JW China:Persecution Against Jehovah’s Witnesses Escalates in China

[Guest Indiana]

ChinaAid reports that 18 individuals have been indicted in Xinjiang, 17 for “using an evil religion organization” to “incite the obstruction of law enforcement,” and one of them for “obstructing law enforcement by organizing and using an evil religious organization.” ChinaAid also provides the names of all these indicted and further details.

The formulae mentioned by ChinaAid correspond to Art. 300 of the Chinese Criminal Code, which establishes jail penalties of three to seven years “or more” for  “using a xie jiao” (sometimes translated as “evil cult” and in ChinaAid article as “evil religious organization,” while scholars point out that “heterodox teachings” would be a better translation). The formula “using a xie jiao for obstructing the law enforcement” (or “inciting the obstruction of law enforcement”) is also customary.

While Chinese propaganda abroad insists that Art. 300 is only enforced against members of groups the CCP labels as xie jiao, including Falun Gong and The Church of Almighty God, who commit serious crimes, this case confirms once again that this interpretation is false. “Using a xie jiao for obstructing law enforcement” is a rhetoric formula used as a synonymous for “being active in an illegal religious organization.” In fact, the 18 Jehovah’s Witnesses were accused of “spreading superstition and heresy” and of inciting people not to join the CCP (Witnesses are forbidden by their religion from joining any political organization), not of any other crime. It is clear that Art. 300 is enforced against those who gather to profess, or spread, a banned faith, a typical “crime of conscience.” No other crime is required.

It is the first time that Art. 300 is applied for a general crackdown against the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As far as Bitter Winter knows, they are not included in the current list of the xie jiao, yet the indictment in Xinjiang implies that they are regarded as a xie jiao. In fact, we have learned that recently pastors of the Three-Self Church insisted that the list of the xie jiao should be expanded, including new groups they regard as “heretic” (and perhaps as too successful in converting members of the same Three-Self Church).

Read more: https://bitterwinter.org/persecution-against-jehovahs-witnesses-escalates-in-china/

[Arauna]

China uses prisoners for body parts for the rich..... the details are absolutely evil. No doubt this evil regime has used some of our brothers in this way. 

We know this is coming (prophecied) but it is still heart wrenching to hear about it. 

 

[Guest Indiana]

Missionaries Deported to “Resist Religious Infiltration”

10/03/2019WANG ANYANG

The CCP intensifies crackdowns on overseas religious groups in China; believers not allowed to have contacts with foreigners or even watch TV programs from abroad.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are also among the targeted groups. In mid-May, the police in a city of the southeastern province of Jiangxi raided an apartment rented by a South Korean Jehovah’s Witnesses missionary. The woman’s passport was seized, religious books and a tablet computer confiscated. The missionary and a local Jehovah’s Witness were taken to the city’s State Security Bureau for interrogation.

A police officer told the believers that under Chinese law, foreigners aren’t allowed to preach in China. The police also questioned the Chinese believer about how she came to know the foreign missionary and was she in contact with other people from abroad. She was warned not to spread the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teachings and prohibited from having contacts with foreigners under the pretext of “guarding against spies.”

The two women were released after seven hours. The missionary was deported to South Korea on May 16. Another missionary left China herself after learning about the ordeal of her fellow believer.

https://bitterwinter.org/missionaries-deported-to-resist-religious-infiltration/