(Chengdu, Sichuan Province – January 9, 2023) On December 22, 2023, Jia Xuewei, deacon of Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, concluded his 15-day administrative detention and left the detention center. The police stated that Jia Xuewei was detained because he rented a hotel conference room for his church’s Sunday service on October 22. He was detained by police on December 8 under the charge of ‘ unlawful gathering.’
When Jia was arrested, his mobile phone was confiscated by the police, so no one in the church was aware of his arrest. He simply lost contact with everyone suddenly. Many brothers and sisters inquired everywhere about his whereabouts but didn’t get any information. It wasn’t until December 9 that people learned he had been administratively detained for 15 days. A close friend and faith seeker visited the detention center to see Jia and found that his “mental state was very good, very peaceful and joyful.” Jia mentioned that this time the “police did not abuse him,” but they were “a little bit forcible” when they arrested him on Friday afternoon.
In the past, when Jia Xuewei was released from detention, he was usually picked up by the local police station in the area where he lived. Therefore, on the morning of his release day, brother Xu Haijun and sister Jin Ying from his church went to Shuangnan Police Station to inquire about Jia Xuewei’s situation and bring him home. As a result, Xu Haijun and Jin Ying were asked by the police at the police station to register their identity information and address. When they refused to provide their address, they were also detained by the police. After other church members went to the police station to advocate for them, Xu Haijun was allowed to leave around 12 pm. It wasn’t until after 4 pm that Jin Ying was released from the Police Station. Jia walked out of the detention center on his own and took a free bus ride home with the help of his release certificate.
On October 28th, Jia Xuewei was taken to Chengdu Public Security Bureau Qingyang District Branch Investigation Center by police for attending the church’s graduation ceremony of the Workers’ College. During the interrogation, a national security agent dragged him into the restroom and physically assaulted him with punches and kicks, displaying extreme brutality. The officer used foul language and seemed to be in a frenzied state, relenting only after the intervention of other police officers. Subsequently, Jia underwent a CT scan at the hospital, revealing a fracture of the second rib on the left side. Later, Jia Xuewei decided to hire a lawyer and file a complaint against Qingyang Branch for the incident of being physically assaulted by national security agent, resulting in a rib fracture.
After hearing about the incident, Christian lawyer Song Hongtao rushed to Chengdu to discuss the matter with Jia Xuewei on November 6. The next morning, Lawyer Song called 110, requesting law enforcement authorities to fulfill their duties and issue a medical examination report for Jia to determine the extent of his injuries. Lawyer Song also specifically pointed out to the 110 operator that since Jia was injured by an officer from Qingyang District Branch, Qingyang District Branch should be disqualified for handling the case and the case should not be assigned to them. Following Lawyer Song’s hotel location, 110 assigned the case to Wuhou District Shuangnan Police Station for investigation.
When Jia Xuewei and Lawyer Song Hongtao explained the situation to the responding police officer outside Lawyer Song’s hotel, the officer honestly stated that the matter was beyond the jurisdiction of Shuangnan Police Station. He suggested that they seek assistance from authorities with proper jurisdiction. After Lawyer Song informed them that the proper procedure should involve transferring the case from Shuangnan Police Station to another law enforcement organ with proper jurisdiction, the officer stated that he can only report it to Wuhou District Branch and then have Wuhou District Branch report it to Chengdu municipal public security bureau and let them decide on further actions. Subsequently, the officer reported the case to Wuhou District Branch.
However, Jia and Lawyer Song Hongtao waited until 5:00 pm before receiving a call from an officer of Shuangnan Police Station asking for more details from Lawyer Song. Subsequently, Lawyer Song and Jia rushed to Shuangnan Police Station to provide more information in person. The police officer gave them the same response as the other officer who talked to them in the morning. After a heated debate, the officer reported the situation to his superior, and the superior mentioned that Qingyang District Branch would send someone from its inspection department to handle the case shortly. However, Jia Xuewei and Lawyer Song waited until 7:30 pm without seeing anyone from Qingyang District Branch, and they had no choice but to leave Shuangnan Police Station in frustration.
On that day, Lawyer Song met with brothers and sisters who were summoned together with Jia on October 28th, in order to understand the entire process of Jia being assaulted and seeking medical service. Lawyer Song once again called 110, narrating the handling of the case by the responding police officer and asking the operator to help urge the municipal bureau to determine when and by whom the medical examination report for brother Jia should be issued. However, there was no progress throughout the day.
Lawyer Song initially intended to direct the report of brother Jia’s injury to the inspection department of public security bureau, entering directly into administrative or criminal proceedings. However, public security bureau handed this matter over to its internal inspection department for handling. Lawyer Song stated that, as an ordinary citizen, brother Jia was not concerned about the internal disciplinary actions that might be taken against the police officer who assaulted him. Instead, he was focused on what compensation he could receive for his injuries and what administrative or criminal penalties the assaulting officer should face based on the extent of the injuries. Lawyer Song decided to persist in refusing to file a case with Qingyang District Public Security Branch and, to the best of his ability, resist involving the inspection department. He believed that as an ordinary citizen, brother Jia had no need to be involved with the internal disciplinary procedures of the public security system.
