Twenty Nine Chinese House Church Leaders Arrested; Beaten Christian Businessman Files Civil Claim with Xinjiang Court

China Aid Association
Photo: Mr. Tong who is under healing and his wife at home
Midland, Texas (CAA, 12-12-2005)—CAA learned that less than two weeks before Christmas, 29 house church leaders were arrested in Henan December 12, 2005.
According to eyewitness reports, at 3pm on December 12 (Beijing Time), 40 police officers with 8 police vehicles raided a house church leadership meeting at Xiapigang Village, Dungang Town, Xincai County, Henan Province. 100 major church leaders from Henan and Anhui Province were gathered at a believer’s house discussing how the house churches can effectively help a large group of peasants who had contracted AIDS. That area is internationally known as “the AIDS Disaster Area” because many peasants became infected when they sold their blood to local blood centers that were contaminated with the AIDS virus.
According to a reliable report, at 7:30pm, 29 leaders were arrested. Their private property was confiscated without receipts including three motor bicycles, one cell phone, and all of their luggage as well as winter blankets. According to one pastor who was at the raided meeting, the police officers showed a search warrant and stated the meeting was an “illegal religious gathering.”
Pastor Shen Yiping, the founder of internationally known House Church group called China Gospel Fellowship and the host of the meeting Mr. Yang Huamin, were among those arrested.
Attorney Mr. Zhang Xingshui, the director of Beijing Jingding Law Firm has agreed to be their legal representative.
CAA also learned the beaten Christian businessman Mr. Tong Qimiao filed a civil claim with a local court in Xinjiang. Mr. Tong was severely beaten and suffered a broken rib by an agent from Xinjiang State Security Bureau on September 28, 2005. He was interrogated for his relationship with a house church in that area.
Because Mr. Tong took legal action against his torturers, his furniture factory and store in a local mall was ordered to closed and many pieces of furniture were confiscated on October 13 and 14 respectively by the local authority.
CAA condemns the arrest of these innocent church leaders and urges the Chinese authority to release them immediately. People of faith should write to the Chinese authority to demand their release.
Letters of protest can be sent to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC at the following address:
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
Tel:(202) 328-2500 Fax:(202) 588-0032
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512
Issued by China Aid on December 12, 2005
Statement of Civil Claim
To:  District People’s Court, Kashi City
By:  Qimiao Tong
Date: November 23, 2005
Plaintiff:  Qimiao Tong, male, aged 45, of Han nationality, owner of a private business
Address:  Group 5, Brigade 4, Xiamalebage Township, Kashi City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region
Zip:  844000
Telephone:  0998-2650562  2228476  2585360
Defendant:  Ruofei Wang, male, aged 32, of Han nationality, a native of Gansu, staff member of the State Bureau of Public Security, Kashi City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region
Zip:  844000
Address:  The State Bureau of Public Security, Keziduwei Road, Kashi City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region
Zip:  844000
Telephone:  0998-2685277
Cause of Action: Damages for violation of rights (demanding compensation for bodily injuries)
Statement of the lawsuit:
1.  That the court sentenced the defendant to pay the plaintiff the damages he has suffered in the amount of 24,436.46 Yuan, which includes the medical bills, lost wages, transportation fees for seeking medical help, hospitalization expenses, subsidy for food during hospitalization, funds for necessary nutrition, money for continued treatment necessary for recovery, fees for nursing care, and for follow-up treatments. (For details, see the attached list of losses)
2.  That the court sentenced the defendant to pay the plaintiff a consolation fee of 5,000.00 Yuan for emotional damages.
Facts and reasons:
On September 28, 2005, the plaintiff received a phone call from the State Bureau of Public Security, of Kashi Branch, where the defendant worked. The plaintiff was required to appear that same day at the defendant’s work unit to verify certain issues. The plaintiff arrived on time at the defendant’s office. During the conversation between the defendant and the plaintiff, the defendant’s improper attitude to the plaintiff resulted in an altercation. The defendant, too enraged to control himself, suddenly kicked the plaintiff in the ribs. Afterwards, the plaintiff felt intense pain in his ribs, and sought treatment at Kashi Zhonghua Hospital and Kashi Second People’s Hospital respectively. The hospitals diagnosed the plaintiff with a rib fracture (See the attached hospitals’ certificates of diagnosis).  For this injury the plaintiff was hospitalized for treatment, having paid up front 29,436.46 Yuan for medicine and other related fees. (See the attached list of losses)
In this case, the defendant rudely inflicted bodily injury to the plaintiff, resulting in the plaintiff’s ribs being fractured. The defendant’s action mentioned above has no doubt violated the plaintiff’s right to health in life. At the same time, the defendant’s act of violation of rights has caused emotional damage to the plaintiff. Pursuant to Article 106 of The Civil Codes of the People’s Republic of China and Article 18 of The Supreme People’s Court’s Explanations on A Number of Questions of Applicable Laws on Handling Cases Involving Bodily Injuries, the defendant, being at fault, violated the plaintiff’s right of personal safety and should be held responsible for the civil liabilities. For this reason, the plaintiff has requested time and again that the defendant bear all the costs of his violation of rights, but all the requests have been rejected by the defendant.
Accordingly, pursuant to Article 108 of Codes of Civil Lawsuits of the People’s Republic of China, the plaintiff hereby files this suit at your court and ask for a fair judgment—to ensure that the citizens’ legitimate rights be protected from unlawful actions, so as to promote the goal of the law of punishing the evil and rewarding the benevolent, and to safeguard the justice of rule by law.
Appendix:
1.  A copy of the Statement of Civil Claim
2.  Evidence:
1)  Hospital certificates of diagnosis
2)  Copy of the plaintiff’s identification card
3)  Invoices and receipts of all the expenses (list of losses)
4)  Statements of the Witnesses
List of Fees
Medical bills:                  4,663.46 Yuan
Food:                            30 x 15 = 450 Yuan
Nursing Care:                 50 x 15 = 750 Yuan
Transportation:   270 Yuan
Nutrition:                                   150 Yuan
Lost wages:                   210 x 45 = 9,450 Yuan
Other losses (all sorts of expenses occurring at the store and factory facilities):  8,703 Yuan
Grand Total:  24,436.46 Yuan