CHINESE CHRISTIAN COUPLE CRIMINALLY DETAINED AFTER SHARING FAITH AND PROTESTING ABORTION
CHINESE CHRISTIAN COUPLE CRIMINALLY DETAINED AFTER SHARING FAITH AND PROTESTING ABORTION
(Heshan, Guangdong – June 7, 2018) Voice of the Martyrs Korea reports that police in China’s southern Guangdong province criminally detained a Christian couple after they shared their faith in a local park and advocated against abortion on Friday.
Liang Ziliang, a preacher at Baptist Church in Heshan, Guangdong, was handing out brochures telling about Christianity and carrying banners protesting abortion in a local park along with his wife, Li Yinxiu, and several other church members on June 1 when police started photographing them. That night, Liang and Li were called to the police station, where they were detained as soon as they arrived. For days, no one was able to contact them.
After their arrest, officers entered their home without a warrant and searched it.
Yesterday, their family members received two criminal detention notices accusing Liang and Li of violating Article 80 of China’s Criminal Law and organizing and financially supporting illegal gatherings. They are currently being held at the Heshan Municipal Detention Center.
When Christians from other churches visited Baptist Church, which meets in Liang’s home, they found its members in a state of anxiety. According to a local Christian, “Liang Ziliang’s older sister has never dealt with dilemmas like this. She lacks experience. She’s very nervous.”
Liang’s family has hired two lawyers to represent this case.
“It’s important to keep in mind that abortion in China doesn’t only refer to voluntary abortion,” Voice of the Martyrs Korea Board chair Hyun Sook Foley explains. “It is not uncommon for Chinese officials to force a woman to undergo an abortion for political reasons. Arguing against abortion is also arguing against the Chinese government’s use of it.”
According to Board chair Foley and partner ChinaAid, China has been fighting Christians for control over the family.
“China has passed laws which make it illegal to bring children and young adults to church or teach them about Christianity,” Foley says. “Schools also prohibit the possession of Christian literature and discussion about religious subjects.”
In spite of these restrictions, many Christians in China continue to disciple their children.
“1 Timothy 3:4 tells us that a church leader must manage their families well and this is something which the church in China feels is very important,” Board chair Foley explains. “Instead of pitying our Chinese brothers and sisters, we should learn from them.
To learn more about the Chinese church, you can visit Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s website at http://vomkorea.kr/ or follow their Facebook account at https://www.facebook.com/VOMKorea.kr/