Authorities Block Lawyer Visits for Detained Church Leaders
(Xi’an, Shaanxi, China – 5/23/2025) On May 21, 2025, the Beilin District Branch of Xi’an Public Security Bureau in Shaanxi Province issued a “Situation Explanation” to the Beilin District Detention Center, requesting that the Beilin Detention Center not allow lawyers to meet with Pastor Gao Quanfu and seven other people from Light of Zion Church who are being detained. They also suggested that the Beilin Detention Center reject lawyers’ meeting requests on the grounds that suspects are currently being interrogated. The full text of this “Situation Explanation” is as follows:
“Beilin District Detention Center:
In handling the case of Gao Quanfu suspected of using superstition to undermine law enforcement, our investigation has discovered circumstances that may endanger national security, making it inappropriate to arrange lawyer meetings. Currently detained in the facility are 7 criminal suspects: Gao Quanfu, Tang Bingyi, Jiao Yong, Wang Yibo, Du Juan, Guo Ru, Liu Ce, and Yang Cui.
When rejecting lawyer meetings, pay attention to methods and approaches. We suggest refusing on grounds such as the involved suspects currently being interrogated and unable to meet.”
Widening Crackdown on Church Members
It is reported that starting from May 16, 2025, 68-year-old Pastor Gao Quanfu and several other pastors and elder co-workers were criminally detained by local police on suspicion of “using superstition to undermine law enforcement.” One preacher was also given an administrative detention penalty of ten days, and two other female believers were taken away and their whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
A Longstanding and Respected Ministry Under Pressure
Gao Quanfu is the Pastor of Xi’an Light of Zion Church. Light of Zion Church is a house church that upholds authentic Christian faith, established in Xi’an nearly forty years ago. In the nearly forty years since the church was established, it has maintained good testimony in Xi’an and throughout the nation.
Gao Quanfu and his pastoral team’s messages even have considerable influence in Chinese Christian churches around the world. Pastor Gao Quanfu also signed the “Joint Statement: A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith” initiated by Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church in 2018. Pastoral co-workers from many other churches who are familiar with Pastor Gao Quanfu and Xi’an Light of Zion Church are all willing to bear witness for Pastor Gao and his church. Unexpectedly, Pastor Gao and the many pastoral co-workers of his church have now been criminally detained or administratively detained simply for upholding the religious freedom granted by Article 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China.
(Report by China Aid special correspondent Ningmeng)
