Christian Persecution

Fight Continues for Imprisoned Chinese Christian

May 19, 2010

OneNewsNow - A number of human rights groups are calling for justice on behalf of a Chinese Christian who is sentenced to 15 years in prison for his faith.

Alimujiang Yimiti was arrested in 2008 on charges of inciting separatism and unlawfully providing state secrets to overseas organizations. After being held for more than a year, the first charge was dropped, but Alimujiang was found guilty on the second charge and given the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Bob Fu is president of the China Aid Association, which is involved in a petition effort asking Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to raise concern about Alimujiang's case.

Bob Fu"The real purpose for [his arrest] is to punish his Christian faith and also his active evangelism among the Uyghur Muslim – his own people," Fu contends. "He's a very peace-loving, gracious house church leader...and the Chinese government forbids the conversion from Muslim faith to Christian faith."

Last week, leaders from the U.S. and China met in Washington, DC, for a human rights dialogue -- their first such talk in two years.

Charges Against Chinese Pastor 'Trumped Up'

May 13, 2010

OneNewsNow - Persecution against Christians in China seems to be on the rise.

According to China Aid Association, the Liangren Church in Guangdong has been the target of persecution by communist authorities for the past two years. This past weekend, the church's pastor -- Wang Dao -- was arrested and charged with mobilizing a mob to disrupt the public order.

Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, reports that the charges are "trumped up."

"He's still not been released...and his wife said they were treated roughly," Fu explains. "Pastor Wang Dao's church members [met] together in the park again on Sunday, and they were disrupted. Many public security members went to the gathering and said they could not worship in the park because they don't have a religious gathering permit."

The China Aid Association president adds that the church was forced to move ten times last year because of persecution from communist authorities.

A Bad Year for Christians in China

February 10, 2010

OneNewsNow - ChinaAid has released its latest persecution report that covers Christian persecution in 2009 -- specifically of house churches throughout China.

Seventy-seven cases of house church persecution and three cases of persecution against Self-Christians were reported in China last year. Compared to the data from 2008, that translates into a 19-percent overall increase in persecution -- and over the last two years, it marks an increase in persecution levels by 120 percent. (Read the entire report [PDF])

Annee Kahler with ChinaAid says there are several reasons for the increase.

"The year 2009 marked the 60th year anniversary of CPC rule in China, that's the China Communist Party, and so in preparation for the October 1 celebrations of this event, we saw an escalation again of persecution," she comments. "So there is some evidence to suggest that this year was very significant because it was a critical year for the Chinese government. Also, if you just look at the changing backdrop of the internal movement within China...it's going more from an agricultural, feudal-based system of society to a more citizen-based society."

Kahler adds that the increase in persecution leads to an increase in faith and boldness among Chinese Christians.