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China

• Two Priests Released, Six Others Arrested in Hebei

  On November 16, The Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of Bishop Jai Zhiguo and two priests (click here for more information) on November 7-8.  On November 24, the Catholic news agency Zenit reported that the two priests had been released. Bishop Jai remains detained in a so-called "study session."  It has also been learned that six priests in Bishop Jai's diocese of Zheng Ding in Hebei Province were arrested on November 18.  The Cardinal Kung Foundation reports that two, Wan Jin Shan and Gao Lingshen, were also severely beaten during the arrests.  Both men were in their 50s.  Guo Zhijun (36) Zhang Ziuchi (60), Peng Jianjun (30) and Zhang Yinhu (45) were also arrested.  At the last reports, all six priests were detained in the Gaocheng security bureau.

  Pray that the arrests will stop and that those in prison will be released soon. Pray that Christ will be their strength as they suffer for the sake of their beliefs. Pray that truth will prevail in China despite the government's concentrated efforts to silence it.

  For more information on the persecution facing the Chinese Church,click here.  Video reports from China, including the actual destruction of a church building is available on the multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com.  Visit our weblog page to read Glenn Penner's November 11 and 22 comments concerning the persecution of Christians in China.

• Priest And Seminarians Arrested

  On November 12, Chinese authorities arrested a Catholic priest, Father Yang Jianwei, and ten seminarians in a village near Xushui City in Hebei province, according to a report from Cardinal Kung Foundation.  No indication has been given as to the reasons for the arrests.  On November 15, six of the seminarians, who were not from the area, were released and sent to their homes.  The other four, along with Yang, remain in custody.

  These arrests, along with several others in recent days, come at a time when religious freedom in China has been prominently featured in the international news.  Glenn Penner, spokesman for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, said he was encouraged when he heard U.S. President Bush stressing the need for religious freedom in China during his recent visit to the country.  At the same time Latin American evangelist Luis Palau was also visiting China as a guest of the Chinese government and made some rather controversial statements questioning religious persecution in China.  To read Glenn Penner's response to Palau's remarks, click here. Also check out his November 11 weblog on international trade on countries like China.

  Ask God to give Yang and the students the strength in Christ they will need to remain joyful in their suffering. Pray that those in prison would be protected from harm, that their practical needs would be met, and that they would be released soon. Ask the Lord to give them boldness to speak the truth in love, even to their persecutors. Pray that the eyes of the free world will be opened to the fact that persecution is a serious problem in China and do everything possible to support religious freedom there.

  The Voice of the Martyrs has a number of books and DVDs on the church in China available on our online resource catalog. For more information on the persecution of China's Christians,click here.

• Lawyer Faces Removal of License

  The Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on November 9 that the law firm representing Pastor Cai and several other religious rights cases had been suspended from operations for a year (click here to read more).  With the visit of U.S. President Bush, the head of the firm, Gao Zhisheng, was ordered to leave Beijing to prevent him from contacting the U.S. delegation.  According to a November 22 report from China Aid Association (CAA), Gao now faces the removal of his license to practice law.  He, his wife and 12-year-old daughter have also faced threats from secret police.  Gao reports that the police have repeatedly attempted to force his car off the road. Gao has recently become a Christian and intends to be baptized in a house church soon.

  CAA encourages concerned Christians, particularly those who know Chinese, to express their concern for Brother Gao.  His email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  His telephone number is +86-10-81990759.  You can also contact Wu Yuhua, Director General of the Beijing Judicial Bureau, to express your concern about they suspension of Gao's law license at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone +86-10-58575683. 

• Bishop and Two Priests Arrested

  Bishop Jai Zhiguo was arrested for the eighth time in less than two years, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation.  On the morning of November 8, security officials took the 70-year-old bishop for a "study session" in Shijiazhuang City.  One day earlier, two priests from Dingzhou City, Li Suchan (40) and Yang Ermeng (35) were detained by the Security Bureau of Jinzhou City.

