Christian in China imprisoned for printing religious materials
Chinese authorities criminally detained a member of a Christian church in Guangdong province after he was caught printing religious materials.
Li Hongmin, a part of Guangfu Church in Guangzhou, was accused of conducting "illegal business operations," according to China Aid, a nonprofit organization that helps expose stories of religious persecution in China.
Li's arrest was a concerted effort of officers from Huangshou Street Police Station, the cultural affairs bureau and the religious affairs bureau, with assistance from other police officers.
A source told China Aid that the authorities told Li that he would only be held for two hours and would be allowed to go home. However, they did not let him go home but detained him instead.
They went to his house in the evening and confiscated the materials he printed. They also searched the house and rummaged through his belongings, staying there until 6 a.m. the following day.
Li's wife said the printed materials "were not heresies" nor expressed any opposition to the Communist Party.
"On the contrary, they teach people to help others, to love their fellow countrymen, their home and their country," she told China Aid.
Authorities also took Li's cellphone. They tricked his wife into handing it over to them by telling her that Li needed it, so she gave it to them.
Authorities sent another group to investigate the house, but Li's wife refused to let them in.
"I told them to stay away from my house if they did not have anything specific to do," she said.
Guangfu Church has been harassed repeatedly by authorities. About a hundred police officers raided the church during its Sunday worship service in late May 2015, according to another report from China Aid.
Earlier that month, authorities had accused the church members of holding illegal meetings. The church's facility's electricity and water had been cut off, and the church had had to pay 40,000 Yuan to have them restored.
Authorities eventually closed the church facility. The church's leader, Ma Chao, filed a legal complaint against the authorities' orders to close down the church.
