Chinese Authorities Again Deny Facility to Shouwang Church

Outdoor worship, arrests resume.

By Sarah Page

 

DUBLIN, January 3 (Compass Direct News) – Authorities in China again thwarted efforts by Shouwang Church to lease a worship facility at the year’s end, and the Beijing congregation again met outdoors on Sunday (Jan. 1) – resulting in the arrest of 48 members, sources said.

 

“The church tried three times to rent three different venues, but it was all to no avail because of the authorities’ intervention,” a source close to the church told Compass. “On Dec. 17, Shouwang signed a rental contract with a landlord for its new indoor worship venue. Two days later, the church’s books and some other belongings were moved into the new rented space.”

 

In the days that followed, however, the landlord terminated the contract due to pressure from “the local police station, the housing management office and leaders of various government agencies,” church leaders announced to members on Dec. 23.

 

Church leaders had initially arranged to have an indoor meeting on Sunday (Jan. 1) in a room they had leased from the Beijing Parkview Wuzhou Hotel on Dec. 17, according to a post on Shouwang’s Facebook page. But due to police interference and the cancellation of the lease, they moved to Plan B – a continuation of the outdoor worship services held every Sunday since April 10.

 

Shouwang began meeting outdoors last year after authorities blocked their attempts to rent worship venues or use a building they had purchased. Church leaders had hoped the situation would change early in the new year.

 

“The outdoor worship service has come to an end,” Shouwang had announced on its Facebook page. “We first want to offer our thanksgiving to God … We also pray that God will continue to open a way for us.”

 

The post also described how the church had recently signed three leases with landlords in Zhongguancun, the area where the church has worshiped since it was founded, but that all three were revoked.

 

New Year Arrests

Police detained at least 48 church members who gathered for outdoor worship on Sunday (Jan. 1), releasing 40 of them by midnight, Shouwang’s governing committee stated on its Facebook page.

 

Early on the morning of Dec. 25, church members had arrived at Zhongguancun square only to find it heavily guarded with industrial-strength rails blocking access, the committee reported. Police arrested 41 Christians who attempted to worship at the square, releasing all but one by midnight. The final detainee was released at 3 p.m. on Dec. 26.

 

During the 38 weeks of outdoor worship in 2011, police detained almost 1,000 church members and held many more under house arrest, according to the committee.

 

One church member who shared his testimony on the Facebook page on Dec. 26 said that the Christians detained indoors usually felt sorry for those waiting outside in the cold as they were able to “read books and have fellowship in a warm room.” But on Christmas Day an officer interrogated him, taunting him for being afraid to give his home address and threatening to “hold you for more than 10 days so that you will lose your job. I will find out where you live and force you to move.”

 

“As for my job, no one can fire me if God does not allow it,” the church member wrote. He also advised other church members, “How long they detain you has nothing to do with whether you cooperate with them or not, just as God’s love for you has nothing to do with what you do. So do not be afraid, and be brave in speaking out as the Holy Spirit guides you.”

 

His advice was timely as Shouwang church plans to continue meeting outdoors until a more permanent solution is found, and officials seem just as determined to stop them.

 

“By arbitrarily detaining peaceful religious believers in the capital city on the first day of 2012, Beijing authorities show that they are determined to continue their crackdown on independent religious groups in the coming year,” China Aid Association President Bob Fu stated on Sunday (Jan. 1).

 

www.compassdirect.org

 

END

 

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Copyright 2012 Compass Direct News

Growing concern over condition of four detainees arrested at AOG church in Iran

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

AHWAZ, IRAN (ANS) -- Following an attack on the Assemblies of God Church of Ahwaz, which resulted in the arrest of a number of Christians and their children, concerns are growing over the conditions of four of these detainees.

According to reporters of Iranian Christian News Agency, Mohabat News, www.mohabatnews.com , concerns are growing over the unknown conditions of four of the people arrested during the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz which took place almost one week ago.

