CHINA: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest December 16-31
General
17.12 2024 – Chinese officials imposed new political regulations on teachers of religious institutes
China Aid – The National Bureau of Religious Affairs has issued new versions of the “Measures for the Qualification Recognition and Title Evaluation of Teachers of Religious Institutions” and the “Measures for the Granting of Academic Titles to Teachers of Religious Institutions”, replacing the “Interim Measures for Qualification Recognition and Title Appointment of Teachers of Religious Institutions” and the “Interim Measures for the Granting of Degrees by Religious Institutions” issued in 2012. The newly introduced measures will take effect on January 1, 2025, and the revised provisions are heavily imbued with political overtones.
Catholics
20.12.2024 – The Chinese Communnist party appointed catholic bishop of Shangai:
China Aid – According to the official website of the Catholic Diocese of Shanghai, a workshop on advancing the Sinicization of religion in China was held from November 4 to 6.
The event was jointly organized by the Shanghai Catholic “Three Organizations and One Diocese” (the Shanghai Catholic Patriotic Association, The Chinese Catholic Educational Administration Committee, the Intellectuals Association of Shanghai, and the Shanghai Catholic Diocese) and the Shanghai Institute of Socialism. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Shanghai emphasized the need for closer collaboration with the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department.
Muslims
27.12.2024 – Yunnan, why Hui Muslims protested the arrest of Imam Ma Yuwei
Bitter Winter – Protests in Yunnan this month after the arrest of a well-known Hui imam confirmed that the Chinese government is now cracking down on Muslim Hui communities not strictly aligned with the government-controlled China Islamic Association. It also confirmed that Hui Muslims, which were accustomed for decades to a certain limited religious liberty, are not tolerating this state of affairs and are willing to protest publicly.
This month, on December 15 and 16, groups of Hui Muslims assembled in front of the Yuxi Municipal Government in Yunnan Province for two consecutive days to demonstrate against the arrest of an imam by Chinese authorities.
Falun Gong
30.12.2024 – Once jailed for 8 years, 49-year-old man dies in the persecution of Falun Gong
Minghui – A Dehui City, Jilin Province resident developed severe medical conditions after being jailed for eight years between 2002 and 2010 for his faith in Falun Gong. The continued police harassment caused his health to further deteriorate. He passed away on October 12, 2024, at the age of 49. He is survived by his parents, who are both in their 80s.
Mr. Sun Zhen began to practice Falun Gong in October 1998. After graduating from the China University of Political Science and Law in 1999, he joined the Beijing Armed Police Corps. A few months later, in July 1999, the Chinese communist regime ordered the nationwide persecution campaign against Falun Gong. Because of appealing for the right to practice his faith, Mr. Sun was arrested in November 1999, escorted back to Dehui, and held at the Dehui City Lockup for 15 days.
28.12.2024 – Four Guangdong residents sentenced to up to ten years in prison for practicing Falun Gong
Minghui – Four Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, residents, were sentenced to prison in late December 2024, for their shared faith in Falun Gong.
Mr. Li Zhuozhong, a former middle school teacher in his 50s, and his wife, Ms. Liao Yuanqun, a former kindergarten teacher, were both sentenced to ten years and fined a total of 150,000 yuan. Mr. Xie Yujun, 56, and Ms. Liao Juanna were each given five years and fined 70,000 yuan.
23.12.2024 – After a prior 15-month forced labor term, Liaoning woman gets 7.5 years in prison for practicing Falun Gong
Minghui – A Shenyang City, Liaoning Province resident was sentenced to seven and a half years with a 20,000-yuan fine for her faith in Falun Gong.
Ms. Chen Min was arrested at home on April 23, 2024, by officers from the Huanggu District Police Department. The Dadong District Court tried her on September 24 and convicted her at an unknown time. She is currently appealing the wrongful sentence.
Protestants
25.12.2024 – Chinese police forcibly entered Linfen Covenant house Church’ pastor Li Jie’s home, frightening his 7-year-old child.
China Aid – Around 5 PM on December 20, 2024, local police came to the home of Pastor Li Jie and Li Shanshan of the Linfen Covenant House Church, demanding to enter the room to check fire safety and if there was anybody living there temporarily.
Pastor Li Jie had been detained in custody for over two years due to his faith, and Li Shanshan was downstairs at the time. Only their seven-year-old child and a neighbor’s child were at home, playing with building blocks. When the police knocked, the neighbor’s child opened the door.
23.12.2024 – Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church’s deacon Xiao Luobiao summoned by police for inviting Christians to Christmas celebration at home
China Aid – On the morning of December 19, 2024, Deacon Xiao Luobiao of the Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church was summoned by police from the Yongquan Police Station of Wenjiang District Public Security Bureau. The reason for the summons was conducting religious activities in the name of a banned social organization.
On the morning of December 19, two police officers from Xiao Luobiao’s residential jurisdiction, carrying a summons notice from the Wenjiang District Public Security Bureau, accompanied by community management officials, came to Deacon Xiao Luobiao’s home to summon him to the police station. The summons notice stated:
“You are suspected of conducting activities in the name of a banned social organization, according to Article 82 of the “Public Security Administration Punishment Law of the People’s Republic of China”, Article 59 Item 3 of the “Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China”, Article 70 Item 2 of the “Fire Control Law of the People’s Republic of China”, and Article 53 of the “Public Security Regulation on Procedures for Handling of Administrative Cases”.
19.12.2024 – Linfen education officials screen christian students and demand parents to stop House church attendance
China Aid – According to Li Shanshan, the wife of Pastor Li Jie of the Linfen Covenant House Church, the Linfen Education Bureau began a citywide search for Christian students from December 1.
This sweep targeted students from elementary schools to universities, interviewing the parents of these Christian students one by one. Parents were required to sign a commitment not to participate in illegal gatherings and instead attend the government-sanctioned Three-Self Church established on Qingshi Street. Those who refused to sign were met with persistent persuasion by school principals or teachers, urging them to leave house churches.
17.12 2024 – Pastor Zhou Songlin’s letter from prison: encouraging brothers and sisters to stand firm and testify for Christ.
China Aid – Recently, the family of Pastor Zhou Songlin from Hefei Ganquan Church, who is accused of “fraud” due to his faith, released his fifth letter written in prison dated October 29, 2024, titled “Do Not Be Afraid.” He encourages church members to stand firm when persecuted and rely on God for strength during persecution.
In the letter, Pastor Zhou says that if he asked the brothers and sisters whether they are afraid, most would likely answer yes. Fear prevents them from attending worship, preaching the gospel, and welcoming family members. Fear leads to distancing from the community of saints, growing cold, and falling away, following the path of Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). Fear causes people to lie, give false testimony, and even use “spiritual” language to justify themselves. He believes that people fear losing their stable and happy lives, encountering unforeseen disasters, and implicating their families, all of which cause them to worry and fear.
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17.12.2024 – Guiyang Renai Church: Verdict against elder Zhang Chunlei confirmed on appeal
Bitter Winter – The family of Elder Zhang Chunlei was informed only this month that on October 25, 2024, the Guizhou Provincial High Court upheld the Guiyang Intermediate Court’s judgment sentencing him to five years in prison for the nebulous charge of “inciting subversion of state power and fraud.”
The case of Elder Zhang has been shrouded in secrecy and procedural irregularities since 2021, when he was first detained.