Author Laurie Chen
Beijing (Reuters) -In China, detained dozens of the pastors of one of its largest underground churches over the weekend, said the church spokesman and relatives, the biggest coping with Christians since 2018.
After Beijing’s tension resulting from China and the US tension last week, the detention, which dramatically expanded the rare land export control last week, condemned from state secretary Marc Rubio, who summoned a pastor on Sunday.
In his home in the southern Beihai, South Beihai, the founder of Zion Church Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, the unofficial “Home Church”, which was not ended by the government, was detained at his home at Grace Jin and Church spokeswoman Sean Long.
“What happened is a new wave of religious persecution this year,” Long said, adding that police questioned more than 150 worshipers and increased harassment at personal Sunday services in recent months.
Speaking to Reuters from their home in the US, Long added that at about the same time, the authorities had detained nearly 30 pastors and church members across the country, but later released five.
He added that about 20 pastors and church leaders were detained.
Police Behai could not be contacted by phone to comment. The Ministry of Society of China did not immediately respond to a fax request to comment.
Jin, 56, is considered Behai in the city no. 2 In the detention center suspecting “illegal use of information networks” – in the official detention notice that Reuters has long been. The fee has a maximum seven -year prison term.
Sponsors fear that Jin and other pastors may be charged with allegations of unauthorized use of the Internet to disseminate religious information.
“Previously, he was hospitalized for diabetes. We are worried because he needs medication,” Grace Jin said. “I was also told that lawyers were not allowed to meet pastors, so we care about it.”
The coping occurs a month after the new rules of regulation of China’s best regulation of Chinese religion banned illegally preaching or religious training of clergy, as well as for a “foreign agreement”.
Last month, President Xi Jinping also promised to “implement strict law enforcement” and to promote religion symicalization in China.
In China, there are more than 44 million Christians registered in state -sanctioned churches, most Protestants show, official figures show.
However, it is estimated that tens of millions are part of illegal “home churches” operating in control of the ruling communist party.
With about 5,000 permanent worshipers in nearly 50 cities, the Zion Church quickly added members through the Covid-19 pandemia through the shattering sermons and small personal gatherings, Long said.
Church in 2007 Founded by Jin, also known as Ezra, after he withdrew as the pastor of the official Protestant Church.
Jin, a graduate of the University of Elite Beijing, converted to Christianity, testifying in 1989. Tiananmen’s coping, added for a long time.
2018 Police closed their church building in Beijing, the capital, dealing with the main churches of the house. Earlier this year, police temporarily detained 11 Pastor of Zion Church, Long said.
Government 2018 Found travel restrictions on Jin to not visit their wife and three children who settled in the US, Grace Jin said.
“I think he always knew there was a possibility that he would be imprisoned,” she added.
Last month, dozens of police officers forcibly detained Jin while he tried to board a US commercial center in the United States and restricted his trips for Behai, Bob Fu, founder of Christian NGO ChinaAID, said.
“The main reason is that the Zion Church has exploded in a well-organized network in recent years, which, of course, has to intimidate the Communist Party leadership,” Fu said.
(Laurie Chen’s messages; edited by Clarence Fernandez)