  This past week, the U.S. State Department released its list of "countries of particular concern" in regard to human rights.  China is once again included because of its continued disregard for the rights of its citizens.  At the same time, China is listed as a "most favored nation" by the United States in terms of economic trade.  Glenn Penner's November 11 weblog, "Trading with the Devil in the Hope of Changing Hell," discusses the myth that trade and economic reform inevitably leads to improved human rights in repressive regimes like China.  Click here to read his comments.

• Update: Pastor Cai Withdraws Appeals

  Pastor Cai with Son

  China Aid reported on November 16 that church leader Cai Zhuohua has withdrawn further appeals to the three year sentence he received for printing and distributing Bibles and Christian literature (click here to read more). This decision was apparently the result of intense pressure from authorities and threats of more prison time if he continued with his appeals.  Sources report that a court clerk visited Cai at the Qinghe Detention Center and told him that the only reason he was serving prison time rather than a suspended sentence was because he hired lawyers who kept annoying the government.  The law firm representing Cai was ordered to suspend operations for one year on November 4 (click here for the story).  More details are available byclicking here.
• Two Catholic Priests Arrested On October 27, two Catholic priests, Father Wang Xhow Fa and Father P. Paulus Shao Gu Min, were arrested shortly after celebrating Mass.  The two priests have been under significant pressure from the authorities for many years and were recently interviewed by the Italian news service, L'Espresso.  Police would not confirm whether the interview had anything to do with their arrest.
• Six House Church Leaders Arrested in Henan

  

  While worshipping with approximately one hundred other Christians in a house church in the town of Wuquan in Henan Province, six church leaders were dragged from the service on November 6 by officials from the Public Security Bureau and Religious Affair Bureau of Wuyang County.  Those arrested included Mr. Yuan Quansan, Mr. Zhang Xiaowu, Mr. He Zhanying, Mr. Wang Jinzhong and Mr. X Guangwei.  All but Yuan Quansan and Guang Wei were released the next day.  Police told them they would be released if they guaranteed that their house church would either stop meeting or join the official Three-Self Patriotic Church.

• Pastor Arrested for Printing Christian Literature On November 8, Pastor Cai Zhuohua, his wife Xiao Yunfei and her brother Mr. Xiao Gaowen were sentenced to prison for "illegal business practices."  They were convicted of printing and distributing thousands of Bibles and other Christian literature.  Cai was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 150,000 yuan ($22,000 CDN).  Xiao Yunfei was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 120,000 yuan and Xiao Gaowen was sentenced to eighteen months and fined 100,000 yuan.
• Law Firm Ordered to Suspend Operations On November 4, a leading Chinese law firm, Sheng Zhi Law Firm, was ordered to suspend all operations for one year.  The law firm, directed by Gao Zhisheng, was actively involved in many human rights cases, including a case representing Pastor Cai Zhuohua.  Gao Zhisheng was often outspoken in his defense of human rights in China.  Reports suggest that this suspension follows Gao's refusal to renounce a letter he had sent to President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, as well as his refusal to withdraw from several politically sensitive cases that he was representing.  Speaking to the Washington Post on November 5, Gao said, "We're very angry. By doing this, the Chinese Communist Party is demonstrating it defies all laws, human and divine. They are saying that anyone who believes in law, who criticizes the political system, who exposes crimes against the people, will be targeted."
• Business Closed in Retaliation Against Businessman

  Picture fromChina Aid

  In an apparent act of revenge, the Xinjiang State Security Bureau has ordered Tong Qimiao to close his furniture factory and store after he filed complaints against the officers for torturing him.  According to a reliable source, Tong was ordered to close his store on October 13 and 14.  Several furniture items were also confiscated by the authorities.

  Tong was severely beaten during police interrogation on September 28.  After filing complaints against those responsible, he was ordered to leave the hospital where he was being treated for his injuries, which included a broken chest bone.