Forty House Church leaders detained in Henan Province

One pastor sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for distribution of Christian literature among Muslims in Gansu Province

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MIDLAND, TEXAS / HENAN & GANSU PROVINCES, CHINA (ANS) — Forty church leaders from China Gospel Fellowship were detained on November 18, 2007, and a House Church pastor was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in Gansu province for writing and distributing Christian literatures among Muslim believers.

According to one eyewitness, cited in a report from China Aid Association (www.chinaaid.org), at 5:00 pm on November 18, a group of Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers from Xiancheng county, Henan raided a House Church leadership meeting in Peichang village, Fanhu town.

CAA says the PSB detained 40 leaders immediately. 21 of them were released before November 24, and 19 are still being detained at the county detention center.

Family members of the 19 detainees were notified by the Police Department to send blankets and 360 yuan ($50) for 15 days’ living expenses. All of the detainees are senior leaders from one of China’s largest house church groups called China Gospel Fellowship (CGF).

Among them, Pastor Shen Yiping is the founder of CGF. The leaders were having a bible study when they were raided. They are from different counties of Henan province.

CAA has also learned that Pastor Liu Huiwen was sentenced to 18 months of prison by Gansu Dongxiang Nationality Autonomous County People’s Court on October 25, 2007.

Liu was detained on April 28, 2007 after distributing flyers at a funeral and was arrested on May 31, 2007. The bill of indictment from Dongxiang County Procuratorate charges that defendant Liu Huiwen committed the crime of publishing a discriminating work and insulting people of ethnic minorities when he distributed a flyer called “A Letter to Our Muslim Friends.”

Click here for the full text of the sentence paper: http://www.monitorchina.org/english_site/document_details.php?id=5125

The defense counsel for pastor Liu, Beijing attorney Li Dunyong countered that Liu’s public letter does not contain any discrimination or insults against people of ethnic minorities; that it was not intended for the people of ethnic minorities; that Liu Huiwen does not have any subjective intent to insult the people of ethnic minorities; that it is a case of minor circumstance and that the conduct of the defendant has not exceeded the boundary set for freedom of speech though the letter contains some inappropriate wording. All these arguments by the defense were rejected by the court.

China Aid believes the trial of Pastor Liu Huiwen was not fair and the 18-month heavy sentence of Pastor Liu Huiwen for distributing a flyer whose content was “all legal is a barbarious attempt by the Chinese authorities to stem the growth of Christianity that is expanding in China.”

China Aid also urges Christians worldwide and governments concerned about this case to pressure the Chinese authorities to retry the case through strict and accurate interpretation of the relevant Chinese law.

Letters to comfort brother can be sent to his home:
Premier Wen Jiabao, PRC
PO Box 1741, The State Council, Beijing, PRC (zip code 100017)
Contact Phone：+86-10-66012399
Ms. Wu Aiying, minister of Ministry of Justice of PRC
Tel: +86-10-65205114
Fax: +86-10-64729863
Address：No. 10, Nan Da Jie, Chaoyangmen, Beijing City (Zip Code: 100020)

China Aid Association, Inc.
Tel: (267) -205-5210
Fax: (432)-686-8355
E-mail: info@ChinaAid.org
Website: www.chinaaid.org; www.monitorchina.org/
Contact: Bob Fu (267) 205-5210

Famous rights activist gets five years in China

Chinese Rights Activist Sentenced to Five Years (epochtimes.com)

On November 14, Guo Feixiong, renowned mainland human rights activist, was charged with illegal business operation and sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined 40,000 yuan (approximately US$5,263) in the Tianhe District People’s Court of Guangzhou Province…

After the judge pronounced the sentence, Guo Feixiong was asked of his opinion. According to Zhang, Guo replied, “I have only one sentence for you; the way you collected the ‘evidence’ has been publicized for the Chinese democracy movement and I am honored to be part of it.”

