(Chengdu, Sichuan Province – December 13, 2023) According to Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church on the afternoon of December 10, the church has confirmed that Preacher Dai Zhichao has been criminally detained by Chengdu Public Security Bureau under the charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”.
Currently, Dai Zhichao’s wife, Lu Lingzhi, has not received the official notice from the Public Security Bureau, but she has received a phone call from Dai Zhichao, informing her that he will be transferred to Chengdu City Detention Center on the night of the December 10. Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church has stated that they will assist Dai Zhichao’s family in hiring a lawyer to defend him.
This is another instance of a church member being criminally detained due to their faith and service, following the massive church crackdown on December 9, 2018. Five years ago, on December 9, 2018, Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church was banned, and over a hundred brothers were taken to the police station for interrogation. Subsequently, 28 people were administratively detained, and 29 people were criminally detained. Elder Qin Defu was sentenced to 4 years in prison under the charge of “illegal business operations,” and Pastor Wang Yi was sentenced to 9 years in prison under the charge of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations”.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the church crackdown. Before December 9, the Chengdu police carried out large-scale measures against Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church. Elder Li Yingqiang was visited by the police on December 8 and was explicitly instructed not to go online around December 9. On December 9, he and his wife were taken to police station and were not released until late at night. Preacher Dai Zhichao was also taken away in the afternoon of December 9. The police, armed with a search warrant, searched Dai Zhichao’s home and took his wife, Lu Lingzhi, to the police station. Dai Zhichao was taken to the police station in a separate police car. Deacon Jia Xuewei had been out of contact since the early morning of December 8. According to a message he left for his relatives around 11:00 PM on December 8, he was detained for 15 days by Shuangnan Police Station of Wuhou Sub-bureau. The specific reasons were not mentioned, and it is unclear which detention center he is held in. According to the information from Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church on December 10 at 4:05 PM, it has been confirmed that Jia Xuewei has been administratively detained for 15 days by Shuangnan Police Station.
On December 9, many members of the church were closely monitored. Some national security agents and community workers were stationed early in the morning at the doorsteps of Christians’ homes, while others set up tents below Christians’ apartment buildings to watch them closely. Some even rushed into Christians’ homes, telling them that they are not allowed to leave home. Deacon Xiao Luobiao’s home experienced a power outage at around 7:30 PM. According to a video clip, at around 10:00 PM, several police officers were knocking on the doors of Christians and verbally threatening them. A few days before December 9, some Christians were forced to move.