In light of the situation where Wuhou District Shuangnan Police Station neither filed a case nor issued a medical examination report, lawyer Song decided to:
- Apply for a reconsideration from Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau, requesting correction of Wuhou District Branch’s refusal to protect the personal rights of citizens.
- Apply to Wuhou District People’s Procuratorate, requesting supervision of Wuhou District Branch’s decision to reject the case.
- File a complaint with Qingyang District Supervision Commission, urging criminal responsibility of the police officer who assaulted brother Jia to be pursued for the crime of coercion in obtaining evidence.
Lawyer Song analyzed that the first two requests are likely to be rejected on the grounds of lacking a written decision to not file a case. Therefore, the hope for further progress in pursuing charges is dependent on the third request.
On the morning of November 8th, Lawyer Song received a text message from Wuhou District Branch stating, “Your report has not yet been accepted as a case.” In response, lawyer Song drafted a “Reconsideration Application” addressed to Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau, a “Case Supervision Application” addressed to Wuhou District People’s Procuratorate, and a “Complaint Letter” addressed to Qingyang District Supervision Commission. Wuhou District People’s Procuratorate provided lawyer Song with a written decision rejecting the case supervision, stating that the case is currently under the supervision of the inspection department of Qingyang District Branch.
On the morning of November 9th, lawyer Song went to Wuhou District People’s Procuratorate Case Acceptance Center to submit documents, but the prosecutor refused to accept them. After the discussions between lawyer Song and the prosecutor failed to reach a consensus, lawyer Song proposed applying for a hearing to challenge the prosecutor’s decision to reject the materials. He requested a hearing to examine the reasonableness of the refusal. Subsequently, the prosecutor asked lawyer Song to write an application for the hearing. After an internal discussion, when lawyer Song came out, the prosecutor asked him to leave the materials related to the application for case supervision as well.
On the afternoon of November 9th, lawyer Song went to Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau.
After contacting the Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau Legal Affairs Brigade through the gatekeeper, a police officer first informed lawyer Song over the phone that Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau no longer handles reconsideration applications against sub-bureaus of district-level public security bureau. Reconsideration applications against sub-bureaus of district-level public security bureaus are now the responsibility of the judicial bureau in the same district. The officer then met with lawyer Song outside the main gate and provided him with the printed contact numbers for Wuhou District and Qingyang District judicial bureaus.
Chengdu Public Municipal Security Bureau’s refusal to accept the administrative reconsideration application is incorrect. Lawyer Song decided to go to Qingyang District Supervision Commission first. He called the commission, and the lady who answered the phone said it needed to be handled by the public security inspection department first. Therefore, lawyer Song took a taxi to Qingyang District People’s Procuratorate. After the receptionist at Qingyang District People’s Procuratorate received the complaint materials, she went inside to report. Later, a young prosecutor came out with the materials and engaged in a discussion, debate, and argument with Lawyer Song. When Lawyer Song tried to file an application for a hearing, the prosecutor stopped him and agreed to take the materials.
In this way, after numerous twists and turns, Jia Xuewei’s accusation against the police officer who assaulted him, leading to a bone fracture, has temporarily come thourgh. Currently, he is still awaiting responses from Wuhou District People’s Procuratorate and Qingyang District People’s Procuratorate, and is preparing to initiate a second round of accusations. It is uncertain whether Jia Xuewei’s administrative detention for 15 days on December 8, 2023, on the grounds of “unlawful gathering” is related to his accusation against the police and whether it might be perceived as retaliation by the authorities.
According to information from Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, over the past three years, Jia Xuewei has faced forced relocations multiple times due to his dedication and service to the church, leading to a nomadic lifestyle. He has been repeatedly summoned, detained, and arrested, yet he remains steadfast with no complaints or regrets.
In a spiritual reflection article written by Jia Xuewei during an overnight summons in 2020, he stated:
“This time, I neither ate nor drank, nor used the restroom, remained motionless, and didn’t speak for eight hours. For the first time, in a setting that was both real and powerful, I focused on prayer for such an extended period of time. Through being deprived of rights so thoroughly, and fueled by an intense longing for the presence of the Lord in prayer, the Holy Spirit led me to pass through all the obstacles between the world and heaven in an instant. God’s promises in the Bible became incredibly clear during this process. This experience can be described in great detail, such as the specific verses used, the details of spiritual images, and every word of intimidation and insult from the police—all arriving simultaneously, creating a massive vortex stirring at the depths of the soul, a force as powerful as an overwhelming mountain and sea.”