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Secret Document Reveals Chinese Government’s Campaign Against Unregistered Churches

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

MIDLAND, TX (ANS) — Christian Aid Association (CAA), based in Midland, Texas, says it has recently received a secret document from a “reliable government source” showing the Chinese government has been launching a nationwide campaign against unregistered Christian churches since July of this year.

CAA states that the “confidential” (jimi) document was issued on July 24, 2007 by the Duodao District Committee Office of Jingmen Municipality of the Communist Party of China, Hubei province. The document number is listed as “Duo Ban Fa [2007] No. 18” which seems compatible with the standard way of document listing by the Chinese government. In order to protect the source, CAA has to omit the specific three-digit serial number on the top of the document.

The document entitled as “Notice on Forwarding ‘Work Plan for Special Administration on Christian Activities in Duodao District’ from Duodao District Committee Office of the Communist Party of China and Office of Duodao District People’s Government” (Work Plan) was issued to all township and neighborhood Party committees, all people’s governments, neighborhood offices, and relevant work units. According to the document, the work Plan was formulated by the Department of United Front of District Committee, District Bureau for Religious Affairs of Ethnic Minorities and Duodao Branch of the Public Security Bureau (PSB).

Though this document was issued in a local level, it does reveal that the central government has directed a national campaign specifically against unregistered Christian House churches. According to the document, the secret campaign was launched “based on the relevant documents from the central government, provincial government, and municipal government and the decisions from the working conference on special administration on Christianity throughout our province.” Moreover, according to “Guidelines and General Requirements” of the Work Plan, the whole campaign was urged and instructed by the National Christian Working Seminar and “leading comrades in the central government.”

CAA learned that the central government convened a secret National Christian Working Seminar which is called “601 Conference” on June 1, 2007.

The purpose of the crackdown was said to “Fight against infiltration activities by hostile overseas forces under the guise of Christianity and safeguard the stability in our society and in the religious arena.” By urging the government-sanctioned patriotic Christian organizations to work closely with the public security agents, the aim of the campaign is to establish” a socialized mechanism of management of religious affairs.”

According to the document, the duration of the crackdown was “set at five and a half months, starting on June 15 and ending November 30 in three phases” including propaganda, actions, and inspection.

As for the self-appointed missionaries (house church leaders), the document urges to “tackle the problem in three ways: education and stop, order them to stop their activities and crack down on their activities according to law.” For those unregistered churches, the public security agencies are asked to “work with departments in charge of religious affairs and resolutely stop their activities. In the meantime, the leaders of the site should be investigated and due penalties rendered. All their illegally acquired income shall be confiscated.”

Furthermore, for unauthorized churches that were found preaching “heresies, religious fanaticism, feudal superstition, or harm the physical and mental health of the people, and violate the laws of the state,” the public security agencies are urged to “resolutely crack down on them and abolish them on the basis of sufficient evidence.”

Finally the whole campaign was asked to be carried out in super secrecy. “Being serious internally and lax externally with strict confidentiality. We should only perform the special administration, but not talk about it. Without approval from the district’s leading team for the special administration, no agencies in all the areas shall disclose the information in this document to any media. All the documents for the special administration are classified as “confidential” and must be printed in serial numbers. After the documents are used, they shall be stored at a confidential room and their content must not be disclosed.”

CAA says that it also received four sets of registration forms from Yu’an District, Liu’an city, Anhui province showing both the believers and their relatives are mandated to fill these forms including their personal data such as when they become Christians, who introduced and where the meeting place is, both home and work addresses, date of birth and their IDs etc.

“This campaign is another clear example of absolute violation of the relevant international human rights covenants and China’s own Constitution on protection of citizen’s religious freedom,” said Bob Fu, “We urge the Chinese government to stop this kind of illegal secret practice if China intends to be a true respected responsible stakeholder in the international community.”

For more information, go to www.ChinaAid.org.

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China Security Issued Blacklist of 43 Types of People in 11 Categories to Be Barred from Attending Olympic Games

Religious People Under Strict Scrutiny

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

MIDLAND, TEXAS (ANS) — China Aid Association (CAA) has told ANS that it has learned from “reliable internal Chinese government sources” that in April of 2007, the Ministry of Public Security of the Chinese government issued a general nation-wide order, requiring strict examinations on all people both in China and overseas who will participate in the Olympic Games.

