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Religious freedom has been dealt another blow in China. Dozens of house Christians were arrested on Sunday in Beijing, while attempting to gather for Easter prayer. The arrests seem to be part of a concerted crackdown on Christians who do not worship in churches sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party. Here’s that story.
For millions of Chinese Christians across China, Easter went off without a hitch. But for those who do not worship in churches administrated by the Chinese Communist Party, it was a different story.
In a northwest suburb of Beijing, dozens of members of the Shouwang Church showed up at an outdoor location to begin Easter services. The police were already waiting for them and quickly herded the Christians onto police buses.
The Shouwang Church had called for outdoor services after they were evicted from their prior location during a CCP-led anti dissent campaign.
Church leaders say they have no political agenda and are being targeted because they refuse to worship at CCP-sanctioned churches.
Head of the Texas-based China Aid Association, Bob Fu says the crackdown is not limited to this group in Beijing.
[Bob Fu, China Aid Association]:
"There is a very large house church, more than 1500 church members at Hohhot Inner Mongolia. They were also under crackdown. At least more than a dozen of the leaders are now under criminal detention."
Mr. Fu also mentioned prominent house Christian leaders were detained in Guangdong.
He hinted Shouwang Church members will keep showing up for outdoor mass, despite recent arrests.
[Bob Fu, China Aid Association]:
"As long as the authorities continue to crack down without returning the very guaranteed freedom to those believers, they will continue to worship outdoors no matter what pressure."
Christians in China are split between those who worship in churches controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and those who refuse to do so. "House" Christians have been targeted by the regime in recent years and have suffered numerous civil and human rights abuses.