Three detained church leaders in Shanxi province Released

China Aid Association
In our last press report about the detention of three church leaders in Shanxi province Pastor Zhou Jieming and pastor Niu Wenbin have been accused as “suspects of using an evil cult to obstruct of the law” and put in criminal detention since June 10. On June 9, 2007, the two ministers along with 12 other church leaders were detained while they were distributing Bibles in a market place in Jiaocheng county, Shanxi province. 4 of them were eventually released at the same day. 6 more church leaders were released on June 15 from their detention center without any legal paper or explanation from the PSB.
On June 29 one more church leader was detained and sentenced to 10 days administrative detention. According to reliable sources, Ms. GAO Qiuxiang(54-year-old) who is the wife of the senior pastor ZHANG Tuanyuan(in hiding) of Jiaocheng House church was detained when she went to the PSB office along with the 6 released leaders seeking official explanation paper.
According to CAA investigators’ interviews, five of the female leaders were beaten up and abused by the PSB during their five days detention and interrogation time. After CAA issued reports about these cases, we have the following updates:
Both pastor Zhou Jieming and Niu Wenbin were released on parole at 8pm on June 9.(click for scanned copy of the parole paper) They are restricted to travel outside their hometwon. They have to report to PSB office periodically; Sister Zhang Qiuxiang was released and back home on June 9 after ten days’ detention; The six individual believers(five sisters and one brother) who were released on June 15 have filed legal administrative reconsideration papers to the PSB of Jiaocheng city. They request a ruling that the five-day-detention is illegal; One of the abused ladies sister Ren Peipei wrote her testimony to CAA;
Pray that the two pastors on parole will continue to minister with boldness. They will likely face more pressure from the local PSB and village officers; Pray that sister Zhang Qiuxiang and her husband can continue to lead their congregagtion without fear. The truth will set them free; Pray for the physical and spiritual recovery for the five sisters and one brother after they were beaten and abused during their detention. Pray for the justice to be done.