Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, 267-205-5210, info@ChinaAid.org; www.ChinaAid.org, www.monitorChina.org

MIDLAND, Texas, Dec. 21 /Standard Newswire/ -- China Aid Association learned that December 7, 2006 a group of policemen along with some unidentified people broke into the home of Xiu Ruibin, a house church missionary in Beijing, beat the people in the house and destroyed the furniture. Another church leader was put under house arrest in Xiaoshan on the eve of the court trial for 8 Christian leaders.

Photo: Christian Ni Weiliang facing trial December 22

A few days before the attack, some ex-colleagues of Xiu in Heilongjiang Province, who came to Beijing to complain to the Central Government about illegal actions of their local government, were physically attacked by unknown assailants. Xiu took them into her own home for their safety and to preach the gospel to them.

December 7, 2006, a group of policemen, led by officer An, came to Xiu's home to investigate. They threatened the guests and confiscated their ID cards.

Since the police did not show a warrant or other legal documents, Xiu protested to An. Not long after, An came and asked to enter into Xiu's home again. Xiu refused because he still could not produce a search warrant.

In his anger An called several policemen and a gang of ruffians. Being afraid that her guests and her family would be hurt, she closed the iron door immediately and dialed 110 (China's 911).

But the iron door was quickly broken. The ruffians rushed into the home, destroyed all the electrical appliances and the furniture. Xiu's six-year old daughter was terrified and cried. About a dozen Christians were taken away.

Xiu's husband, Mr. Zhang Honggang is very worried about the safety of his wife and other family members because historically any one who offends a police officer in charge of their area can not expect to receive any peace. Zhang asked the brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for them. He hoped to solve the issue by legal measures to ensure the family's safety, but can not afford to hire a lawyer.

According to Xiu, being a house church minister, she often hosts at home Christian gatherings, which is frequently disturbed by the police. The police even threaten the Christians with guns.

CAA also learned that December 14, 2006, on the eve of the trial of the 8 Christian leaders in Xiaoshan, Zhejiang Province, two other remnant church leaders, Tu Shichang and Yu Fuliang were kidnapped by a group of unidentified people on their way to the church. The police refused the inquiry of their family members when other Christians who were arrested in a separate location at the same time had been set free. Three days after their disappearance, the police informed their family members that both of them have been secretly held in a hotel. It is believed the action was to prohibit the Christians to cause any trouble during the trial.

CAA also confirms that a Shanghai House Church Leader Wang Mingwei was interrogated again December 12, by the Xuhui District PSB office and later that day he was released. December 13 and 14, his girl friend was pressured to deny her Christian faith and discontinue her relationship with brother Wang by the security guards and her boss in her work unit. Their House Church was raided December 9, 2006.

"What has happened to the House Church in Beijing, the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games and the Capital of China, is a shame, "said Bob Fu, President of CAA. "The upcoming pre-Christmas trial of the innocent Christian leaders in Zhejiang will be regarded by the international community as a litmus test for religious freedom and the rule of law in China."

CAA is arranging financial and legal assistance to these persecuted members. We urge the international community to write and call the Chinese authority to show your concern:

Secretary XI Jinping, Party General Secretary of Zhejinag Province

Tel: +86-571-7052463

Address: No. 1, Sheng Fu Lu, Xihu District, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province (Zip code:310025)

+86-571-7052463

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
Ms. Wu Aiying, minister of Ministry of Justice of PRC
Address: 10, Nan Da Jie, Chaoyangmen, Beijing (Zip Code: 100020)