House Church Leader Released

(China Aid) – Well-known house church leader Zhao Wenquan was released from custody Tuesday, 14 days after his May 9 arrest in Hegou Town , Meng Cheng County , Anhui Province. Sources in China say Zhao suffered only “minor beatings” during his incarceration, and was in good spirits after his release. Members of his house church group expressed their thankfulness for international prayer and protest after Zhao’s arrest. “This is a positive response to the international concern.” Zhao was arrested when the Domestic Security Protection Division Team of the Meng Cheng County PSB raided a group of more than 4000 Christians gathered for a special harvest celebration. It appears that his 14-day “administrative detention” will be the only punishment for his involvement in this gathering. The original charges of “disturbing the social order” and organizing an “illegal religious gathering” appear to have been dropped after the international outcry. Zhao, who is more than 60 years old, has been working in China ’s unregistered churches for more than 30 years. About a dozen other church leaders who escaped arrest on the day of the harvest celebration are still on the run.