Six Prisoners Released

13 December 2006

Thank you for praying All of the Christians who were arrested near Yili City in Xinjiang Autonomous Region on October 20
(click here for more details) were released by November 26, 2006, according to a December 11 report from China Aid Association. Four brothers had been imprisoned in a detention centre for thirty two days. One brother and one sister had also been imprisoned for fourteen days. No legal documents were issued when these Christians were arrested or released.

During their imprisonment, the four brothers were reportedly severely tortured by other prisoners upon police instruction. Brother Tan Defu was intentionally placed in a cell with homosexual prisoners where he was sexually abused and physically beaten.

Take time to thank God for the release of these prisoners and ask Him to heal them of their injuries.

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.