“These include members of the Olympic Committee, athletes, media and sponsors,” said a CAA spokesperson. “With this, they also provide a list of 43 types of people in 11 categories to be barred from attending the Olympic Games.”

CAA stated that in early April of 2007, the Ministry of Public Security secretly issued to public security departments throughout the country a document entitled “Notice on Strict Background Check on Applicants for the Olympic Games and the Test Events.” This is the origin of the “43-type & 11-category” blacklist.

Here are the 11 categories of people:
1. Antagonistic elements
2. Adherents of Falun Gong, other cults and harmful Qigong organizations
3. Religious extremists and religious infiltrators
4. Secessionists of ethnic minorities
5. Media employees who can harm the Olympic Games
6. Non-government organizations engaging in activities that can pose a real threat to the Olympic Games
7. Dangerous elements, key petitioners and other people who have serious grievances against the Party
8. People for whom the judicial authorities have filed a case for investigation or have adopted forced criminal or administrative measures
9. Criminals under surveillance, on probation, parole, medical parole or criminals deprived of their political rights or serving their sentence outside the prison, and people placed in the programs of reformation through labor or serving their sentence outside the reformation centers
10. Terrorists
11. Members of illegal organizations.

The spokesperson added, “While CAA understands the legitimate security concern during the Olympics, nevertheless we urges the Chinese government to be more transparent regarding the preparation of 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“We call upon the Chinese government not to use the Olympics as a cover to engage crackdown on peaceful people of faith both in China and abroad.”

For more information, go to www.chinaaid.org.

China’s Olympic Lie Part 3 北京奥运不许反对

China’s Olympic Lie Part 2 北京奥运不许反对

China’s Olympic Lie Part 1 北京奥运不许反对

A better quality video can be seen here.

Christian Human Rights Lawyer Reports Persecution in China

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

HONG KONG (ANS) — As the 2008 Beijing Olympics approaches, Chinese Christians are facing increased levels of persecution as authorities seek to keep dissidents away from international media, according to a Christian attorney in Beijing.

The Baptist Standard reported that Christian human rights lawyer Li Heping says he was kidnaped and tortured for nearly six hours on Sept. 29, and two other Beijing Christian activists have been held under house arrest since Oct. 1.

Li, who has defended a number of cases involving Christians arrested for underground house-church activities, is a partner in the Beijing Global Law Firm. He also serves as an editorial board member of the journal Chinese Law & Religion Monitor.

The Baptist Standard reported that Li described his ordeal in a statement to the international community titled “May the Light of Rule of Law Shine on China – Personal Statement from Attorney Li Heping on Being Beaten.”

Li reported being kidnapped, interrogated and tortured by four men who claimed to be members of the Beijing State Security Bureau.

According to the Baptist Standard, after severely beating him and shocking him with electric batons for several hours, Li said the men warned him to leave the city with his family. He said the men then put a black head cover on him and released him in a wooded area in Xiaotangshan in Beijing’s Changping District.

Meanwhile, Beijing house church activists Liu Fenggang and Pastor Hua Huiqi remained under house arrest, despite being released in July and Feb. after serving three year and six month prison terms respectively.

The Baptist Standard reported that Hua was told his 77-year-old mother has been serving a two-year sentence as a result of his activism. He has learned his mother recently was beaten severely, denied medical care and imprisoned.

On Oct. 4, Hua issued a letter titled “Pray for the Chinese Police.” The Baptist Standard reported that in it he called on the international community to pray for the Chinese leadership and police to “soften their hearts and release my ailing mom so that the gospel can spread in China freely.”

According to Amnesty International, abuses against human rights activists – including religious dissidents – have escalated in the run-up to the 17th Communist Party Congress and the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

They claim Li is one of several human rights lawyers and legal advisers who have been subjected to arbitrary detention and torture or mistreatment.

