Release International

A sick and elderly Chinese mother who’s been jailed for two years’ has had to be moved to a medical centre because of her rapidly deteriorating health.

The authorities sentenced 75-year-old Shuang Shuying in February on what observers believe are charges intended to intimidate her family. They include her son, Christian human rights activist Hua Huiqi, who’s in detention.

Hua Huiqi is a member of the Beijing underground church and has campaigned for the rights of the poor and the persecuted in China.

His mother, Shuang Shuying, was arrested for damaging property after she went to government offices to inquire about her son. Earlier, she was knocked to the ground and beaten by Chinese Olympic Games police in Beijing.

Hua Huiqi was arrested with his mother Shuang Shuying in Beijing’s Olympic village in January. He was initially detained for a month pending further investigations on unspecified charges. But it is believed he could imminently face up to three years in jail.

Shuang Shuying is suffering from diabetes and has a heart problem. She is being held in a one-bedroom apartment with two other female prisoners - under 24-hour guard. Her condition is now said to be ‘very serious’.

Release International has produced a one-minute video alert about Shuang Shuying, which you can download from the www.prisoneralert.tv  The aim is to put pressure on the Chinese authorities to release Shuang ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.

‘Please harness the power of the Internet to send this video alert across the globe,’ says Release International’s CEO Andy Dipper. ‘Please pray for Shuang Shuying, that the Chinese authorities would do the right thing and let this old lady go.

‘And pray also that as the international spotlight shines on China for the Olympics, the State would finally allow true freedom of worship for millions of Christians.’

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

The latest edition of World Update on the Persecuted Church, the award-winning webcast by Release International, which features the story of Shuang Shuying, can be downloaded at: www.releaseinternational.org

For further information, please contact Andrew Boyd on 01730 301905 or 07986 712 813, or contact Release International on 01689 823491 or by email at info@releaseinternational.org

Through our international network of missions RI serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries, supporting pastors and Christian prisoners and their families, supplying Christian literature and Bibles, and working for justice. RI is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.

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