With Lockdown Lifted, Crackdowns on Churches Intensify
The minute coronavirus prevention restrictions were eased, state-run churches in Jiangxi Province felt the resurgence of onslaughts. Many were closed for good.
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Religious Persecution
Prisoners of Faith Forced to Make Goods for Foreign Markets
A member of The Church of Almighty God (CAG)—the single most persecuted religious movement in China—in her 30s now, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014. Accused of “using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement” just for her belief, she served the time in a women’s prison in northwestern China.
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CCP Advances ‘Sinicization’ of Religion Amid the Pandemic
Along with orders banning religious gatherings to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Chinese government also increased censorship of religious information on the internet, banning preaching and other services online. Along these measures, the CCP demands the clergy of state-run churches to study President Xi Jinping’s religion “sinicization” policy, integrate it into their sermons, and prove their loyalty to the government.
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‘Ensuring Stability’ by Demolishing Places of Worship
Unregistered house churches remain key targets of religious persecution as China re-opens after coronavirus lockdowns.
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Muslims Threatened Not to Resist the Removal of Islamic Symbols
To enforce its Islam “sinicization” policy, the CCP removes domes and star-and-crescents from mosques and demands total submissiveness from the Muslim population.
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Online Buyers of Religious Books Caught and Interrogated
The CCP intensifies inquiries into Christians’ online activities, scrutinizing their every digital step, including purchases of “illegal” religious materials.
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73 CAG Members Sentenced to Prison in Hunan and Jiangsu
The Church of Almighty God remains one of the primary targets of China’s religious persecution, as its members are given hefty sentences for practicing their faith.
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Three-Self Churches Continue to Be Destroyed Amid the Pandemic
As the coronavirus was spreading throughout China, CCP-run Protestant churches and their congregations suffered continuous crackdowns at the hands of the government.
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Crosses Removed from Numerous State-Run Protestant Churches
Though approved by the government, Three-Self churches are not guaranteed protection from the state, and they often become targets of religious persecution.
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Over 300 Protestant Churches Closed in Two Provinces
Jiangsu and Liaoning provinces continue reducing the number of places for believers to assemble, barring state-run and house churches alike.
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