CHINA: JAILED GRANDMOTHER’S CONDITION NOW ‘VERY SERIOUS’ Mother of Christian activist arrested by Olympic Games police to put pressure on family Plus news from India, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan |
| May 18 2007 |
| Postings >> China |
Persecution Now
China: A 75-year-old woman who has been jailed for two years’ has had to be moved to a medical centre because of growing fears for her health.
The authorities sentenced Shuang Shuying in February on what observers believe are trumped-up charges intended to intimidate her family.
Her son, Hua Huiqi, is a well-known member of a Beijing house church and human rights activist. He’s has campaigned on behalf of the poor and against the closure of Chinese house churches. The authorities arrested him in January.
His mother’s condition is said to be ‘very serious’. Shuang Shuying, who’s suffering from diabetes and has a heart problem, is being held in a one-bedroom apartment with two other female prisoners - under 24-hour guard.
Release International has produced a one-minute video alert about Shuang Shuying, which you can download from the website. The aim is to put pressure on the Chinese authorities to release Shuang in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games (China Aid Association).
India: an eighth state now looks set to bring in anti-conversion laws. The Hindu nationalist BJP party is expected to follow through on its pre-election plans in the northern state of Uttarakhand.
Anti-conversion laws have been used extensively in India to crack down on Christians. Hindu extremists commonly criticise Christians for converting people through force or bribery. Calls to repentance could be seen as a threat, while Christian charity work could be seen as bribery. In many cases the laws have led to violence against Christians.
A spokesman for the Christian Legal Association says the ‘sole motive’ behind this latest anti-conversion law is to make it easier for Hindu extremists to thwart Christian work (Compass Direct).
Kazakhstan: Churchgoers claim an ‘economic war’ is being waged against Baptists who attend churches not recognised by the state.
The authorities are confiscating homes, cars, washing machines - and even pigs - from members of Baptist churches that have refused to pay fines for being unregistered.
Now the government is docking money from the wages of Baptists until their fines are paid (Forum 18).
Turkmenistan: a court has sentenced a Baptist church leader to three years in a labour camp. They accused Vyacheslav Kalataevsky of illegally crossing the border, but his family and lawyers insist he’s been singled out because of his Baptist church activities.
As in Kazakhstan, the state refuses to recognise Baptist churches, and regards its members as belonging to a cult. Kalatevsky is to launch a court appeal against his imprisonment in the next ten days (Forum 18).
Release International serves the persecuted Church in 30 nations. For video reports download our monthly webcast World Update - available from the Release International website: www.releaseinternational.org
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Notes to the Editor
This edition of Persecution Now is the last in the series. For video reports our monthly webcast – World Update on the Persecuted Church – is available from the website: www.releaseinternational.org
Additional sources:
For further information, please contact Andrew Boyd on 01730 301905 or 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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