Christian detainees from the AOG Church in Ahwaz, Iran (Courtesy: Mohabat News).

Mohabat News says the detainees include Farhad Sabokroh, the Pastor of the AOG church of Ahwaz, his wife Shahnaz and two other ministers and converts called Naser Zamen-Dezfuli and Davoud Alijani, who is also called David. No reliable information is available regarding their health and conditions in the places where they are being held.

According to Mohabat News, at 11 A.M. on Friday, December 23, security agents of the intelligence ministry raided the AOG church of Ahwaz in a pre-organized manner. All attendees at the weekly service were arrested and transferred by bus to an unknown location.

This report indicates that the security agents, whose faces were covered, showed no mercy to the Sunday school children of the church, apprehending them together with their parents who were present at the church. This incident has caused serious mental injury to these children.

After some hours all detainees were freed once their personal details such as home addresses were recorded, the news agency said.

However, four of the detainees named above, are still being held. The latest report on their condition indicates that Farhad Sabokroh and his wife suffer from varicose veins and their general health condition is not good. They were held in custody in the intelligence office until December 28 and were then separated and transferred to unknown locations and the news agency has received no further update concerning them.

The other two detainees are Naser Zamen-Dezfuli who is about 60 years of age and Davoud (David) Alijani who is 30. Before being arrested, Zamen-Dezfuli had his own business and Alijani was an engineer at a petrochemical site in Mahshahr port. After accepting Christ and applying Christian faith in his life, David was threatened and interrogated several times and was eventually fired from his engineering position.

Mohabat News says the health conditions, whereabouts and fate of these Christians are unknown, but it has been rumored that they might still be in the custody center of the intelligence office of Ahwaz or may have been transferred to Karoon prison of Ahwaz. Their families' efforts to obtain news concerning their whereabouts have yielded no information as yet.

Mohabat News commented: “This lack of news about their situation has resulted in a wave of anxiety among Christians, the detainees' families and especially the leaders of the churches in Iran. It's also being reported that the Ministry of Intelligence has even asked the leaders of the AOG church in Iran to not take any action in this regard.

“We hope that in this Christmas season, which involves celebrations and joy for our Savior's birthday, arrangements for the release of these Christians can be made and they will be released as soon as possible.”

Intense control over churches by security authorities
Mohabat News said this year, December 25, Christmas Day was on Sunday and Sundays are work-days in Iran.

“So, Iranian Christians gathered in churches on Friday, December 23 to celebrate Christmas, give thanks to God and worship their Lord, as Friday is a weekend day in Islamic countries.”

The agency goes on to say that based on the reports received by Mohabat News, agents of the intelligence office of Ahwaz predicted that large number of people might gather in the church on this date. Therefore they watched all traffic to the church on December 22. Then they attacked the church right at the time of celebration and arrested all attendees.

The agency added: “It is being said that one of the reasons for this attack by security agents was that the church leaders had neglected the warnings and orders of the Ministry of Intelligence which watches closely over the congregations and members of the official churches. Each month this ministry also summons the church leaders and gives them instructions which they are obliged to observe in their churches.”

Mohabat News explained that Article 13 of the Iranian constitution clearly states that Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians are the only recognized religious minorities in Iran.

“They are free to practice their faith within the limits of the law and are allowed to act according to their own canons regarding personal matters and religious education,” the agency stated.

“Although this attack by security and judicial authorities of Islamic regime of Iran contravenes the constitution and is considered interference in church affairs, it seems that the Islamic Republic doesn't fear or worry in this regard as it used to do.

“It seems that the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz by security and intelligence agents on December 23 and the arrest of a number of church members occurred due to the broad and increasing interest in Christmas celebrations at the church by guests and new believers. Apparently the leaders of this church had not given sufficient credit to the warnings by the Ministry of Intelligence,” the agency said.

