2017 Annual Briefing on the Chinese Communist Government’s Persecution of The Church of Almighty God

Since early 2017, the authorities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has launched a full-scale “Door-knocking Operation” in Mainland China, conducting a “blanket” and “dragnet” search for the Christians of The Church of Almighty God (CAG). They’ve established a database. By making use of the “network management,” they exerted control over Christians, watching for a chance to conduct centralized arrests. This operation has subjected the CAG Christians to persecution on an even larger scale.

Based on incomplete statistics, in the whole year of 2017, at least 7,899 CAG Christians were subjected to the Chinese authorities’ persecution in Mainland China’s 32 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities for attending gatherings, preaching the gospel, and all other justified activities of the faith.

At least 4,969 church members were harassed, including having their personal information collected, being threatened into writing “Statement of Guarantee,” being forced into being photographed, video recorded, monitored, and having their fingerprints, blood samples and hair collected; among them, 372 members had their homes illegally searched.

At least 2,930 members were illegally arrested, among whom 1,425 were subjected to short-term or long-term detainment, 59 were subjected to various torture under kangaroo courts, 163 were sentenced to imprisonment, and at least 32,213,023 RMB was confiscated.

The above cases concerning the persecuted Christians (only alias provided) of The Church of Almighty God are publicized on the official website of The Church of Almighty God at https://www.godfootsteps.org/proofs/.

According to incomplete statistics, as of December 31, 2017, there are already 51 CAG Christians persecuted till death by the Chinese Communist government, 606 CAG Christians remained in detention, and the longest prison term is known as 14 years so far, and 47 members were released in 2017 after serving their terms. Part of the name list concerning the current imprinsoned Christians has been publicized on the website of HRWF.

As the Communist government is currently carrying out a full-scale investigation and making wanton arrests of the CAG Christians, this has caused many Christians to go into hiding. Many Christians arrested or kept under surveillance after their release are no longer contactable, so it is very difficult to conduct a comprehensive and detailed survey of all the Christians who have been captured and persecuted. When it comes to the number of the CAG Christians arrested and persecuted this year, the above statistics are only the tip of the iceberg.

Attached here are one case of death by persecution, two cases of cruel torture, and three cases of imprisonment after severe sentences.

More details at: 2017 Annual Briefing on the Chinese Communist Government’s Persecution of The Church of Almighty God