Exclusive briefing on targeting of house churches amid the COVID-19 pandemic

CSW has today published a new briefing containing extracts and analysis from an exclusive report by an experienced China researcher into the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on unregistered Protestant ‘house’ churches in China. Although the report author’s identity is known to CSW, it cannot be made public due to the threat of reprisals.

Three case studies are examined, including a police raid on Xingguang Church, an unregistered church in Xiamen, Fujian Province, and a crackdown on Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, which took place over Easter 2020.

The third case study focuses on the experiences of Xiashangtang Church, an unregistered house church based in Wuhan, the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak. The church is led by Pastor Huang Lei, who has a long history of providing relief and assistance to victims of disasters such as the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Huang’s church raised funds and gathered supplies which they hoped to donate to the government to assist with their response. However, these donations were refused because Xiashangtang Church is considered an “illegal organisation.”

The briefing notes that the targeting of unregistered churches during the COVID-19 pandemic “fits into a broader context of a rapid and significant decline in religious freedom across the nation, impacting all major religious communities, including both registered and unregistered Protestant and Catholic churches.” Concerns are also raised that churches continue to be prevented from meeting together even while life has mainly returned to normal in many cities across China, and the researcher warns that “the persecution may increase” after the pandemic is over.

CSW’s East Asia Team Leader Benedict Rogers said: “CSW welcomes this important piece of research which draws essential attention to the situation of religious groups in China, who have been suffering long before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and who continue to suffer harassment, intimidation, arrest and detention at the hands of the authorities. The Chinese constitution purports to guarantee the right to freedom of religion or belief for all Chinese citizens, however the authorities’ actions during and before the pandemic make it clear that this right is not being respected. We call on the international community to maintain intense scrutiny on the situation of human rights and freedom of religion or belief in China, raising cases like those of Xingguang, Early Rain and Xiashangtang churches at every opportunity.”

Note to editors:

1.Click here to access the briefing.