Some have been imprisoned. Others have been placed under tight police surveillance in their own homes. The Baptist Standard reported that Amnesty International says activities such as these contradict official promises to improve human rights before the Olympics.

Bob Fu, president of the China Aid Association, based in Midland, has asked fellow Christians to pray for Chinese Christians who are persecuted for their faith and to advocate on their behalf through letter-writing.

“The brutal act of state terrorism against attorney Li and the two pastors sent a chilling signal to all the peaceful rights defenders in China,” the Baptist Standard reported he said.

Two Australian citizens trapped inside China as large Australian environmental product company in forced to shutdown by Chinese authorities over religious activities

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MIDLAND, TEXAS / GUANGDONG PROVINCE, CHINA (ANS) — In an unprecedented move against a foreign-owned firm in China, a large Australian company has been raided and attacked by various Chinese government agencies in Guangdong province since August of this year.

Mr and Mrs Daniel and Eliza Ng are Australian citizens whose company has been raided by Chinese authorities.

The two owners of the Enoch Group, (www.enochgroup.com/En/Main.asp ), Mr. and Mrs. Daniel and Eliza Ng, were even put under house arrest from October 12 to 25, 2007. Their cell phones were confiscated and they were not allowed to go out of their house at the Panyu district, Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

China Aid Association (CAA) says that after intensive investigation and interviews with both the leaders of the company and some government officials in Guangdong province, China Aid learned that the move to shut down the company and freeze the nearly 100 million Yuan ($13 million) in assets and patents, is purely politically motivated.

High level government sources told CAA that some of the central government leaders were upset that the Enoch Group has hired a large number of Chinese Christians. The Chinese leaders suspect that the Enoch Group uses its company motto, “love, peace, joy and faithfulnessn” to promote Christianity. Sources said the rather harsh tactic made against Enoch Group is to send a strong warning signal to other foreign businesses in China owned by Christians.

The Enoch group is a well-established ecological company which produces environmentally related products. Mr. and Mrs. Ng are both naturalized Australian citizens, who immigrated from Hong Kong.

Enoch group has branches in Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China. As a division of Enoch group, Guangzhou Enoch Biological Science and Technology Co., LTD is a bio-engineering corporation, whose research and development focuses on ecological agriculture, amendment of water quality, environmental protection and human health care.

According to the appeal letter sent by Mrs. Ng, both the office and factories of Guangzhou Enoch Biological Science and Technology Co., LTD were first raided by a large group of government agents from the Public Security Bureau, Business Management Bureau on August 21.

CAA says more than three dozen employees were interrogated like criminals and some were even beaten and detained for hours in the Panyu district police station. Valuable company assets including 50 computers, check books and sensitive company product formulas were confiscated.

On September 13, the government froze both the company’s and Mr. & Mrs. Ng’s personal assets. On September 22, the Ng’s were barred from traveling to Hong Kong from mainland China. On October 12, they were formally put under house arrest with charges of “illegal business management and tax evasion,” 5 to 6 plainclothes PSB officers were posted on round-the- clock surveillance outside the Ng’s house.

After 13 days of having their home under siege and subsisting on food randomly provided to them by their guards, a chief PSB officer came to their home. The Ng’s protested the situation to him, requesting permission to leave their home to obtain food.

On October 25, they were given permission to leave their home with restrictions of travel. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Ng filed petitions and appeals to various officials of Guangdong province and the Australian Consulate in Guangzhou, as well as Hong Kong SAR. So far, they have received no response.

Since their assets were frozen, Rev. and Mrs. Ng need to raise funds to cover legal defense and living expenses, please contact China Aid (www.chinaaid.org ) office to provide further assistance.

“This is clearly a case of religious persecution under the guise of trumpeted charges,” said CAA’s Bob Fu, who has personally known Mr. and Mrs. Ng since 1995. “International investors should be alarmed by the blatant violation of the rule of law in the way this case is being handled.”

Media interview with Rev. Ng, please contact:
Tel: +86-15302260242 or +86-13265947777
Email: RevDanielNg@gmail.com