ICC Note: Authorities in Beijing issued a notice on July 4 ordering local offices to investigate churches in the area and report back before July 19. The notice mandated collection of specific information about Christian meeting places, such as addresses, names of landlords, age bracket of congregation members, and whether or not churches are registered with the government.
07/15/2018 China (China Aid) – Beijing ordered all of its districts to execute a thorough investigation of churches in early July, ChinaAid learned recently.
Haidian District’s Office of Ethics, Religious, and Overseas Chinese Affairs issued a notice on July 4, ordering government departments to make contact with churches in the area and return the information to the Office before July 19. They may also collaborate with the police in order to fully understand the situation of individual churches.
A local Christian said that such efforts to suppress Christianity have spread across the city. While Haidian District was circulating this information, the government required its personnel fill out a form, called “Questionnaire Regarding Christian Meeting Places,” in order various details about churches, including: names of meeting places, their addresses, names of landlords, church phone numbers, pastors, missionaries, whether or not the church is registered, and the age bracket of congregation members.
Ni Yulan, a member of the serially persecuted Holy Love Fellowship, an unregistered Beijing church, told ChinaAid, “(The government’s) control is more and more severe. They are preparing for further suppression by touching base and collecting information. This is only the start.”
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For interviews with Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
