(China—May 22, 2023) On the morning of May 14th, police raided a house church in Yongzhou, Hunan province. Authorities took away Pastor Zeng Zhaotai and his wife Wan Juan.
The arrest
When they arrived at the station, the couple was interrogated separately. Officials released Wan Juan soon after the interrogation began. At 9:30 that night, Pastor Zeng called and wife from the detention center, telling her he had been detained. Wan immediately went to visit her husband. She was allowed to meet with him, but the prison guards did not allow them to talk.
Two notices
The next day, the prison called and asked Wan to go to the detention center to sign some documents. They gave her a “Notice of administrative detention” and a “Notice of summon.”
Administrative detention
According to the police, Pastor Zeng Zhaotai was given a 15-day administrative detention and an administrative fine of 1,000 yuan (~ $140). Officers confiscated Pastor Zeng Zhaotai’s cell phone and personal computer. They also gave Wan her husband’s subpoena and “Decision of Administrative Punishment”. However, she refused to sign those documents.
Prayer request
On the third day of her husband’s arrest, Wan Juan sent out a public prayer letter, hoping fellow Christians to pray for her husband. She and her children also hope her husband can come back home soon.
Chen Wensheng
In the same province last year, renowned evangelist Chen Wensheng was arrested. Police stopped his ministry during the 20th National People’s Congress. Being whisked away by Communist officials is not new for Chen, but ChinaAid has not received further reports since October 2022.
~Yu Bing, China Aid Special Reporter
