Henan officials target two churches amid crackdown

Officials tear down a cross from the
top of a church in an undated photo.
(Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Nanyang, Henan—Sept. 4, 2018) Henan authorities continued an ongoing crackdown on unregistered churches last week, raiding several congregations and shutting one down.

One of them, located in Nanyang, Henan, was broken into by people described as “of dubious background” on Aug. 31. An elderly woman tried to keep them from entering, but they hit her and forced Christians Zhao Nanqi and Xie Xiaojun to the ground as they pulled their hair. As a result, Zhao and Xie received head and neck injuries. Afterwards, the officials attempted to demolish the cross, even bringing a ladder to climb up to where it is displayed. However, church attendees interfered, and some were pushed and hit as the two sides clashed.

Four days earlier, officials from the Tanghe County Religious Affairs Bureau, the Wangji County Land Management Office, and the local police station and village committee arrived at Enrong Church and handed them a “Notice Regarding Religious Affairs Management” and “Notice of Administrative Punishment Hearing for Illegal Land Management Case.” However, an elder at the church refused to sign the documents. That afternoon, the local administration sent people to remove the cross twice, but it didn’t succeed.

The next day, authorities dispatched people and successfully tore down the cross, ordered the church to close, and made the congregants fill out a form guaranteeing their withdrawal from the church. Ren Wentao, a church leader, was questioned at the police station.

In addition, an elementary school in Tanghe County, Nanyang pressured students’ parents and students to sign a pledge swearing that the parents would not teach Christianity to their children. If they refused, their children would be prohibited from receiving an education. Other Christians urged the parents not to sign it. Rather, they said the parents should sue the school and the Ministry of Education.

Similarly, senior citizens and low income families were forced to sign a pledge promising to either not believe in Jesus or renounce their Christian faith. Otherwise, their pensions would be canceled.

Such persecutions are occurring across Henan as officials implement new religious regulations that went into effect on Feb. 1. The regulations severely restrict the freedoms of unregistered churches, making it nearly impossible for churches that are not registered with the government to exist. If they register, they will face censorship and constant government monitoring.

One Christian said of the situation in Henan, “It seems that the Cultural Revolution is occurring again.”

ChinaAid exposes abuses, such those suffered by Henan’s Christians, in order to stand in solidarity with the persecuted and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law.


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Henan officials target two churches amid crackdown

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