Pastor Gong Shengliang, leader of the South China Church, has been beaten again in prison. The attack took place on 21 March in Hong Shan prison, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, where Pastor Gong is currently held. As a result he was unable to move his mouth for three days and suffered some loss of hearing in his right ear.

The news emerged on 2 June after China Aid Association (CAA) learnt that Pastor Gong's two sisters, Ms Gong Shuqin and Ms Gong Shuzhen, were permitted to visit him on 18 April and saw that the right side of his face was still swollen. He informed them that Lei, a prisoner designated as his 24-hour guard by the prison officer, was responsible for the unprovoked beating. Following the attack, Lei was applauded by the prison officer and left unpunished, whereas Pastor Gong had two merit points taken off his prison record. Pastor Gong's request to have Lei moved to another group in the prison was rejected by the prison officer.

Gong's family had not received any news from him for over a year because the prison prevented the communication of letters between them. Gong's sisters reported to CAA that when they visited, Ms Gong Shuqin was only allowed 10 minutes with him, and Ms Gong Shuzhen was threatened with not even seeing him at all.

These are just the latest in a series of injustices faced by Pastor Gong since his initial arrest and detention in 2001. At that time he was sentenced to death along with five other leaders after the South China Church was branded a cult by the Chinese authorities. However, following an international outcry the cases were re-heard on appeal and Gong was instead sentenced to life in prison.

Now in his mid-50s, Pastor Gong has been subject to horrific torture and mistreatment which has left him in danger of his life. In 2003 he was beaten into a coma and sustained serious internal injuries that left him bedridden for weeks. In April 2004 it was reported that he said to his sister 'If you are able in any way, please transfer me to another prison – otherwise just come and pick up my corpse'.

CSW's Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, stated: 'It is a matter of deep concern that the first news to emerge in over a year regarding Pastor Gong Shengliang reveals yet more torture and discrimination against him. His treatment continues to be in flagrant breach of international human rights standards. We call on China to stand by those international treaties to which she is a signatory and to release Pastor Gong in recognition of the fundamental right of religious freedom.'

Notes to editors.

Pastor Gong's religious activities prior to his arrest were considered illegal by the Chinese authorities because the South China Church is unregistered and therefore unofficial. Many Chinese Christians prefer to worship at unregistered churches, as the government-sanctioned official church places restrictions on teaching and other church activities.