Chinese police sought permission to beat up Christians during church raid, says watchdog group

Police officers sought the permission of higher authorities to beat up Christians while they were conducting a raid on a house church in China's northwestern Xinjiang province, according to a report from a persecution watchdog organization.

On Feb. 19, the police officers broke into the home of Kong Lingrong, where 21 people have gathered for a church service. Kong and several others at the meeting were taken to the police station. One officer reportedly asked for permission to beat up the Christians as they searched through Kong's home, China Aid reported.

The Christians were warned never to hold church services again and Kong was told that a group larger than three people could be considered as an illegal gathering.

Kong has been the target of the authorities for the past six years, and his son was even expelled from his middle school for refusing to renounce his faith. The child was only allowed to return after some pressure from human rights lawyers and international groups.

The officials also broke into another home on the same day of the raid on Kong's house church. The authorities ripped the Christian materials off the door of Mei Yunhua's home and cut off the water and electric supply. Although the house was empty, the officials forbid Christians from meeting there again.

The authorities in Xinjiang have recently stepped up its efforts to crackdown on unofficial churches in the region as part of its "anti-terrorism" campaign.

In late February, underground Catholic churches and Protestant house churches across the region were told to cease all Christian activities.

One resident in Aksu prefecture's Shayar county said that the new rules have already been implemented in the cities of Aksu and Korla.

"They warned us that we can't do that, and that we'll be charged with illegal assembly if we get caught, and be locked up in the detention center," said the resident.

"It is now banned right across our whole region, including Korla and Aksu. If we meet we have to do it in secret," the resident continued.

Churches in China have been under increasing pressure to join the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Association or the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which has no ties to the Vatican.

Under the administration of President Xi Jinping, Christianity is considered as a dangerous foreign import. Last year, Chinese officials warned against the "infiltration of Western hostile forces" in the form of religion.