Chinese authorities have arrested several members of a prominent underground church, reflecting the government’s ongoing efforts to tighten control over unauthorized religious practices, according to a report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) released on Tuesday.
This week, six individuals from the Early Rain Covenant Church—an underground Protestant group in Sichuan province—were taken into custody. The church shared this news via a statement on social media. The arrests happened shortly after nearly 100 members of another unofficial “house church” were apprehended, the group reported.
HRW’s researcher on China, Yarkun Uluyol, commented, “The Chinese government has begun the new year with further arrests of underground Protestant church members. Authorities ought to release those detained and permit them to practice their faith freely.”
In a past incident, police searched the home of the church’s leader, Li Yingqiang, and detained him along with other significant members. Additionally, two followers were summoned by the authorities, according to HRW.
The Early Rain Covenant Church was established in 2008 and has frequently been targeted by the Chinese authorities. Notably, in December 2018, more than 100 members were detained in a series of coordinated raids. The church’s founding pastor, Wang Yi, is still in custody on charges related to “inciting the subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations.” Li Yingqiang and three others were briefly detained in September 2024.
This crackdown comes during a broader systematic repression of Christians and various other religious groups orchestrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is officially atheist and restricts its members from joining religious organizations.
In another case, about 30 pastors and staff members from Zion Church, another well-known underground congregation, were detained during a national operation in October. The church’s pastor and founder, Mingri “Ezra” Jin, remains imprisoned.
Following these arrests, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for the release of Zion Church leaders and urged the Chinese government to allow all believers, including house church members, to engage in religious practices without fearing reprisals.
Under President Xi Jinping’s policies, known as Sinicization, restrictions on religion have intensified, affecting Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Muslims. This includes the demolition of unauthorized churches and the seizure of online religious content and unapproved Bibles.
As reported, the Chinese government has only granted legal recognition to Protestant churches that are part of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement or the China Christian Council, which operate under the control of the CCP’s United Front Work Department.
Even those complying with state regulations face pressures, such as having to remove crosses and crucifixes, while endorsing a version of the Ten Commandments that quotes Xi Jinping.
Urjol pointed out that the Xi Jinping government is tightening ideological control and is increasingly intolerant of any loyalty beyond that to the CCP. He emphasized that governments and religious leaders globally should advocate for the release of detained religious believers and uphold religious freedom in China.
