BEIJING, China — Persecution of Christians in China reached its highest level in more than a decade in 2014 as the government cracked down on church growth perceived as a threat to Communist Party power, according to a U.S.-based advocacy group.
Texas-based China Aid Association (CAA) recently reported 572 cases of religious — mainly Christian — persecution in 2014, a 300 percent increase over the previous year’s 143 cases. The number of people affected in those cases jumped from 7,424 to 17,884 people. More than 1,592 were church leaders, compared with 800 the previous year, CAA reported.
“The increase in government-sanctioned persecution against religious practitioners and human rights lawyers and advocates reflects the overall political transformation that is occurring within the Communist Party in China, namely an orchestrated effort to … suppress dissent and any perceived threats to the Chinese government, including the growth of religion in China,” CAA reported.
Among church leaders persecuted, 449 were detained, compared with 54 in 2013, according to the report. In 2014 the number of people sentenced for activity related to their faith reached 1,274, compared with just 12 in 2013.
Overall, in six categories — numbers of religious persecution cases, people persecuted for their religion, people detained, people sentenced, severe abuse cases and individuals severely abused — persecution in 2014 increased 152.74 percent compared with 2013, CAA reported. (MS)
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