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Monday, May 24, 2004 |
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TURKMENISTAN: Unregistered religious activity still illegal |
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By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service |
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Unregistered religious activity remains illegal, an official of the Adalat (Fairness or Justice) Ministry has confirmed, despite a presidential decree abolishing criminal penalties for worshipping without state approval. "If people act without registration they will be fined," Murat Muradov, a specialist at the ministry, told Forum 18 News Service. The ban on unregistered activity in the religion law has not been amended and Article 205 of the Administrative Code, which spells out fines of up to ten times the minimum monthly wage for leading or even taking part in unregistered worship services, remains in force. Muradov denied any harassment of believers in Turkmenistan, describing those who had told Forum 18 of such harassment as "sick". More than ten weeks after the president reduced the number of members required to register a community from 500 to five, no new communities have yet been able to register. [read more...] |
. 7:08:11 PM 
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CHINESE HOUSE CHURCH TEACHER KILLED IN CUSTODY, OTHERS DETAINED
As church officials flee persecution
By Stefan J. Bos
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
BEIJING, CHINA (ANS) -- A teacher of an influential Chinese house church with 500,000 members was beaten to death by Chinese security forces and several other believers and leaders were detained, a well informed human rights watchdog said Monday, May 24.
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) said it had learned that Gu Xianggao, 28, "was beaten to death on April 27 while in the custody of Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers." Gu was a teacher of the house church group "Three Grades Servants" in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China.
VOM said his was killed after the PSB in Harbin City, Heilongjiang province, conducted major raids on the group in April.
Group leader Xu Shuangfu, a well-known house church leader since the 1980s, was also among those detained, VOM said. He has been arrested more than 20 times, and spent over 20 years in prison, the organization explained.
PARENTS SEE SON
It was not immediately clear what his status is.
Parents of the murdered teacher were summoned to see their son's body on April 27, after a PSB official told local police of his hometown Laiyang city to deliver his parents to Harbin city PSB offices.
"There, they were shown their son’s body, which was then immediately cremated. The parents were paid almost 28,000 US$—a fortune to a Chinese family—then ordered not to tell what had happened," VOM claimed.
"ANOTHER TRAGEDY"
"This is another tragedy in China," said VOM Spokesman Todd Nettleton in a statement send to BosNewsLife. "No one, no matter their religious background, deserves this kind of treatment. It is time for the world to stand up and take notice of China’s treatment of unregistered religious groups."
In addition in east-central China, well-known house church leader Zhao Wenquan was arrested May 9 in Hegou Town, Meng Cheng County, Anhui Province, VOM said.
"More than 4000 Christians gathered in the village for a special harvest celebration, sponsored by a six-year-old local house church. The church usually has only 2-300 for gatherings, so the large meeting was quickly noticed by officials."
The Domestic Security Protection Division Team of the Meng Cheng County PSB raided the large gathering. Their first action was to arrest the church watchman, a disabled man. He was later released, VOM said.
CHURCH LEADERS FLEE
Zhao, who is more than 60 years old, was arrested after the harvest celebration ended. He has been working in China’s unregistered churches for more than 30 years. About a dozen other church leaders escaped and are still on the run, VOM added.
Zhao has reportedly been charged with “disturbing the social order” and with organizing an “illegal religious gathering.” He is believed to be incarcerated at the Meng Cheng County PSB Detention Center. He could be sentenced, without a trial, to three years of so-called “re-education through labor.”
“We encourage Christians around the world to pray for Brother Zhao, and to send polite letters of protest to the Chinese government,” said Nettleton. Letters can be addressed to:
Ambassador Yang Jiechi
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
Tel:(202) 328-2500 Fax:(202) 588-0032
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512
Chinese authorities were not immediately available for comments. However the Chinese government has maintained it is cracking down on what it considers as "dangerous" and "destructive sects." Analysts say that China is experiencing the largest church growth in the world, despite reports of ongoing persecution of active Christians.
. 7:03:31 PM
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© 2004 Radio Free China
Last Update: 6/1/2004; 10:52:11 AM
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