The Persecuted church in Xinyuan County of Xinjiang File its Administrative Review Application

China Aid Association

民宗委责令改正通知书1(Xinyuan, Xinjiang – April 29, 2013) Last month (Sunday March 10, 2013,) a house church in Akeqi Village, Biesituobie Town of Xinyuan County of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was raided by Xinyuan County Bureau of Religion and the Public Security Bureau. They sealed the gathering site, searched and confiscated a large quantity of church property. They also detained three Christians who were released later that day. On the same day, the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs issued a “Notice of Order for Correction” which ordered the church to “stop illegal religious activities” (click to enlarge the scanned file). The persecuted believers have submitted their administrative reconsideration in accordance with the law.

At about 11 a.m. on March 10, 2013 (Sunday), as Wang Zhengying, Dai Shuju, and Li Ruiming led about a dozen Christians in worship in a room in the village, more than 20 unidentified people led by Lin Huaiyi of the Bureau for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Xinyuan County broke in. Other than Lin Huaiyi (who showed his identification papers), they, without showing their law enforcement papers, broke into the residential house and without explanation, took photos, made recordings, and drove the people out. When any christian attempted to speak, they yelled at them: “Shut your mouth!” Immediately afterwards, without showing a search warrant, they locked the door and searched and emptied the facility, seizing a large quantity of items. Then, a vehicle arrived and they hauled the church’s property away in it.

When Sister Li Ruiming went up to them and tried to prevent them from doing so, she was caught by two people, who looked to be police officers, who dragged her to their vehicle. When Wang Zhengying and Dai Shuju went up to them and tried to prevent them from taking away Sister Li, they were forcibly taken away together with Li to Biesituobie Town Police Station. At the police station, the police recorded their oral “confessions,” and took photos of them (from front, from behind and from left and right). They finger printed them and drew blood from them for examination. They also told them to write a statement of pledges. According to them, the content of the statement should be: Pledge never to gather like this again. They could gather privately in their own homes with their family members, but friends and neighbors would not be allowed to attend. 

When the three of them refused to write such a statement, they were locked in a guardhouse and were kept there for over four hours from around 5 p.m. to after 9 p.m. The police ordered them to sell the house where the church meets and if they don’t sell it, the police will bulldoze it. The police also instructed them that a public gathering of even two or three people is an illegal assembly. Among the police officers, one threatened: “Do you want to do business with the government? Do your sons and daughters want to attend colleges?” On that day the police seized: two stoves with 20 pieces of stove chimney; 10 waist drums; 10 hand drums; 16 fans; 24 bundles of flowers; 10 sashes; 20 wreaths; 10 long benches; a table; two microphones; a receiver; carpet; a mattress; three copies of the Bible; and one embroidered cross, etc. They refused to issue a list of seized items, which is required by law.

On the same day, the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs issued a “Notice of Order for Correction.” However, the person at the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs mistakenly wrote Li Ruiming as Li Ruimin and wrote the applicant Dai Shuju as Dai Shujun. They threatened them that they must not engage in religious activities again and that if they have objections, they can submit an application for administrative reconsideration or an administrative lawsuit. After that, the people at the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs told the head of the village to tear down the house for the gathering. However, the head of the village knows the law better than these government people and he knows he has no legal power to tear down other people’s houses; therefore, the house is still standing.

别斯托别乡阿克其村教会部分信徒(Photo on the left: Several persecuted believers submit their administrative reconsideration in accordance with the law)

The believers of this church adhere to their principles of faith. They abide by the law and have an objection to the illegal penalty from the government. They have hired a lawyer in accordance with the law to submit their application for an administrative lawsuit.

China Aid Association calls on Xinyuan County Government of Xinjiang to heed the voice of the people and protect the people’s freedom of religious belief, and to recognize that people of all ethnicities are equal to each other, and to act accordingly, if they would win the trust of the people. This association will continue to pay attention to the development of the incident and call on churches of the world to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in the remote region of Xinjiang.

Please see the related report on this incident by this association:

 

NEWS FLASH: House Church in Yili, Xinjiang Shut Down by Police & Religious Affairs Bureau

https://chinaaid.org/2013/03/news-flash-house-church-in-yili.html

 


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The Persecuted church in Xinyuan County of Xinjiang File its Administrative Review Application

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