Leaders of the Early Rain Covenant Church, a prominent underground church in China, were detained Tuesday. The sweep occurred in Deyang, Sichuan province. This marks an escalation in China's crackdown on unregistered Christian groups.
Li Yingqiang, the church's leader, was taken from his home by police. His wife, Zhang Xinyue, was also detained. Pastor Dai Zhichao and lay member Ye Fenghua are among those held. Four other members were briefly detained and released. Some members remain out of contact. The detentions followed previous arrests of senior members from other unregistered churches.
The church issued a statement confirming the detentions. Immediate response from international religious freedom organizations is expected. The incident raises concerns about religious freedom in China.
Early Rain Covenant Church is a well-known underground church. These churches operate outside state-sanctioned religious organizations. China's government maintains tight control over religious practice.
Further arrests are possible. The situation remains fluid. International observers are closely monitoring developments.
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