Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, 267-205-5210, [email protected], www.ChinaAid.org, www.monitorChina.org

MIDLAND, Texas, Aug. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid Association learned that the morning of July 27, a Sunday school teacher’s training class in Wangxi Production Group, Gengwang Zhuang, Tong Xu Village, Huainan City, Anhui Province was attacked by the local national security guard squad. More than 40 Christians were taken to the local police station.

Based on eyewitness information the morning of July 27, 2006, some Christians including 90 children between the ages of 9-16 years, and 40 adults, were attending a summer Bible teacher’s training class in the home of Li Lizhong, a villager of Wangxi production team, Gengwang Zhuang, Tong Xu Village, Huainan City, Anhui Province, when the local police made suddenly attacked them.

At about 11 AM, Qin Shizhou, the party branch secretary of the village, went to Li Lizhong’s house with another village cadre member. They scouted the training class on the pretext of examining "family planning,” and left.

After half an hour, more than 40 village cadre members, and a squad of the National Security Guarder, who had been waiting outside the village in 5 police cars and 2 buses, dashed into the village and surrounded Li’s house.

Under the pretext that the training class was disturbing the peace, the police swarmed the house, every corner of the house was searched; the lock was pried opened without permission of the owner. Some church equipment was carried away. In the whole process, the police did not show a search warrant or any legal certificate.

All the children were released after registering their names and other personal information. More than 40 adults were taken to the police station and all were released at 3:00 AM the next morning, except two, who were sentenced to 15 days administrative custody.

The police did not follow any legal procedures in this event. No legal certificate or identity cards were shown. And some Christians were beaten by the police in the incident.

The 2 Christians who are still detained are:

Pastor Li Lizhong, 40-years-old, who hosted the training class, sentenced to 15 days administrative custody, no official charges given.

Sister Cai Yili, 38-years-old, from Linqiaotou Village, Panqiao Township, Ouhai District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, sentenced to 15 days administrative custody, no official charges given.

CAA urges the Chinese government to immediately release both of the detained innocent Christians.

Issued by China Aid Association on August 3, 2006

This press release is available in Chinese at www.ChinaAid.org