Release International

Prominent house church leader Dr Xu Yonghai has been freed from jail -- but the Chinese authorities are determined to keep a close eye on him.

Dr Xu Yonghai was given a two-year sentence for 'providing state secrets to overseas organisations' in August 2004 and was held '80 days longer than he should have been', according to advocacy group Human Rights in China. News of his release on January 29 has only recently been confirmed.

The former psychiatric doctor from Beijing Pingan Hospital has told China Aid that security agents have installed three video cameras outside his home to monitor his movements. His identity cards, confiscated in jail, have not been returned to him.

Dr Xu was arrested in November 2003 after distributing to foreign media articles written by fellow Christian Liu Fenggang which exposed religious persecution in China. Their friend Zhang Shengqi, a computer technician, was arrested for mailing reports overseas. Liu, Xu and Zhang were given three-, two- and one-year sentences respectively.

The health of Liu, a house church leader who remains in jail, is said to be deteriorating because he is not being given treatment for a heart condition.

Act

• Write to express your solidarity with Dr Xu Yonghai. You can email Dr Xu at xuyonghai@hotmail.com. You can write to Premier Wen Jiabao, PO Box 1741, The State Council, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 100017; or email gazette@mail.gov.cn

Pray

• Thank God for the release of Dr Xu Yonghai and pray that he will settle quickly back into life in Beijing with his wife Li Shanna. Both Xu and his wife lost their jobs at the hospital after Xu's arrest. Pray that they will become immune to the authorities' attempts to limit their freedom.
• Continue to pray for the health and early release of Liu Fenggang.

Back to top