Police officers stormed an underground Christian church in the south‑western city of Jiangyou on Sunday, seizing two leaders and more than thirty members, including kids, during a Sunday service.
The church, known as Early Rain Covenant Church and founded in 2008, has long attracted scrutiny from the Chinese Communist Party. Its founding pastor, Wang Yi, was jailed in 2018 for alleged subversion and illegal business activities.
According to the church’s statement posted on Telegram, officers demanded that congregants sign an affidavit in exchange for release, but the contents of the document were not revealed. Those who refused were taken away in police vehicles and questioned at a local detention centre. The two detained leaders, Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing, remain in custody; authorities have not released the reasons for their arrest.
In total, about fifty police officers were present, and the drill was carried out at about 11:00 local time. The remaining members—including elderly and children—were temporarily locked in the ballroom, subject to identity checks, and were released between 9 and 11 p.m. later that day.
- Police raid on a house church during worship
- Detention of 2 church leaders and 30+ members
- Previous arrest of founding pastor, July 2018
- No public statement from authorities
- Highlights tightening crackdown on underground churches
The crackdown follows earlier nationwide actions, such as the October 2024 roundup of 30 leaders from the Zion Church across seven cities. Human‑rights observers warn that peaceful worship is increasingly seen as a threat by the state.
