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PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06050077.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Multiple Arrests Occur in Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces; One South Korean missionary expelled from China; Prominent Chinese legal scholar banned from going abroad

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MIDLAND, TEXAS (ANS) -- Reports from the China Aid Association (CAA) state that in the past two weeks multiple arrests of house church pastors occurred at Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces, a pastor from South Korea was expelled by the Chinese security agency, and a prominent Chinese legal scholar and civil rights defender was forbidden to go abroad.
CAA says it has learned from an eyewitness report that house church Pastor Liu Yuhua was arrested at 11p.m. on April 26, 2006 at Shandong Province. He has been under criminal detention at the Detention Center of Linchu County, Shandong Province.

In the Criminal detention paper issued to Pastor Liu's family by the Public Security Bureau of Linchu County, Pastor Liu was accused "being involved in illegal business practices."

Pastor Liu has been printing and distributing bibles and other Christian literature to fellow believers free of charge to meet the rapid growth of believers.

According to a reliable source, Pastor Liu's office was searched without warrant, his bank account seized and cash in the amount of 8600 Yuan ($1,100) was confiscated.

Legal experts say this case is very similar to Beijing Pastor Cai Zhuohua's case. Pasor Cai was sentenced in 2005 to three years imprisonment for printing Christian literature.

China Aid says the Chinese government tries to persecute religious leaders by criminalizing their religious activities.

The group cites the case of Mr. Gao Zhisheng, a prominent lawyer whose law firm was closed last year by the Chinese government because of his volunteer work defending the rights of Pastor Liu Yuhua.

China Aid also learned at 1:30 p.m. on May 10, 11 pastors and house church leaders were arrested at #3 Chuyuan Residence Region, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province.

Approximately 60 house church believers were engaged in a bible study at Pastor Cai Zhirong's house when the raid occurred.

According to an eyewitness report, the PSB officers used electric shock batons to beat those believers who refused to be taken away because the police didn't have an arrest warrant.

After 10 hours of intensive interrogation, all 11 pastors including South Korean Pastor Cui Rongbo (Korean name unavailable) along with his two translators Pastor Cai Zhirong and Pastor Wu Changle were released. However, on May 11, South Korean Pastor Cui was taken away again by the Chinese authorities and ordered to leave China within 48 hours. Pastor Cui left China on May 13.

China Aid also says a prominent legal scholar, Dr. Fan Yafeng,was forbidden to go abroad. Dr. Fan is a researcher at China Academy of Social Sciences, a top think tank run by the Chinese government. At 12:30pm on May 9, Dr. Fan was informed by the customs security official at Beijing Capital Airport that "he has been put on a list of names that are forbidden to go abroad by a higher authority."

Dr. Fan was on his way to the United States to attend a meeting with President Bush. He was not allowed to attend the Freedom in China Summit on May 2 at the Hudson Institute because of obstacles put in place by the Chinese authorities. (Read the whole story at www.ChinaAid.org).

"This new wave of arrests is certainly a contradiction to the Chinese government's commitment to religious freedom," said China Aid's Rev. Bob Fu.

He added: "We urge the Chinese government to take concrete actions to demonstrate the true spirit of rule of law." China Aid is urging the Chinese government to immediately release the arrested pastors.

Those interested may communicate their concern to the Chinese authority at the following addresses:

Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong,
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
http://www.china-embassy.org/
TEL: 202-7456743
Fax: 202- 588-0032; 202-7457473

Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512
Premier Wen Jiabao, PRC
PO Box 1741, The State Council, Beijing, PRC (zip code 100017)
Contact Phone?+86-10-66012399
Email? gazette@mail.gov.cn

Ms. Wu Aiying, minister of Ministry of Justice of PRC
Tel: +86-10-65205114
Fax: +86-10-64729863
Email: pufamaster@legalinfo.gov.cn
Address?No. 10, Nan Da Jie, Chaoyangmen, Beijing City (Zip Code: 100020).

For further information on this story, contact:

Bob Fu, China Aid Association, Inc.
PO Box 8513 Midland, TX 79708
Tel: (267) 205-5210 Fax: (432) 686-8355
info@ChinaAid.org
www.ChinaAid.org
www.MonitorChina.org
(267) 205-5210
(432)230-5174

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.