Tourists Mistreated, Pastors Tortured In China

More than 200 Chinese house church pastors and believers have been arrested in three provinces since July 2005, according to reports from Texas-based China Aid Association. Two American tourists were reportedly mistreated when they were arrested and a house church in Shanghai was ordered closed.

The same day, 41 Chinese pastors and believers from the evangelical South China Church were taken to prison.

Other reports revealed that some 100 Christian high school aged students were arrested and interrogated for hours after attending a vocational Bible school organized by their Christian parents.

“To disrupt and close normal Christian fellowship meetings, as well as confiscate personal property is contrary to the government’s claim to guarantee religious freedom in China,” said Bob Fu, CAA’s president. “We urge people of all faiths to take action to protest the mistreatment and torture of these pastors and demand their immediate release.”

(EP News)