Chinese authorities are detaining two leaders of a prominent Protestant church after police raided a service over the weekend, a human rights group told AFP on Tuesday, the latest incident in a crackdown on unofficial Christian organisations.
The Early Rain Covenant Church, based in the southwestern province of Sichuan, is one of China’s unregistered “house” or “underground” churches where some Christians choose to worship instead of the state-sanctioned ones regulated by the government.
On Sunday, dozens of police and government officials raided a rally in the city of Jiangyou, according to a statement the church shared Monday on its Telegram channel.
More than 30 members were taken to a local detention center for questioning before most were released Sunday night, the church said.
However, two church elders, Wu Wuqing and Yan Hong, were given 15 and 14 days of “administrative detention” respectively, rights group ChinaAid told AFP on Tuesday, citing family members.
The relatives have not received any “official notification of the allegations”, added Bob Fu, founder of the US-based group.
China’s ruling Communist Party has historically viewed organized religion with suspicion and, under President Xi Jinping, has tightened its grip on unofficial groups.
The early rain has previously drawn the ire of the authorities. In 2019, its leader Wang Yi was sentenced to nine years in prison for “incitement to subvert state power”, drawing the sentence from the United States.
This year, Chinese authorities have disrupted gatherings or arrested leaders of numerous unregistered churches across the country, rights groups say.
Asked about it on Monday, China’s foreign ministry defended the country’s laws on religion.
“The Chinese government lawfully handles religious issues and protects citizens’ freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities,” spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference.
“We firmly oppose the use of so-called religious issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” he said.
Service interrupted by SWAT
At the Early Rain service on Sunday, police in SWAT uniforms surrounded dozens of congregants, including children, footage released by the church showed.
Authorities, including local police and religious affairs officials, held people who were not taken to the detention center at the hotel where the rally was held until around 6 p.m., the church said in its statement.
It is not the first time that Early Rain has come into conflict with the authorities this year.
In January, the church said nine of its members, including senior leaders, had been arrested in a “coordinated operation”, with two others missing.
In the same week, Yayang Church in eastern Zhejiang province was covered in scaffolding and its cross removed, AFP reporters saw, before it was demolished in May, according to ChinaAid.
Last October, the United States condemned the detention of almost 30 leaders of another prominent underground church, the Church of Zion.
In May, Sioni said 18 people were still being held.
After a visit to Beijing in May, US President Donald Trump told reporters he had brought up the issue of Zion with Xi during talks and said the Chinese leader would “strongly consider” releasing his pastor.
