Chinese Officials Kidnap Protesting Church Leaders

ASSIST News Service reports that nine Fushan Church leaders were kidnapped on Sept. 25 by Chinese Shanxi Province Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers. The men were traveling to Beijing to petition the central government for justice concerning the local authorities' brutal attack on Sept. 13. According to ChinaAid, the leaders were illegally seized without warrant, and have not been heard from since Friday night. "After the arrests, local authorities forcibly confiscated all computers, TVs and other church-owned valuables, calling them 'illegal materials.' Remaining church leaders and active members were placed under house arrest and are now under constant surveillance," a ChinaAid news release reported. State police also blocked church members from gathering for worship inside the main Fushan Church in Linfen city.