All press releases on this site were first published on the CSW website.
Pastor Zhang Shaojie sentenced to 12 years
Pastor Zhang Shaojie of Nanle Country Christian Church, Henan Province, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud and gathering a crowd to disturb public order, according to reports, which have been confirmed by China Aid Association. He has also been fined 100,000 RMB (approximately 9,400). Over 20…
Trial of Pastor Zhang Shaojie postponed
The trial of Chinese Pastor Zhang Shaojie began on 10 April in Nanle County, Henan Province, but court proceedings were later suspended indefinitely, according to reports by China Aid, after Zhangs lawyers were detained and he had to dismiss them from his case. According to a statement issued by Zhang’s…
CSW briefing on Zhejiang church demolitions
A new briefing by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) analyses the context and possible reasons behind the demolition of churches and removal of religious symbols in Zhejiang, China, and recommends consistent dialogue between the authorities and religious leaders. The briefing highlights that “the demolitions in Zhejiang and the reaction of the…
Over 20 beaten/detained for protest
More than half of the 40-plus supporters who have gathered in Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China to protest the detention of three human rights lawyers have been beaten or detained. Lawyers Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian, Wang Cheng and Zhang Junjie, along with “many other citizens”, were taken away by local…
PM asked to raise religious freedom on China visit
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has written to British Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to ensure that freedom of religion or belief is a specific feature of his visit to China, which starts today and concludes on 4 December. In the letter, CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas expresses CSW’s concerns…
Linfen Church leader beaten and threatened
Church leader Li Shuangping, a leader at Linfen church, was beaten and threatened by unknown assailants on the night of 13 August, according to reports from China Aid. Li had been driving to his home in Shanxi Province and was forced to stop his car when a man who seemed…
Concerns over crackdown on Christian gatherings
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is concerned about a crackdown on unregistered Christian meetings in Xinjiang, northwest China, in the last five months, amidst high levels of tension and outbreaks of violence in the region. According to reports from China Aid Association, a number of unregistered Christian groups have been closed…
Imprisoned sees family visits cut
The wife of imprisoned Christian and former house church leader Uyghur Alimujiang Yimiti (also known as Alimjan Himit/Yimit) has been informed by the prison authorities that her monthly visits are being reduced to one visit every three months. On Wednesday this week Gulinuer went to visit her husband at Xinjiang…
Gao Zhisheng’s family allowed first visit
The younger brother and father-in-law of Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng were allowed to visit him at Shaya Prison in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on 12 January, the first family visit he has received since March 2012. In a phone conversation with Human Rights in China (HRIC), Gao’s wife…
Dr Yang Jianli to address EU on China
Dr Yang Jianli, a US-based Chinese democracy activist, arrives in the UK tomorrow as part of a visit hosted by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) to the UK and Brussels, where he will address the European Parliament’s Subcommittee hearing on Human Rights in China on 6 December. Dr Yang will focus…