(Linfen, Shanxi Province, China – April 7, 2025) According to an open prayer request letter issued by Shanxi Linfen Covenant House Church on April 7, 2025, recently, police stations, village committee officials, and community management offices from various districts in Linfen city – such as Yaodu District Railway Station Street Police Station, Yaodu District Construction Community, Yaodu District Sanyuan Community, Xiangning County Public Security, and Pu County Tailin Public Security – have been continuously and frequently calling members of Linfen Covenant House Church, asking them to cooperate with the police by signing documents and requesting face-to-face conversations, seriously affecting the lives of church brothers and sisters.
Harassments extends to church members and family members
They are not only pressuring church members but also repeatedly harassing these members’ parents, siblings, and other relatives, demanding detailed personal addresses and phone numbers of church members. Some schools have even required children to get their parents’ signatures, making parents promise not to bring their children to “illegal gatherings” of Linfen Covenant House Church, claiming that Linfen Covenant House has been banned. Mr. Zhao, Party Secretary of Pu County even said: “Christianity is a cult!”
April 1, 2025
On April 1, 2025, the Education Bureau of Yaodu District in Linfen City called Li Jie’s wife again, harassing Li Jie’s eldest son, Yinuo. Every time the police, education bureau, or community management office calls Li Jie’s wife, she experiences a lot of stress, becoming emotionally agitated with increased heart rate, and can only continuously pray.
March 21, 2025
Between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM on March 21, 2025, police officer Gao Junxiang (badge number 085554) from Xiangning County Guanghua Police Station repeatedly called a sister from the church, requesting that she send him her detailed address.
March 26, 2025
At 11:30 AM on March 26, 2025, police officer Zhang Qi from the Railway Station Street Police Station called a brother from the church and asked: “What is your address? Where is your wife?” He identified himself as auxiliary police officer fj08924, but the number on his uniform was 080883.
From March to April 6, 2025, Li Hong, a police officer, and the station chief from Pu County Tailin Police Station have been continuously calling a sister’s parents and uncle, repeatedly asking: “Where is your daughter? What is your daughter doing? Send me your daughter’s detailed address!” But they did not explain the reason for these inquiries.
Background of Linfen Convenant Church case
The harassment of church members and their relatives continues to this day. The two pastors of Linfen Covenant House Church, Li Jie and Han Xiaodong, have been detained for 2 years and 8 months, falsely accused of “fraud” for believing in Christ. Since the first pre-trial meeting held on February 18-19, 2025, their families have not received any further notice about a trial date.
In their prayer request letter, Linfen Covenant House Church earnestly asks everyone to pray for them, that the brothers and sisters may remain firm in their faith and maintain peace even while experiencing persecution and harassment. They also request prayers for those who are harassing the brothers and sisters, that they may respect faith, respect citizens, enforce the law civilly, and engage in friendly dialogue.
(Reported by Special Correspondent Ningmeng for ChinaAid)
