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China

• Chinese Pastor and Family Await Verdicts

  Pastor Cai Zhuohua (Center)

  Last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert on the upcoming trial of Pastor Cai Zhuohua and three of his family members on July 7.  According to VOM sources in China, the trial lasted four and a half hours and ended without announcing a verdict.  During the trial, the judge refused to hear arguments that the religious rights of the accused were being violated.  "This has nothing to do with religion.  This is an economic crime," said Judge You Tao.  Only one witness for the defense was allowed to speak; an elderly woman who said that she had been given the religious literature free of charge.  The defense lawyers argued that if the literature was given free of charge, the printing was not for profit and therefore it was not an "illegal business practice."

  Only three family members of the accused were allowed into the courtroom.  The U.S. Embassy sent an observer to the trial, but he was prevented from entering the courtroom. The verdict is to be announced later, but no date has been set.  One of the lawyers for Cai said, "It is impossible for them to be found innocent, but I have confidence to strive for lighter sentences."

  Pray that Cai and the other will be found innocent.  Pray for peace as they experience uncertainty and concern for the future.

  For more information on persecution facing Christians in China,click here.

• Chinese Priest Released from House Arrest

  According to a report from the Zenit news agency, Chinese authorities have released Father Vincent Kong Guocun (34) after six years under house arrest.  According to Chinese sources, Kong was released because of failing health.

  Kong was arrested on October 20, 1999, only two years after his ordination.  Initially, he was isolated from any outside contact, though authorities eventually allowed visits from his parents.  Officials referred to Kong as "too stubborn" and uncooperative. 

  Praise God that Father Kong was released.  Pray for his full recovery.  Continue to pray for many others that are still imprisoned in China because of their faith.

  For more information on the mistreatment and suffering experienced by Christians in China,click here.

• Chinese Catholic Bishop Arrested Again

  For the sixth time in eighteen months, on the afternoon of July 4, Bishop Jia Zhiguo was arrested and taken by police to an undisclosed location according to the Catholic news agency, Zenit. Bishop Zhiguo, 71, who has spent 20 years in prison for his faith, has been under constant surveillance since.  He is the "non-official" bishop of Zheng Ding; a province with an estimated 1.5 million Catholics.

  Following the death of Pope John Paul II, there has been speculation that relations between China and the Vatican may improve.  It was rumoured last week that a bishop had been appointed with the approval of both the Vatican and the Chinese government.  However, the Chinese government has since denied any approval from the Vatican, insisting that the appointment was theirs alone.

  Pray that the situation facing China's Christians will improve and that the government will allow freedom of religious belief.  Pray for the many Christians suffering in Chinese prisons.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in China,click here.

• Update: Date Set for Chinese Pastor's Trial

  China Aid has confirmed the trial date for Pastor Cai Zhuohua, his wife and two other family members.  The trial is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on July 7 (8:00 p.m. on July 6, Eastern Time) at the People's Court of Haidian District, Beijing.  The presiding judge will be Mr. You Tao.

  According to copies of the prosecution papers obtained by China Aid, Pastor Cai and the others will be prosecuted for "illegal business management" because they allegedly printed over 200,000 copies of Christian literature (click here for more details on the initial charges).  Prominent lawyers and legal scholars have volunteered to defend Pastor Cai, believing that this is a case of religious persecution.

  Please pray for Pastor Cai, his wife Xiao Yunfei, her brother Xiao Gaowen and sister-in-law, Hu Jinyun, as they stand trial for their faith.  Pray for wisdom for their lawyers.  Pray that they will know the presence of God's Spirit with them in the midst of these difficulties.

  For more information on persecution in China,click here.

• Nationwide Crackdown on Chinese House Churches

  Hundreds of Christians have been arrested in recent weeks and many are still in prison as Chinese authorities carry on the crackdown reported in Persecution and Prayer Alert two weeks ago (click here). New reports were released by China Aid on June 29.

