On October 9-10, the Beihai police in Guangxi led a synchronized, large-scale arrest of pastors, preachers, and believers of the Zion Church across multiple provinces.
We express profound concern and strong condemnation regarding this action. The unprecedented scale and meticulous organization of this operation indicate that it is
not a singular law enforcement action but a systematic crackdown targeting sizable house churches.
According to reports: “The known (but not limited to) cities where arrests have begun include Beijing, Shanghai, Beihai in Guangxi, Chongqing, Jiaxing, Shenzhen, and other locations. Those arrested include pastors, preachers, church theological ministry leaders, and church financial staff. Additional pastors and preachers are encountering varying numbers of police officers at their doorsteps or on the streets. Some pastors are receiving incessant phone calls, while others are being confined to their homes. Key church co-workers have been arrested in their hometowns. As of this moment, the arrests are still ongoing.”
Multiple pastors were taken away in the middle of the night without any legal documentation, and both family members and lawyers have been denied visitation, severely violating the basic procedural safeguards of the *Criminal Procedure Law *.
On October 12, the Sunday worship service of the Taiyuan Xuncheng Church was disrupted before it could conclude, with more than ten church preachers and co-workers taken away. By 4:00 PM on October 13, eleven preacher and co-workers, including An Yankui, Zhao Weikai, Zhang Chenghao, and Wang Yingjie, were administratively detained for 15 days.
These two incidents of persecution against Christian house churches in Southeast and Northwest China demonstrate a new wave of large-scale suppression by the Chinese Communist authorities against unofficial churches. The freedom of religious belief for Christians in China is facing comprehensive repression.
Article 36 of the *Constitution of the People’s Republic of China* clearly stipulatesthat citizens have the freedom of religious belief. This constitutional right encompasses not only the freedom to hold religious beliefs inwardly but also,naturally, the freedom to practice religious beliefs, including the freedom to hold religious gatherings, whether publicly or privately, offline or online.
The Chinese Communist authorities and the Chinese government have no right to dictate what people should believe or not believe, nor do they have the authority to regulate the manner in which believers conduct religious gatherings based on their faith.
China has also signed the *International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights*, committing to protect the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Labeling peaceful gatherings and pastoral activities as “illegal use of information networks” clearly violates both the Constitution and international human rights obligations.
We hereby declare and call for the following:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of all detained pastors, preachers, and believers of the Zion Church and Xuncheng Church;
2. The public disclosure of the names, detention locations, and legal basis for all detained individuals;
3. An end to the use of charges such as “illegal use of information networks” to suppress normal religious activities;
4. The international community and human rights organizations to closely monitor the state of religious freedom in China and to continue raising their voices in multilateral forums.
Freedom of religious belief is not a privilege granted by the state but a fundamental human right. Suppressing churches and persecuting believers not only violates the Constitution and laws but also severely damages China’s international image and the credibility of its rule of law.
We will continue to monitor the progress of these cases and provide necessary legal assistance.
Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Group
October 2025
