Crackdown persists on Early Rain  Church

More than 30 students had gathered at a restaurant for an “Introduction to Christianity” class offered by the church and a communal meal. Around 6:00 p.m., about 20 law enforcement personnel arrived at the building.

 

“About 20 [police officers were there],” an unnamed witness taking part in the class said. “They confiscated all our cell phones and IDs. Then, we were taken to the nearby Shuyuan Police Station.”

 

Two Christians, Zhu Hong and Ke Li, were interrogated., and 34 other Christians were taken to another floor in the station and questioned.

 

While at the police station, the Christians did not have access to food or drink, and the students said that it was very cold in the interrogation room.

 

Cheng Ju, one of the Christians, shared her faith with one of the police officers while she was being held and prayed for him.

 

Months-long persecution of Early Rain Covenant Church culminated on Dec. 9 in an overnight mass arrest, with around 100 people in custody. Within a week, an estimated 160 members of Early Rain Covenant Church had been imprisoned, including one of its pastors, Wang Yi, and Jiang Rong, Wang’s wife, along with several elders. Wang and Jiang were later placed under criminal detention for “inciting subversion of state power.”