China : -- A well-known house church leader was formally arrested on August 31 for receiving 3 tons of bibles.
According to China Aid Association (CAA), Mr. Zhou Heng is also the manager of a registered bookstore which is called Yayi Christian Book Room which is used to sell some Christianity related books published legally and officially inside China. His bookstore was already forced to close after his arrest by the local authority.
CAA says Mr. Zhou Heng's formal arrest's notice was approved by Shayibake District People's Procuratorate of Urumqi city on August 31 and sent to his wife Chen Jihong by Urumqi Municipal Public Security Bureau.
A copy of the notice paper that CAA has obtained, says Zhou Heng was accused of "illegal business operation." Zhou Heng is currently detained at Xishan Detention Center.
He was jailed on August 3. He was detained when he went to pick up three tons of Bibles at a bus station. The Bibles were reportedly donated by South Korean churches and were intended for local believers free of charge.
However, says CAA, the Chinese government only allows officially sanctioned (state) churches to print and distribute a limited number of Bibles each year. If convicted of the charges, he faces a 15-year prison sentence.
CAA China investigators spoke with a recently released inmate who shared a cell with Brother Zhou. The inmate reported Brother Zhou was beaten in prison severely by other inmates and prison guards.
CAA is helping the legal defense work for brother Zhou's case. A well-known Christian human rights defense attorney Mr. Zhang Xingshui has agreed to represent and defend Zhou Heng in the court.
Moreover, according to the CAA investigators report, the seven house church leaders who were detained since August 21 from a house church meeting in Inner Mongolia were released recently after CAA's reports.
Four pastors from Liaoning province includ
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