  Approximately 100 pastors were arrested on June 24 at the home of Pastor Chen Dongming in Hezhai Village in Henan Province, where they were meeting for leadership training.  According to eye witnesses, more than fifty security officers surrounded the village before bursting into the building.  The officers confiscated personal property, including cash, books, blankets, rice and household effects.  Most of the pastors were released later that day, but nine, including Pastor Chen Dongming, Pastor Wei and Pastor Jin are still in jail.

  

  On June 3, Chinese border guards detained 34 Christians at a customs office in Kashi in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.  The Christians had passports and visas from Pakistan and were arrested when one revealed they were Christian missionaries.  Most of the 34 were detained for fifteen days before being released.  They are now in hiding, fearing further repercussions from the authorities.

  Continue to pray for the Christians recently arrested, as well as the many others imprisoned for their faith.  Pray that countries around the world will put pressure on China to improve their human rights and allow religious freedom.

  For more information on the persecution of Chinese Christians, click here.  Video reports are also available from China at www.vomcanada.com.

• One Hundred House Churches Raided in China

  The Voice of the Martyrs has recently received a copy of an official Chinese government document outlining a new offensive on underground house churches.  In part, the document reads:  "We have dealt with the Falun-gong. We have arrested and put their leaders on the run. Now we must resolutely and strongly deal with the unregistered house churches. They are too numerous -- too many. We must deal with them strongly."  The document suggests the increased pressure would be from April to August 2005.

  On May 22, during Sunday worship time, police and Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers simultaneously raided approximately 60 house churches in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin province in northeastern China.  In the days following, an additional 40 churches in the area were also raided.

  More than 600 house church believers and leaders were taken into custody. Most were released after 24 to 48 hours of interrogation, but approximately 100 leaders are still being held in different detention centers.

  This is clearly a major assault on unregistered house churches in Jilin province.  VOM sources suggest that the amount of man-power, coordination and planning involved in raiding 60 church meetings simultaneously shows this effort came from high levels of the Chinese government.

  One church pastor, Zhao Dianru, 58, was arrested May 22 and released Monday, June 6, after 15 days of "administrative detention." Zhao’s arrest document accused him of "using other means to instigate and disturb social stability," but did not mention religion or church activities. According to reliable contacts in that area, at least 20 boxes of Christian books were confiscated during the police raids.

  VOM sources say that university students, professors and other young intellectuals make up a large portion of the raided house church groups. It's believed this is a coordinated campaign to eliminate house church influence in the university areas. At least three of the arrested church leaders work as professors at Changchun University.  The three were also released after 15 days of detention, but are being watched by PSB officers.

  China's new law on religion, the Provisions on Religious Affairs, took effect March 1.  Some believed the new law would lead to less restriction on unregistered churches, but these large-scale raids and arrests seem to show otherwise.

  The raided house churches are not all part of the same group, and are not affiliated with any of China’s major house church networks. They are independent house churches with thousands of believers who choose not to register their Christian activities with the Communist government.

  One church leader who was held for 15 days and then released told VOM contacts that he and the churches he leads had been asked three times in recent months to join the government-sanctioned Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), but had refused.  The TSPM is the state-approved Protestant organization.  TSPM churches must meet in a government-approved location, have a government-approved church leader, and are prohibited from allowing children under 18 to attend church meetings.

  Pray for strength of mind, heart and faith for those arrested in these attacks.  Pray for stability and the recognition of God's presence and guidance for the members of these house churches.  We encourage Christians around the world to write their government leaders asking that pressure be put on the Chinese government to respect the basic rights of their citizens.  Click here for government contact information.

  For more information on the persecution of Chinese Christians,click here.  Assorted video clips from the underground church in China are also available on our multimedia website at www.vomcanada.com.

