Chinese police formally arrested 18 leaders of a major underground church, clearing the way for their prosecution and potential prison sentences of up to three years.
According to Reuters, which reported the arrests Wednesday citing a Christian NGO advocate, nearly 30 pastors and staff members belonging to Zion Church were detained by police in mid-October in the biggest crackdown on Chinese Christians in seven years.
ChinaAid, a Christian nonprofit human rights organization, said in a statement that the leaders were arrested on