All press releases on this site were first published on the CSW website.
Anniversary on Sanjiang Church demolition
A year on from the demolition of Sanjiang Church in Chinas Zhejiang Province as part of a campaign by the provincial government, crosses are still being removed from churches in the province, while eight Christians have been found guilty of charges related to organising meetings for Sanjiang church members. The…
China timeline charts a year of church demolitions
A new interactive timeline released by CSW charts a year of church demolitions in Zhejiang province. The timeline collates over 400 reports of incidents related to whole or partial demolitions of churches or church-run buildings in China’s Zhejiang Province in 2014. Reports of the following incidents are included in the timeline:…
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…
