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RFA: Xinjiang Banned All Gatherings of Underground Catholic and Christian Family Churches

Underground Catholic and Christian family churches have been totally banned in Xinjiang. Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is conducting a total ban on unofficial gatherings of underground Catholic and Christian family churches. In the past month, nearly 90 people were detained in the region. The local authorities have been warning the family churches not to hold gatherings at home. A government official in charge of managing the Catholic population confirmed the strict ban with the RFA reporter. Many detainees were fined without even providing receipts. Bibles published by publishers with official permits were also confiscated. Home searches and detentions that the police conducted are spreading across large cities and small counties in Xinjiang. The police explained to some of the Christian home church members that the recent police activities against the Catholic and Christian population were part of the effort to prevent riots in Xinjiang. Christian human rights organizations headquartered in Texas in the United States sent forth their announcements to the Chinese government asking for an immediate end to the persecution of Christians.

Source: Radio Free Asia, February 23, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql1-02232017104956.html