Chinese Christian Leaders Jailed for Trying to Stop Church Demolition

Five leaders of a Christian church group of about 60,000 believers were sentenced to three to seven years in prison on Wednesday, November 25, in Northern China.

The Christian leaders--including Pastor Wang Xiaoguang, and two women, Yang Rongli and Zhang Huamei--were arrested in mid September for trying to stop their congregation buildings from being torn down.

According to a Chinese rights group, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, the Deputy County Chief of Fushan County led 400 police and unidentified men to attack the Christians on September 13th at 3:00 a.m. Some were beaten unconscious and had to be taken to the hospital.

The Christian leaders were charged with illegally occupying land and assembling to disrupt public order. The sentence was given at a court in Linfen City, Shanxi Province. The defendants were not allowed to respond to the charges.

Their lawyer, Li Fanping, told AFP, I was shocked at the seriousness of the punishment. This shows that the government is intent on using the law as a tool to attack the church.

Chinese authorities are reported to have brought tractors and excavators to destroy the unregistered house church—a large farm warehouse. It hasnt been torn down yet, but a police guard prevented the congregation from meeting.

The Chinese regime requires religious groups to register with the Chinese Communist Party. Those who want to be independent are forced to practice their faith underground.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• NTDTV
• News
• Chinese Communist Party
• Christian
• Leaders
• Jailed
• Church
• Demolition
• prison
• China
• Chinese Human Rights
• lawyer
• Fushan
• Linfen
• Shanxi
• AFP

[videochemist]

i only hope this story gets wider attention and other christians in the west stand up in their defence.

[wertguy12000]

This is just barbaric... This shows us how blessed we are to have the privilege to worship the lord freely. Satan can throw any types of laws against us but just remember that the lord is stronger than anyone who tries to come against us

[IsupportBP]

is kinda scary that a superpower is an atheist dictatorship

[vrodTHEAntiAtheist13]

well thats atheism for ya. When they cant win arguments against christians logically whats the solution?

Fire bomb their churches.

In the end the Lord will win

[acetong1990]

@terrorfalc What the heck is wrong with you?!

[terrorfalc]

Owned motherfucker!

Government > Nutjobs

[zamrok73]

haaaa