Seven House Church Leaders in Shandong Detained for Bible Study; One Pastor from Taiwan Expelled; One House Church Pastor in Jilin Wounded

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Contact: Bob Fu  (267) 205-5210

Photo: Officials March Through Tiananmen Square

Midland, Texas (May. 8, 2008)

In an intensifying campaign by Chinese officials against House Church Christians, CAA has learned that on the morning of May 8 (Beijing Time), three house church leaders in Shandong province were detained while organizing a Bible study group. One pastor from Taiwan was expelled from China immediately. He will not be allowed to return to China for 5 years. Meanwhile, four other church leaders from the same province have been detained since the beginning of May. One pastor from Jilin province was beaten on May 4 for his independent church activities.

According to eyewitness reports, at approximately, 11:30am, about 30 church leaders from different
provinces of China were raided at a rented house at Qingzhou City Shandong province while
having a three-day Bible study led by a pastor from Taiwan. Over 20 officers from the PSB and
Religious Affairs Bureau of both Weifang and Qingzhou city arrived in 6 police vehicles
and carried out the raid. They declared the meeting as an “illegal gathering” because it was not
registered. All of the church leaders were forced to register their ID numbers and home
addresses. 23 of them are students who are studying church worship music in a school run
by the local House Churches.

One local House Church pastor told CAA after he was released, that 28 year old pastor
Zhang Yongliang who organized both the music school and the Bible study was
detained along with his parents. Zhang’s mother tried to intervene, but both of them were detained for the
charge of “obstruction of justice.”
The PSB also confiscated all of the musical instruments and one computer from the church
music school.
CAA also learned that one House Church pastor in Yanji City, Jilin province was beaten and
wounded on May 4. Pastor Hao Yuji was arrested by the PSB of Yanji city while he was
preaching in his church. He was told by the PSB officials he should dissolve his
church. When pastor Hao asked why, he was beaten. Both his head and chest were
wounded. Pastor Hao left the government sanctioned corrupted Three-Self church and
established a House Church a few years ago.
Moreover, in Jiaxiang County Shandong province four House Church Christian leaders have
been detained. 25-yeaqr-old Ms.Qiao Lei and 24-year-old Ms. Wang Qin were arrested at
Yantun village, Wangtun town by the PSB of Jiaxiang County under the accusation of being ‘evil cult
members”; on May 3, another two Christians Mr. Cao Guanggen and Mr. Jin
Heshui (42-year-old) were also detained. All four are still being held at the PSB
office of Jiaxiang County.
The Chinese government has been intensifying its crackdown against House Church Christians
recently because of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. CAA urges the Chinese government to
immediately release these detained innocent House Church pastors and believers.

© Issued by CAA on May 8, 2008.

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As the “Countdown Clock” on Tian’anmen Square ticked backwards toward the July 1 takeover of Hong Kong, Bob Fu and his pregnant wife, Heidi, knew their time was running out, too... Learn More >