(Fuyang, Anhui Province – April 9, 2024) On March 28, 2024, Pastor Zhang Sen from Fuyang Maizhong Reformed Church was taken away by Quanying Police Station of Yingquan Sub-bureau and subsequently administratively detained for 15 days. The reason for the detention was that on the morning of March 24, Pastor Zhang Sen and members of his church went to the Fuyang Detention Center to welcome eight released believers who had been administratively detained for 13 days for attending Sunday gatherings, and he led prayers outside the detention center. The police accused him of “organizing illegal assembly” and subjected him to a 15-day administrative detention. Officers from the Fuyang Public Security Bureau stated their intention to crack down on Maizhong Reformed Church, saying that as long as two or three people gathered, they would be detained upon capture.
This represents the most severe threat currently faced by persecuted churches in China. If this practice were replicated nationwide, the situation for house churches would regress to that of three or four decades ago, where even gatherings of two or three people in private residences would be subject to raids and convictions.
On March 10, 2024, Maizhong Reformed Church was raided by local police while they were having a meal at a restaurant. Eighteen believers were taken away, with eight of them administratively detained for 13 days. Pastor Chang Shun was administratively detained for 15 days, marking the third time he has been detained within six months.
On March 29, Pastor Zhang Sen’s wife issued a public prayer request letter, revealing not only the reason for her husband’s detention but also the persecution her family has recently faced. On March 26, when she returned home after being out, she suddenly noticed that the security equipment at their doorstep was missing. Upon checking the surveillance footage, she discovered that three men claiming to be from the apartment management office had knocked on her door, but since no one was home, they took away the security equipment without informing her or obtaining consent. Later, when she inquired with the apartment management office, they denied sending anyone to her home. Subsequently, she reported a theft of household item case to the police. Before the police arrived, the individuals claiming to be from the apartment management office returned, asserting that they were leaders of the community and demanding that she move away from the community. Upon the police’s arrival, they engaged in lengthy discussions with the community members, leaving Pastor Zhang’s wife sidelined. Later, they instructed her to provide a statement at the police station within 24 hours, but to date, she has not been informed of the outcome regarding the missing security equipment.
On the morning of March 28, at around 9 a.m., the people who took away Pastor Zhang’s security equipment returned to install surveillance cameras in the hallway of his building. Pastor Zhang’s building has only one apartment per floor. Pastor Zhang’s wife raised objections, but they argued that it was a public area.
On March 29 at around 11:40 a.m., Pastor Zhang Sen was summoned by national security agents to the police station. At 12:40 p.m., police used Pastor Zhang Sen’s phone to call his wife and inform her of his summons but did not disclose the reason for it. That afternoon, Pastor Zhang’s wife went to the police station to look for her husband. They stated that Pastor Zhang would be administratively detained for 15 days. The reason cited was that on March 24, Pastor Zhang went to the detention center to pick up the released brothers and sisters who had been detained on March 10 for gathering for a meal. While they were outside the detention center, they prayed together. The police claimed that their prayer was not reported ahead of time, thus constituting the offense of “organizing illegal assembly.” The police officer verbally informed Pastor Zhang’s wife of the penalty decision. When Pastor Zhang’s wife requested a notice letter for family members, her request was denied.
Pastor Zhang Sen’s wife requests prayers for Pastor Zhang Sen. She mentioned that before Pastor Zhang Sen’s detention, his medical examination revealed that he suffers from multiple diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, old pulmonary tuberculosis, left atrial abnormality, and some other medical issues. She said, “May the Lord be with my husband Zhang Sen! May justice be sought for my husband! May evil be judged! As the Lord says: It is mine to avenge; I will repay!'”
