(Compass) – A series of arrests and raids in China during September and October indicate that a new crackdown is underway against Christians, even as the government professed its willingness to liberalize its policies on religion. Well-known evangelical leader Cai Zhuohua was among those arrested and reportedly faces an extremely harsh sentence because of his role in house church leadership and religious literature distribution. On November 9, Compass reported that Chinese officials had publicly declared new changes in religious policy, but evidence has since emerged that the regime issued three internal directives in August calling for much tighter control of religion. According to a report in a Chinese-language magazine, the new directives aim to suppress the conversion of Communist Party members, the growth of religion and religious organizations across the country, and the increase of religious activity on university campuses.
