By Michael Ireland,
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
HENAN, CHINA – Additional information has just been received regarding the 50 House Church Christians arrested on December 3, 2008 in Zhoukou township of Taikang county, Henan Province.
ChinaAid says that on December 3, Taikang county, Henan province, more than 50 house church Christians gathered in the home Xie Ruming.
Officials from the Taikang County Domestic Defense Protection Squad suddenly broke into the home, according to the ministry.
ChinaAid reports: “All of the Christians were arrested and officials seized the following items: 22 copies of the textbook ‘Training in Ministering the Gospel to Children’ designed for proselytizing for the children, seven optical discs, 15 pages of proselytizing series lessons and other items.”
ChinaAid confirmed that about 20 Christians were sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention and a 1,000 yuan fine $150 USD. They were accused of being a “Shouter evil cult.” However, all of the arrested are members of a mainstream house church group called China Gospel Fellowship.
The ministry says Tang Houyong, Shu Wenxiang and Xie Zhenqi each received a one-year sentence of re-education through labor for “illegal proselytizing” and attending an “illegal gathering.”
Read the “Decision Statements for Re-education Through Labor” for Christian prisoners Tang Huoyong, Shu Wenxiang and Xie Zhenqi in Zhoukou, Henan province here: http://chinaaid.org/2009/01/06/decision-statements-for-re-education-through-labor-for-shu-wenxiangtang-huoyong-and-xie-zhenqi/