“It is noteworthy that official churches are under close scrutiny by security agents to the extent that in some of these churches, the church leaders or caretakers prevent visitors from entering the church building or refer them to the office of Islamic Guidance in order to receive a permit to enter the church by providing their personal information to the authorities!”

Mohabat News concluded: “We need to mention here that harassment and discrimination against religious minorities has been a major issue that has been violated by the Islamic regime of Iran.”

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Iran: Temporary release of a detainee, arrested at Christmas in Church of Ahwaz

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

AHWAZ, IRAN (ANS) -- Following an attack by security authorities on the Assemblies of God (AOG) church of Ahwaz, which resulted in the arrest of the pastor of the church and three other ministers including the pastor's wife, Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan has now been temporarily released after providing bail.

Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan

According to reporters of the Iranian Christian News Agency, Mohabat News

(www.mohabatnews.com), Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan, Pastor Farhad Sabokroh's wife was temporarily released on bail on the first day of 2012 after 10 days in custody.

“She had been transferred to the custody center of the intelligence office of Ahwaz to be interrogated together with her husband and two other ministers of the church,” said the story.

Khuzestan province – Ahwaz

The temporary release of Pastor Sabokroh's wife took place shortly after Mohabat News published a series of articles on the internet regarding the concern of the Iranian Christian community over this incident and the unknown condition of these detainees.

Mrs. Jeizan was arrested during the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz by security authorities on December 23, 2011. Everyone in attendance at the church including children were arrested during that raid as well.

Knowledgeable sources told Mohabat News that the whereabouts and conditions of Pastor Sabokroh and two ministers, Naser Zamen-Dezfuli and Davoud (David) Alijani, are still unknown.

“It should be remembered that when security authorities attacked the AOG church of Ahwaz on 23 December 2011, everyone in attendance at the weekly service were arrested and transferred to an unknown location by bus,” the story continued.

“Reports of the incident indicate that security authorities had their faces covered and treated the Sunday school children of the church badly as they arrested them. This deeply injured these children's minds.

“After some hours, most attendees who were arrested at the Christmas celebrations were freed but their personal information including addresses were recorded by security officials.”

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Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books, one of which is his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

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** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

'Disappeared' Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Imprisoned in Remote Far Western China

Attorney Gao Zhisheng with his family, prior to his arrest in
 2006. (Photo courtesy: The Epoch Times)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- For the first time since his most recent forced disappearance 20 months ago, the whereabouts of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng were confirmed on Sunday.

ChinaAid learned that Gao Zhisheng's older brother, Gao Zhiyi, received written notification on Sunday of Gao's incarceration in Shaya Prison in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in far western China.  The notification was signed and dated on Dec. 19 by the prison.

Gao disappeared into police custody in April 2010, the most recent in a series of forced disappearances since his 2006 conviction on a subversion charge.  On Dec. 16, just days before his five-year probation period was to have ended, the Chinese government announced that it was sending him to prison for three years for violating his probation.  It was the first word that he was still alive, but no information of his whereabouts or condition was released.

Shaya (Xayar) Prison is located in Aksu Prefecture, about 1,130 kilometers (700 miles) southwest of the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi.

"Gao's internal exile reminds the world of how former Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov was cruelly treated in Siberia in the 1980s," said ChinaAid founder and president Bob Fu, a friend of Gao. "The Chinese government can use this remote jail to prevent concerned people from visiting Attorney Gao, but just like Sakharov, Gao's courageous voice can never be silenced by the four walls of his prison cell."

Gao Zhiyi is planning to visit Gao Zhisheng as soon as he gets a physical address of the prison.

Mubarak goes to trial

Ex President Hosni Mubarak carried
 into court on a stretcher as his trial
 resumed Monday.

Egypt (MNN) ― The trial of ex-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resumed Monday under speculation by many that charges could be dismissed against him. Why? A recent acquittal of policemen tried in the killings of protesters. This could bring even more unrest to the nation still in search of a leader.

