Pastor "Bike" Zhang Accused of Illegal Business Operations for Giving Away Prayer Bands

China Aid Association
Photo:  Pastor Bike and his wife in Beijing

(BEIJING — November 24, 2008) Pastor “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan has been accused by officials of engaging in “illegal business operations” for distributing free silicon prayer bands. These prayer bands were distributed to house church Christians and other individuals in China as a gift and a way to remember to bless and pray for China during the Olympics. ChinaAid, together with the ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, offered prayer bands to U.S. supporters.
Pastor Bike was held by authorities from October 16 until October 27. During this time, his family was evicted from their homes, his sons were beaten, and his wife and her sister were also placed under arrest. After international outcry, authorities released Pastor Bike, his wife and her sister on October 27. When ChinaAid spoke with Pastor Bike about his detainment in October, he said that the Shilin Public Security Bureau (PSB) of Yunnan province accused him of engaging in illegal business operations “because he distributed ‘Bless China’ prayer bracelets during the Olympic Games.”
Others have also been harassed for wearing the prayer band. The authorities called the prayer band a “nationally politically sensitive item.” ChinaAid has received reports of Chinese police stopping people on the streets and taking the bands off their wrists. Some individuals have been interrogated and arrested.
When questioned about his involvement distributing prayer bands, Pastor Bike demanded the authorities provide written documentation of their interrogation. Officials gave Pastor Bike a “Notice for Further Questioning.” He said the authorities were in a hurry to make the document, so there are many date and time errors in it. For example, he pointed out the error in the document listing the year as “1951.”
Pastor Bike says he is currently in a perilous situation because authorities have already pressured seven major leaders of the Chinese House Church Alliance. He says these leaders are now under the authorities’ control. He says that he understands the authorities are trying to intimidate him. He told ChinaAid that on October 15, someone posted a note on a Christian website in an attempt to discredit him and bringing false charges on him.  Pastor Bike said, “I was attacked on blogs as an Eastern Lightning or Falun Gong-type cultist. They even denounced me as a ‘wolf in a sheep’s skin’ and that I ‘attempted to achieve political purposes through religion.'”
Pastor Bike has been in Beijing since October 31, but he has been strictly forbidden to rent residences or stay in hotels in Beijing. Pastor Bike’s two sons, Zhang Jian and Zhang Chuang who were beaten by police on October 16, are recovering from their injuries and are settled in Nanyang city, Henan province. They are not allowed in Beijing. Zhang Jian is waiting to have surgery on his nose and possibly his eyes. ChinaAid supporters have sent funds to help this family with the medical expenses.
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View the “Notice of Further Questioning” given to Pastor “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan and read the English translation.
Stand with Pastor Bike and others who are persecuted in China by wearing a China Prayer Band.