2025年10月9-10日，广西北海警方主导、在多省同步大规模抓捕“锡安教会”牧师、传道人及信徒，我们对此的表示强烈关切与严正谴责。此次行动规模空前，组织严密，显示这已非单一执法行为，而是针对具有一定规模家庭教会的系统性打压。
据悉：“目前已知（但不限于）开始抓捕的城市包括北京、上海、广西北海、重庆、嘉兴、深圳等地，被捕人员包括牧师、传道、教会神学事工的负责人和教会财务。其他牧师传道家门口或街道上正在陆续出现数量不等的警员。有的牧师被不停地打电话，有的被堵在家里。有教会的重要同工在老家被捕。直至此时此刻，抓捕仍然在进行中。”
多名牧师深夜被带走，未出具任何法律文书，家属和律师均被拒绝探视，严重违反《刑事诉讼法》的基本程序保障。
10月12日,太原“郇城教会”主日聚会尚未结束遭受冲击，十多位教会传道、同工被带走，截止13日下午4点，包括安彦魁传道、赵维凯、张乘豪、王应杰等11位传道和同工被行政拘留15天。
这两起发生在中国东南和西北的基督教家庭教会受冲击、迫害的事件，表明了中共当局对非官方教会的新一轮大规模打压，基督徒的信仰自由在中国遭遇全面压制。
《中华人民共和国宪法》第三十六条明确规定，公民有宗教信仰自由。该宪法性权利不仅意味着在内心有宗教信仰的自由，也当然包括实践宗教信仰自由的自由，不论公开、私下，不论线下或线上，均有宗教聚会的自由。
中共当局和中国政府无权告诉人们信什么，或不要信什么，也无权指导信仰者根据自身信仰而采取的宗教集会方式。
中国亦已签署《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》，承诺保障思想、良心与宗教自由。将和平聚会与牧养活动定性为“非法利用信息网络罪”，显然违反宪法与国际人权义务。
我们特此声明并呼吁:
1.立即无条件释放所有被拘押的锡安教会、郇城教会的牧师、传道、信徒;
2.公布所有被拘押人员名单、拘押地点及法律依据;
3.停止以“非法利用信息网络罪”等罪名压制正常宗教活动;
4.呼吁国际社会与人权机构密切关注中国宗教自由状况，并在多边场合持续发声。
宗教信仰自由不是国家恩赐，而是人类基本权利。打压教会、迫害信徒，不仅违反宪法与法律，也严重损害中国的国际形象与法治信誉。
我们将持续关注案件进展，并提供必要的法律援助。
中国人权律师团
2025年10月
Statement by the Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Group:
Strong Condemnation of the Chinese Communist Authorities’ Recent Large-Scale Arrests and Religious Persecution of Pastors, Preachers, and Believers of Zion Church and Taiyuan Xuncheng Church
On October 9-10, the Beihai police in Guangxi led a synchronized, large-scale arrest of pastors, preachers, and believers of the Zion Church across multiple provinces.
We express profound concern and strong condemnation regarding this action. The unprecedented scale and meticulous organization of this operation indicate that it is
not a singular law enforcement action but a systematic crackdown targeting sizable house churches.
According to reports: “The known (but not limited to) cities where arrests have begun include Beijing, Shanghai, Beihai in Guangxi, Chongqing, Jiaxing, Shenzhen, and other locations. Those arrested include pastors, preachers, church theological ministry leaders, and church financial staff. Additional pastors and preachers are encountering varying numbers of police officers at their doorsteps or on the streets. Some pastors are receiving incessant phone calls, while others are being confined to their homes. Key church co-workers have been arrested in their hometowns. As of this moment, the arrests are still ongoing.”
Multiple pastors were taken away in the middle of the night without any legal documentation, and both family members and lawyers have been denied visitation, severely violating the basic procedural safeguards of the *Criminal Procedure Law *.
On October 12, the Sunday worship service of the Taiyuan Xuncheng Church was disrupted before it could conclude, with more than ten church preachers and co-workers taken away. By 4:00 PM on October 13, eleven preacher and co-workers, including An Yankui, Zhao Weikai, Zhang Chenghao, and Wang Yingjie, were administratively detained for 15 days.
These two incidents of persecution against Christian house churches in Southeast and Northwest China demonstrate a new wave of large-scale suppression by the Chinese Communist authorities against unofficial churches. The freedom of religious belief for Christians in China is facing comprehensive repression.
Article 36 of the *Constitution of the People’s Republic of China* clearly stipulatesthat citizens have the freedom of religious belief. This constitutional right encompasses not only the freedom to hold religious beliefs inwardly but also,naturally, the freedom to practice religious beliefs, including the freedom to hold religious gatherings, whether publicly or privately, offline or online.
The Chinese Communist authorities and the Chinese government have no right to dictate what people should believe or not believe, nor do they have the authority to regulate the manner in which believers conduct religious gatherings based on their faith.
China has also signed the *International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights*, committing to protect the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Labeling peaceful gatherings and pastoral activities as “illegal use of information networks” clearly violates both the Constitution and international human rights obligations.
We hereby declare and call for the following:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of all detained pastors, preachers, and believers of the Zion Church and Xuncheng Church;
2. The public disclosure of the names, detention locations, and legal basis for all detained individuals;
3. An end to the use of charges such as “illegal use of information networks” to suppress normal religious activities;
4. The international community and human rights organizations to closely monitor the state of religious freedom in China and to continue raising their voices in multilateral forums.
Freedom of religious belief is not a privilege granted by the state but a fundamental human right. Suppressing churches and persecuting believers not only violates the Constitution and laws but also severely damages China’s international image and the credibility of its rule of law.
We will continue to monitor the progress of these cases and provide necessary legal assistance.
Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Group
October 2025
