Threats Continue Against Pastor of Liangren Church
September 21, 2009
GUANZHOU–At noon on September 3, 2009, the administrative reconsideration office in Zhuhai notified Pastor Wang Dao of Guangzhou Liangren Church that the Guanzhou court had ruled in favor of his application for reconsideraton on behalf of the church, and requested he come to the office to pick up the award. At 5:00 PM, four public security officials came to his home in Donghai Garden Community, and requested that he join them for an investigation in Luoxi Police station. They claimed they were from Guangzhou Bureau of Public Security, but when Pastor Wang demanded they show him the warrant of investigation, they could not furnish one. Instead, they instructed him to “lighten up,” claiming they just “wanted to talk.” The security officials then took Pastor Wang to the residential police office and “conversed” with him for two hours.
According to Pastor Wang, the men were primarily interested in the details surrounding his signing the Chinese Christians Statement on 20th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, released earlier in June. They further threatened him: as his “friends” they urged him to think about wife and children, “You will have to consider your future and security.” Pastor Wang refused to succumb to the intimidation; he thanked them for their concern, but asserted, “Since I follow Jesus and am determined to be a servant of God, I have prepared myself for those consequences.” The officials did not release him until 8:00 PM that night.
The next day, a government official from Zhuhai called and woke Pastor Wang at 8:00 AM, informing him that the staff needed to reschedule the time for Pastor Wang to pick up the award to the church. She said she would be out of the office and would contact him with a new time in few days. One week later, Wang’s attorney received her note, stating the court had postponed the ruling on the appeal until late September. After two previous rejections, this final delay ironically pushed the appeal back beyond the two-month time limit to legally apply for an administrative reconsideration.
At noon on September 15, 2009, Pastor Wang learned that the Guangzhou police had driven 700 miles to his brother’s home in Guangxi to investigate Wang’s residential identity card, the ID required for all Chinese citizens. Pastor Wang perceives this to be the latest act of revenge against him for irritating the Guangzhou PSB with his appeals on behalf of the church.
The upcoming 60th Anniversary of the PRC has led to an increasing persecution to house churches in Guangzhou and other provinces. Since December 14, 2008, Guangzhou Liangren Church has been repeatedly attacked and banned by the Bureau of Religious Affairs in Guangzhou. In recent months, the court has rejected two appeals for the reinstatement of the church. Though this latest strategy to appeal through administrative reconsideration process was suppressed, Pastor Wang continues to remain faithful to protecting his rights and the church’s rights under the law.
To view other reports on abuses of Guangzhou Liangren Church, view these earlier CAA press releases…
“Statement of Indictment for Administrative Litigation” Filed by Wang Dao.
Haizhu District People’s Court of Guangzhou Notification of Acceptance of Administrative Case.
Guangzhou House Church Pastor Wang Dao’s Case Against Persecution Accepted by Court.
Liangren House Church Speaks Out About Raid.
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