• China Update: Zhao KeXun

  Father Thomas Zhao KeXun, 75, administrator of the Diocese of Xuanhua, in Hebei province, was released June 1, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation.  KeXun was arrested on March 30 (click here for details).  At the time, no reason was given for his arrest.

• Seven Priests Released; Elderly Bishop Sentenced to Re-Education

  Last week, The Voice of the Martyrs reported on the arrest of seven Chinese Catholic priests as they traveled to a retreat on April 27 (click here for details).  VOM has since learned that six of the priests were released the next day and the seventh, Li Suchuan, was released a few days later.  According to AsiaNews, the priests were released because the Zhengding diocese's "special situation."  Sources report that local police in that area are prepared to "turn a blind eye" to the activities of the non-official Catholic Church as long as they "are not too obvious."

  AsiaNews also reports that the Auxiliary Bishop of Xiwanzi in Hebei Province has been detained and is being subjected to "re-education."  The 83-year-old Bishop Yao Liang was arrested on March 31 and then released in mid-April.  Soon after his release, he was again detained.  The purpose of the "re-education" is undoubtedly to convince the bishop to leave the underground Catholic Church and join the official government church.

  Pray for physical and spiritual strength of Bishop Yao.  Pray for Christian leaders throughout China facing pressure from authorities.  Continue to pray for those in prison for their faith.  A list of Christians presently in prison for their faith, along with ways you can help, is available online. 

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in China,click here.

• Seven Underground Chinese Priests Arrested

  Bishop Jia Zhiguo

  Seven priests of the Diocese of Zhengding, Hebei were arrested on the evening of April 27 in Wuqiu Village of Jinzhou.  According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, the seven were traveling to a retreat conducted by Bishop Jia Zhiguo, who had been under 24-hour surveillance since March 30 and who had just been released.  Those arrested were:  Wang Dingshan (50), Li Qiang (31), Liu Wenyuan (35), Zhang Qingcai (45), Li Suchuan (40), Pei Zhenping (43) and Yin Zhengsong (32).

  Commenting on these recent arrests, Joseph Kung, president of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said, "How could the Chinese government on one hand proclaim to Pope Benedict XVI and the world their willingness to improve the relationship between China and the Vatican, and on the other hand keep arresting the Pope's priests? It is quite obvious that the desire expressed by the Chinese government to improve its relationship with the Vatican is less than sincere."

  Pray for these and many others presently in prison or house arrest in China because of their faith.  Pray for the strength to continue their ministry despite the continued opposition from Chinese authorities.

  For more information on the persecution of the Church in China,click here.

• Vatican Denounces Arrests in China

  On April 2, Vatican spokesman, Joaquín Navarro Valls, issued a press statement reporting on the arrest of a 75-year-old priest of the underground Catholic Church, Thomas Zhao Kexium, on March 30.  According to the Zenit news service in Rome, Kexium was returning from a funeral when he was detained by security forces.  The reasons for his arrest and his present location are unknown.

  Zenit also reports that the bishop of the same diocese of Xuanhua, in the province of Hebei, Philip Peter Zhao Zhendong (85) was arrested on January 3 and is presently detained in the city of Jiangjiakow.  According to the same report, national security forces arrested Bishop James Lin Xili (86), Bishop of Wenzhou, in the province of Zhejiang on March 20.  Two days later, Gao Xinyou, collaborator in the pastoral care of the laity in the Longgang area, was also arrested.

  These arrests add to the list of Roman Catholic bishops and priests arrested or prevented from carrying out their ministry by the Chinese authorities, reported in the Persecution and Prayer Alert on March 9.  To view the list of these Catholic leaders and addresses for Chinese authorities, to whom you can write on their behalf, click here.

  Continue to pray for each of these Christians who have been imprisoned, many of them old and frail.  Pray for God's peace, protection, and assurance.

  For more information on persecution in China,click here.  The May 2005 edition of VOM's monthly newsletter will be featuring the persecution of Christians in China.  To subscribe to this newsletter, click here.