{"id":31792,"date":"2017-09-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-28T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csw-yeo.1wp.site\/magazines\/finally-free-3717\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T21:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T20:21:16","slug":"finally-free-3717","status":"publish","type":"magazines","link":"https:\/\/www.csw.org.uk\/es\/magazines\/finally-free-3717\/","title":{"rendered":"Finally Free"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The beginning of May saw not one but two amazing answers to prayer. On 9 May Chinese human rights lawyer Li Heping was released and returned to his family, who hadn\u2019t seen him in nearly two years. Just two days later we got the news of the release of Rev Hassan and Mr Abdumawla, two Sudanese men held in a maximum security prison on unjust charges.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen my family fell down you didn\u2019t walk away. You helped us stand up and I thank you for your help.\u201d Wang Qiaoling, Li\u2019s wife, in a message to CSW supporters<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your prayers answered in China\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li Heping was released just two days after CSW supporters joined in prayer for him when he was given a suspended sentence. Li was imprisoned two years ago as part of the Chinese government crackdown on human rights defenders. Over 300 human rights defenders, as well as their friends, family and colleagues, have been detained, harassed or even disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve been campaigning for Li since his detention, and in October 2016, we presented a petition with 2,148 signatures to the Chinese Embassy in London, calling for his release. If you prayed for Li, signed the petition, or generously donated: thank you! We\u2019re thrilled to share this wonderful news with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Li is now at home with his family, his wife Wang Qiaoling says that they\u2019re being monitored closely by the authorities. As with many human rights defenders in China, there will likely be restrictions on his freedom of movement and freedom of speech and expression during his four-year suspended sentence. What\u2019s more, many of Li\u2019s colleagues are still in prison. It\u2019s clear that human rights, including religious freedom, are under severe threat in China. You prayed for Li\u2019s freedom: keep praying for his safety and that of his colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026and your prayers answered in Sudan!<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The week Li was released, there was one more surprise to come: the release of Rev Hassan and Mr Abdumawla in Sudan. These men, along with two others, Rev Kuwa and Mr Ja\u0161ek, were charged with national security crimes in August 2016, after being arrested almost a year earlier. In reality, their only crime had been raising money to treat a young man who\u2019d been badly burned in a student protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev Kuwa was found innocent of all charges and released in January 2017. Mr Ja\u0161ek received a presidential pardon and was freed in February, and in May Mr Abdumawla and Rev Hassan were released after receiving a presidential pardon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am now with my children and my family, they are happy, some are crying. They can\u2019t believe it\u201d Rev Hassan, the day he was set free after a year and a half in detention<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may already be familiar with their names, of course, because thousands of supporters like you rallied behind these men magnificently. Over 700 supporters tweeted senior EU officials about the case, and almost 5,000 emails were sent to Sudanese embassies around the world asking for the men to be released! Again, we want to say a huge thank you: your prayer, financial support and determined campaigning made all the difference. God is good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li Heping, Rev Hassan and Mr Abdumawla have all been released into an uncertain situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both China and Sudan are very restrictive for human rights, especially religious freedom; so while we praise God for releasing these men, please continue to uphold them in prayer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n