Key Concern: Criminal Charges for Pastors Amid Lack of Due Process

According to a June 30 report from the Kingdom Prayer Network, the situation facing Elder Ma Tao and Pastor Chang Shun is alarming. Police have refused to disclose to family members the specific charges or provide formal detention notices. Authorities claim the criminal detention notice was mailed to Pastor Chang’s wife’s hometown residence, but such opaque procedures only heighten concerns about the legality of the arrests.

These tactics are widely interpreted as a calculated effort by the authorities to use legal mechanisms to target house church leaders who maintain an independent stance from state control and adhere to the principles of being self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating. The refusal to disclose charges or provide legal documentation violates basic legal procedures, making it difficult for lawyers and families to intervene and protect the rights of those detained.

Escalating Violence and Intimidation: Illegal Law Enforcement

During this raid, police used aggressive measures, including forcibly breaking the church’s door locks, deleting surveillance footage, and verbally threatening Christians gathered outside the church. These actions constitute not only blatant violations of citizens’ religious freedom but even more so a serious breach of the law, undermining the law itself.

Besides the two pastors remaining at risk of prosecution, the 17 other released Christians have not been spared completely. Many are currently under surveillance, facing harassment, and some have even been forcibly evicted from their residences. This tactic of collective punishment seeks to instill fear, suppress religious activity, and pressure Christians into submission, posing a severe threat to the survival of house churches.

Background: Maizhong Reformed Church Remains Steadfast in Faith Maizhong Reformed Church is a Reformed Christian house church in Fuyang, Anhui, known for its commitment to remaining independent of state-sanctioned religious bodies. In 2018, its leaders participated in the Joint Statement by Pastors: “A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith”, initiated by Pastor Wang Yi, explicitly rejecting membership in the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Since then, the church has become a key target for government suppression and has been officially banned.

This latest incident once again underscores the grim reality of religious freedom in China, especially the continuous pressure put on house churches that have not joined the official church system. In the broader context of tightening religious control, the plight of the Maizhong Reformed Church is not an isolated case, but reflects the common challenges faced by house churches across the country.

Pursuit of Justice and International Appeals

Despite having to face continuous persecution, members of Maizhong Reformed Church have not yielded. They are preparing to retain legal counsel once again and vow to defend their lawful rights through legal means. Their struggle is not only for their own justice but also to strive for a glimmer of hope for all groups facing religious persecution in China.

The case has prompted renewed calls for the international society, especially international organizations and governments committed to human rights and religious freedom, to closely monitor the situation and the later development of Elder Ma Tao, Pastor Chang Shun, and Brother Yang Zhiyan. ChinaAid urges global actors to take effective action and pressure the Chinese government to end its persecution of peaceful religious groups, uphold citizens’ religious freedom, and ensure the protection of fundamental human rights of all citizens.

The Kingdom Prayer Network also calls on Christians worldwide to pray for the brothers and sisters of Maizhong Reformed Church, asking God to comfort them in their suffering and strengthen them to face persecution with the hope of the gospel.

(China Aid Association)