The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has intensified its crackdown on Christians from The Church of Almighty God (CAG), launching three large-scale operations in Guangdong’s Guangzhou City over the past three years. During the last two years, at least 243 individuals have been sentenced, with the longest sentence reaching 11 years, and one devotee has reportedly died while in custody.
From April 23 to 25, 2024, CAG Christians in Guangzhou were subjected to widespread arrests by CCP police, resulting in at least 135 arrests within three days, with at least 88 missing. At least 509,482 RMB (approximately 71,636 USD) in church funds and personal property was plundered, along with 230 boxes of books of God’s word and a significant number of electronic devices, such as computers and laptops.
One policeman claimed that over 3,000 officers were deployed for this operation. Multiple sources within the CCP revealed that this coordinated roundup was executed after a prolonged period of surveillance and monitoring of CAG members.
“I was told that the police had been tracking me for two years,” said one released CAG Christian. During her detention, she faced coercive interrogation and was forced to sign “three statements” renouncing her faith. She further stated, “They use big data surveillance, and they know exactly where we have been. There is no privacy in China.”
This operation marks the third unified roundup by Guangzhou police against the church in recent years, with the previous two occurring on May 20, 2021, and from September 1 to 3, 2022. The 2021 operation resulted in the arrest of over 100 church members, while the 2022 operation saw at least 237 arrests. As of September 28, 2024, among the more than 300 CAG Christians arrested, at least 243 have been sentenced, including 37 lay believers sentenced to seven years or more of imprisonment, and three church leaders sentenced to 11 years.
Among those who remain in custody, one church leader suffering from liver cancer requires systematic treatment. Due to her refusal to sign the “three statements” renouncing her belief, the authorities have denied her bail. As a result, she passed away in September 2022 due to a lack of timely medical intervention, at the age of 41.
