Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, Inc., 267-205-5210, [email protected]

MIDLAND, Texas, July 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid Association learned in the verdict of the first trial of a controversial religious group, three leaders were sentenced to death and another three were given two-year suspended death sentences. One more House Church leader was arrested at Sichuan Province today.

According to a reliable source that obtained a copy of the verdict issued by the Chief Judge Mr. Liu Qingyi of Intermediate People’s Court of Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province, June 28, and delivered to the defense lawyers July 5, 2006, among the seventeen convicted in this case, Mr. Xu Shuangfu (60-years-old), Mr. Li Maoxing (55-years-old) and Mr. Wang Jun (36-years-old) were sentenced to death for murder, Ms. Zhang Min (35-years-old), Ms. Zhu Lixin (37-years-old) and Mr. Ben Zhonghai were given two-year suspended death sentences on the same charge. The remaining eleven received 3 to 15 year sentences.

Ms. Xu Baiyin, Mr. Xu Shuangfu’s daughter, who was notified of her father’s death sentence by the lawyers, told CAA this morning she believed her father is innocent and said, “The truth will be revealed one day before God’s judgment seat even if the justice is not done in this life.” CAA learned Xu has instructed his lawyers to continue to appeal to the high court. Two well-known defense lawyers Mr. Li Heping, Esq., of the Global Law (Gaobo Longhua) Firm, Beijing, and Mr. Zhang Lihui, Esq., of the Beijing Branch of the Xingyun Law Office, Zhejiang Province believe their clients are not guilty based upon the government’s evidence. According to the defense statement, the two lawyers found Xu Shuangfu’s confession was obtained by severe torture.

According to the prosecution paper accusations, in the period from 2002 to 2004, Mr. Xu Wenku (also known as Xu Shuangfu and Xu Shengguang) along with sixteen of his top leaders, murdered twenty leaders of the Eastern Lightning group. Xu was also accused of defrauding his congregation of over thirty-two million Yuan ($4 million).

Xu has been the leader of the Chinese religious group known as the Three Grades of Servants with a nationwide membership of over half a million. CAA believes that while many of mainstream Chinese House churches identify Mr. Xu’s group as doctrinally cultic, nevertheless, their basic constitutional rights should be protected.

Meanwhile, one more House Church pastor was arrested at 2:10 PM, July 6 (Beijing Time) at No. 4 Village, Hongshan Town, Langzhong City, Sichuan Province. Pastor Wang Shixiu (46-years-old) was shopping in her village when she was arrested by the PSB. Seven of the thirty leaders who were arrested May 28th, are still in custody. Dr. Li Baiguang, a legal scholar who met with President Bush in May, has taken up this case as the pastors’ legal representative. The Langzhong City government has agreed to an administrative review on July 5th.

CAA also learned that in the past few months, the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province has launched a campaign to clamp down on house churches there. With the exception of the house church led by well-known leader Pastor Samuel Lamb, most of the house churches there have been pressured to close. Two major ones, Meixin House Church and Wu Yang House Church had already been forced to shut down. One leader, who wishes to remain anonymous, told CAA that the police even brandished AK-47 rifles in a recent raid on his church.

CAA calls upon the international community to continue to press the Chinese government to respect the Chinese citizens’ constitutional rights on religious freedom. CAA urges the Chinese government to immediately release these pastors.

Premier Wen Jiabao, PRC

PO Box 1741, The State Council, Beijing, PRC (zip code 100017)

Contact Phone：+86-10-66012399

 Email： [email protected]  

Ms. Wu Aiying, minister of Ministry of Justice of PRC

Tel: +86-10-65205114

Fax: +86-10-64729863

Email: [email protected]

Address：No. 10, Nan Da Jie, Chaoyangmen, Beijing City (Zip Code: 100020)

Issued by CAA on July 6, 2006

7/6/06

对华援助协会新闻稿

三班仆人领袖一审判处死刑; 四川阆中又一家庭教会领袖被抓;广州市宗教迫害升级

图：徐文库

Contact: Bob Fu

 267-205-5210

[email protected]

德州美德兰（对华援助协会2006年7月6日）

对华援助协会从黑龙江省双鸭山市中级人民法院可靠人士获悉，7月5日,黑龙江省双鸭山市中级人民法院就举世瞩目的”三班仆人”领袖一案发出一审判决书. 3位”三班仆人”领袖包括60岁的创立人徐双付和55岁的李毛兴以及36岁的王军(女)被控”故意杀人罪”判处死刑,立即执行,剥夺政治权利终身并没收个人全部财产. 35岁的张敏(女), 37岁的朱立新和39岁的贲中海分别以”故意杀人罪判处死刑,缓期两年执行. 其他 11位被告人也分别被判3至15年有期徒刑. 判决书是由双鸭山市中级人民法院审判长刘庆义于2006年6月28日签发. 据悉, 判决书已于7月5日送达或邮寄相关辩护律师.

北京市高博隆华律师事务所李和平律师，浙江星韵律师事务所北京分所张立辉律师，受各自律师事务所指派，为徐双付涉嫌杀人、诈骗案中的第一被告徐双付作无罪辩护。该案于2006年3月4日在黑龙江省双鸭山市中级人民法院一审审判结束。

”三班仆人”领袖徐双付（余名徐文库，徐圣光）和其他16名负责人被控自2002年至2004年杀害20名“东方闪电”成员。徐文库等还被控诈骗超过3200万元人民币(信徒奉献款项).公安部于2004年将此案定名为“雷霆一号”大案。

据信“三班仆人“在全国各地有超过50万信徒。很多家庭教会将“三班仆人“定位为正统基督教信仰上的异端。而“东方闪电”被家庭教会公认为打着宗教名义的暴力犯罪集团。

另据目击者称, 北京时间7月6日下午 2点10分, 四川省阆中市一家庭教会负责人王仕秀姊妹在其家乡洪山镇宝马乡四村五组购物是公安抓捕.5月28日被抓捕的该地14位教会领袖仍然有7位未释放.著名维权法律工作者李柏光博士赴阆中市代理该案件并且该市市政府已经同意就此案行政复议.(相关案情见详细材料).

 对华援助协会获悉近几个月,广州市正在进行大规模对家庭教会的迫害.除林献羔牧师的大马站教会外, 广州市其它家庭教会都受到政府极大压力要求关闭.其中,规模较大的五羊家庭教会和美心家庭教会近日都因迫害而停止在其长期租用的场所进行教会聚会.有一位不愿透露姓名的教会领袖称,近日有执法人员手持冲锋枪冲进教会威胁.

对华援助协会呼吁中国当局尊重徐双付一案中涉案人的宪法权利,追究相关对嫌疑人施行酷刑者的刑事责任. 并且针对近日在各地宗教迫害的升级,呼吁国际社会向中国当局表达关注.

(前北京市委党校讲师, 中国家庭教会牧师, 威斯敏德神学院哲学博士候选人): 傅希秋

 对华援助协会2006年7月6日首发