Tom Doyle with E3 Partners travels to the region regularly. What happens if Mubark is set free? "If he's set free, they'll be more rioting. I think it'll be worse. So you look at all the different scenarios, and none of them look like they have positive outcomes, which is kind of sad for Egypt."

Mubarak was a stabilizing force in Egypt, even for Christians. Doyle says the replacement for Mubarak's government hasn't been good for Christians. "Now that we've got the [Muslim] Brotherhood surging forward--and now even the Salafis, which is even more radical, it's not looking good for Egypt. For Christians I think it can only get worse."

However, there is good news. Doyle says many Egyptians are turning to Christ. E3 Partners was recently in Egypt to train 300 national Christians. "Many of them had been believers for only a couple of years. And, talk about a passion to get the Gospel to Muslims!"

While 85% of Egyptians believe Muslims leaving Islam should be killed, Doyle says, "Here are 300 young people getting training on reaching out to Muslims, how they are going to disciple them, how they are going to place them in house churches. It is very exciting to see these young people who have said, 'The church is the answer, and we're going to [take] Jesus to every village. We're going to die trying if we have to."

In the meantime, E3 Partners is intimately involved in training these believers. Doyle says they need your support and encouragement. "Even in these terrible political times, the church is being called out. Muslims are coming to faith in Christ. So, go to the E3 Web site and pray, and even go on a trip and work in the area, or support some of the team there."

Click here if you'd like to help.  

2012 brings push for bill that could protect India's Christians

India (MNN) ― Christians in India celebrated Christmas under the threat of violence. While there were isolated incidents reported, nothing on the scale of the Orissa pogrom of 2008 emerged.

Despite relief, they've begun this year with a push toward passing the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011.

Government reports show more than 6,000 incidents of communal violence were reported in India in the past ten years. That's a pattern that's likely to continue.  KP Yohannann with Gospel for Asia says, "Personally, I don't expect this to change because more and more, people are choosing to follow Christ."

   

He goes on to say that, "Our people are facing persecution. Even recently, people walking into Sunday morning service, disrupting it, and attacking the missionaries and the pastors, threatening Christian families to renounce their faith." But he adds, "It is not as widespread as it was."

Some areas are more volatile than others. "Orissa has been, for years, what you call a 'boiling pot.' Whether the government is BJP or Congress, it seems that the fundamentalists seem to have a tremendous amount of network established."

In Kandhamal district, anti-Christians called for a general strike that would "Stop Christmas." GFA workers were worried that riots would erupt. Many fled their villages and took refuge in surrounding areas.

It's the same area that was most severely persecuted in the attacks against Christians in 2008. Throughout Orissa, more than 120 men, women, and children were murdered, and hundreds of homes and churches were destroyed.

These concerns are why the All India Christian Council (AICC) is pushing for the Bill to be presented to Parliament soon. It was drafted by the National Advisory Council and is now with the Union government.

Religious minorities and many members of civil society support it as a way to curb communal violence and bring justice to the victims. The problem, Yohannan says, is that, "People use religion, especially of the illiterate, innocent people, as a means to capture political ground and power. Religious fanaticism always is used by the crafty politicians to get power."

But it's really bigger than politics, Yohannan points out. Because GFA workers are tirelessly sharing the hope of Christ, people are coming to faith in Him. That means the opposition isn't so much extremists. "It's a really strong spiritual warfare. I think the strongest weapon we can use against this thing is prayer and fasting. Then, as Hebrews says, 'Come alongside the suffering brethren, and love them, embrace them, help them.'"

Passage of the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill would protect some of the more vulnerable populations. However, Yohannan says this is not merely a political issue. "These communities, Muslim communities, Hindu and all, I think more and more people will come to know Jesus Christ, no matter what."

  

Pray for the believers in Orissa, that they will not fear and will remain strong in the Lord during this time. Pray that they will be lights shining in the darkness and that the Lord will protect them.