"Christians from underground churches in China have faced a renewed crackdown that underscores President Xi Jinping's growing intolerance of religious freedom. Chinese law requires Christians to worship only at churches affiliated with religious institutions controlled by the Communist Party. So far, only two Christian groups are officially recognized: the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement."
""Some [police officers] smashed the locks and doors, while others cut the power and pretended to be electricians knocking on doors before breaking in," said Bob Fu, a Chinese pastor who founded US-based religious group ChinaAid, which closely monitors cases of Christian persecution in China."
"In a post on X, Germany's commissioner for freedom of religion or belief, Thomas Rachel, condemned "the violation of religious freedom" and called for the release of all church members. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also criticized China's actions, calling for the immediate release of those detained and to allow all people of faith to take part in religious activities without fear of retribution."
Chinese law limits Christian worship to state-sanctioned religious bodies, with only two officially recognized Christian organizations. Authorities arrested around 30 pastors and members of the Zion Protestant Church across multiple provinces, including founder Jin "Ezra" Mingri. Police reportedly used forced entry tactics, cutting power and pretending to be electricians to enter homes. Most detainees face charges of "illegally disseminating religious content online" after the church expanded virtual services and grew to about 10,000 congregants across 40 cities. International officials condemned the arrests and called for release of detainees and protection of religious freedoms.
Read at www.dw.com
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