Christians Facing Struggles

Posted on 16 May 2010.

On 27 October 2009, 37-year-old Uyghur pastor Alimujiang Yimiti was sentenced by a court in Kashgar, Xinjiang province, to a 15-year jail term for allegedly "providing state secrets to overseas organizations". The charges appear to result from his meeting with visiting Christians from the United States.

He had been formally detained by Kashgar national security police in January 2008 and was charged and then held at the Kashgar Detention Centre. A former Muslim, Alimujiang had been pastor of a house church in Xinjiang. On 20 April this year, Alimujiang was finally allowed a 15-minute conversation with his wife and two sons, their first personal contact since he was detained more than two years ago.

On 9 March, a group of house church Christians was arrested by police in Yucheng county, Henan province. When family members went to the police station to find out what had happened, they were told that the Christians belonged to a cult and that they needed to pay large fines before being released. China Aid reported, "One of the arrested Christian women was able to leave after her family paid the fine of several thousand yuan. However, not everyone was able to gather the yuan needed to pay the fine. Gao Jianli, Hua Yulan, Liu Yunshan and his wife Zheng Yumei were sent to a detention centre as a consequence." At the detention centre, authorities demanded the families bring bedding and pay a "living expense" of 500 RMB before being allowed to see their loved ones. When the believers refused to deny their faith in Christ, they were told by a police officer, "Since you still want to believe in Him, then you will be sentenced to one year of re-education through labour and I would like to see whether you still believe in Him!"

Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng ran into trouble when he defended some of China's disadvantaged groups. His law practice was closed down in 2005 and he was later given a suspended prison sentence for "inciting subversion". On his release from custody, Gao described the torture he had experienced while awaiting trial and continued to stand up for injustice. In February 2009, Gao was taken away for interrogation by security officials. For many months nothing was heard from him and there was much concern for his safety. Then towards the end of March 2010, he was able to speak to his wife for the first time in over a year. Some days later, he appeared in Beijing, saying he was giving up his campaigning in the hope that he can be reunited with his family, who had fled to the US in early 2009. "I don't have the capacity to persevere," he said. "I just want to be in peace and quiet for a while and be reunited with my family. Most people belong with family. I have not been with mine for a long time."

Pray for Uyghur pastor Alimujiang Yimiti facing a 15-year jail sentence following meetings with visiting Christians from the US.

Pray for the group of house church Christians in Yucheng county, Henan province, who have been sentenced to a year of re-education through labour.

Pray for Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng whose whereabouts is still uncertain and who is seeking to be reunited with his wife and two children.