200+ Police Officers and Government Officials in Henan Province of China Raid a House Church

From China Aide's newsletter

...last year the officials raided the house church where 54 young people were quietly attending a Bible study class.

          Suddenly, more than 200 police and government officials surrounded the meeting place and took all the students away, including a mother and her one-year-old infant!

          The entire police force of Ye county, officials from the township government, armed police and the fire brigade, and anti-terrorism police were all out in force to execute the police action.  Police were also equipped with two water cannons. In addition, the Pingdingshan Public Security Bureau and officers from the police stations of two neighboring townships also assisted in the raid.

          The Ye county Public Security Bureau has repeatedly refused to produce the legally required paperwork to the family of the detainees.  The relatives learned through private connections that the Public Security Bureau has already formally arrested the Christians and criminally detained them on the charge of “suspicion of organizing a cult to undermine national law enforcement.

           This persecution shocked ChinaAid so we’ve closely monitored the developments, calling on the development of the facts of the case.

           Our independent investigation finds that these house church members who are under arrest have not done anything wrong or anything illegal. They are being persecuted for nothing more than the exercise of their right to religious freedom by peacefully gathering to worship God.

This persecution shocked ChinaAid so we’ve closely monitored the developments, calling on the development of the facts of the case.

           Our independent investigation finds that these house church members who are under arrest have not done anything wrong or anything illegal. They are being persecuted for nothing more than the exercise of their right to religious freedom by peacefully gathering to worship God.

          Click here to help those illegally detained present an appeal.

          Now, fast forward to the current day . . .

          where in Henan the seven were sentenced on April 1 to prison sentences ranging from three to 7-1/2 years, according to the well-known Christian lawyer Li Baiguang.  Their defense lawyers received the verdict and sentencing papers just last week. 

          Those who were sentenced were: 

          Han Hai is 60 years old and received a seven and one-half year sentence. 

          Hu Linpo is 49 and from Singapore, a seven year sentence was received.

          Yang Lianbing, 23, received a three-year sentence.

          Zhang Mian, the owner if the residence received a four-year sentence.

          Cao Xia is in her 50’s and she received a 3-1/2-year sentence.

          Wang En and Li Dan, both females in their 20s each received a three-year    sentence.

          It’s unclear whether or not these sentences can be appealed, but, ChinaAid is looking into each case – it’s costly to appeal as each appeal can cost between $3,000 and $5,000.

Here is some of the information from

Ye County People’s Court of Henan Province Criminal Verdict 

Translated by China Aid Association 

The opinion of the seven defense lawyers was that the activities of the seven defendants involved in this case constituted a house church meeting of believers and they did not violate legal regulations. As for the conclusion that the three books are Shouters cult literature, this cannot be used as evidence because the Domestic Security Protection Squad of the Pingdingshan Public Security Bureau is not qualified to make such a determination; besides, the actions of the people involved in this case do not [conform] to the cult characteristic of being anti-government, anti-human, anti-social and anti-science, therefore, they cannot be identified as a cult group. The conduct of the seven defendants constitutes legal conduct of religious believers and the seven defendants are innocent. 

An investigation and trial have determined that at about 10 a.m. on April 14, 2012, Ye County Public Security Bureau, using information it had obtained, ferreted out an illegal meeting of the Shouters cult at Daying Village, Rendian Town of Ye County, immediately taking into custody 32 people who were attending the illegal gathering and confiscating 440 copies of the Shouters cult book “Morning Revival,” 340 copies of “New Testament Life Readings,” 271 copies of “Works of Watchman Nee,” 90 copies of the Bible, 50 copies of “Hymns,” 20 copies of “Classes in Truth,” 10 copies of “Correct Sisters,” 16 copies of “A Trip of the Bible,” 260 video tapes of the gatherings, 330 discs, three computer desktops, four LCD monitors and two electronic keyboards. Pingdingshan'sDomestic Security Protection Squad and anti-terrorist branch determined that “Morning Revival,” “Works of Watchman Nee” and “The Holy Bible Recovery Version” are the propaganda materials of the cult group the Shouters. 

The opinion of the seven defense lawyers was that the activities of the seven defendants involved in this case constituted a house church meeting of believers and they did not violate legal regulations. As for the conclusion that the three books are Shouters cult literature, this cannot be used as evidence because the Domestic Security Protection Squad of the Pingdingshan Public Security Bureau is not qualified to make such a determination; besides, the actions of the people involved in this case do not [conform] to the cult characteristic of being anti-government, anti-human, anti-social and anti-science, therefore, they cannot be identified as a cult group. The conduct of the seven defendants constitutes legal conduct of religious believers and the seven defendants are innocent. 

An investigation and trial have determined that at about 10 a.m. on April 14, 2012, Ye County Public Security Bureau, using information it had obtained, ferreted out an illegal meeting of the Shouters cult at Daying Village, Rendian Town of Ye County, immediately taking into custody 32 people who were attending the illegal gathering and confiscating 440 copies of the Shouters cult book “Morning Revival,” 340 copies of “New Testament Life Readings,” 271 copies of “Works of Watchman Nee,” 90 copies of the Bible, 50 copies of “Hymns,” 20 copies of “Classes in Truth,” 10 copies of “Correct Sisters,” 16 copies of “A Trip of the Bible,” 260 video tapes of the gatherings, 330 discs, three computer desktops, four LCD monitors and two electronic keyboards. Pingdingshan'sDomestic Security Protection Squad and anti-terrorist branch determined that “Morning Revival,” “Works of Watchman Nee” and “The Holy Bible Recovery Version” are the propaganda materials of the cult group the Shouters.