conducted in secret and they face ten years or even life imprisonment if convicted. Pray for China.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.