XI’AN, China — Two pastors and a church staff member have been arrested in China for “fraud” and two other Christians tortured for their ties to the church.
According to the human rights group ChinaAid, police arrested pastors Lian Changnian and Lian Xuliang, along with Xi’an Church of Abundance staff member Fu Juan.
Xi’an Shilipu police initially arrested the three Aug. 17, 2022, and placed them in residential surveillance at an undisclosed location. Their family members received no information or updates about them for six months.
Their arrest for “fraud” was made official on March 22, 2023.
ChinaAid states that the pastors and staff member were tortured.
On March 1, an elderly Christian man was summoned to the police station and detained for 24 hours. He was tortured in an effort to extract information about the pastors and to force him to leave his faith.
In addition, another Christian named Jia was interrogated and subjected to abuse because of his connection to Xi’an Church of Abundance, states ChinaAid.
China is No. 16 on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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