Chinese authorities have formally arrested 18 leaders of the underground Zion Church, clearing the way for potential prosecution and prison terms of up to three, three years. The arrests, which occurred in mid-October, mark the largest crackdown on Chinese Christians in seven years, according to Reuters and reports from the Christian nonprofit ChinaAid. 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 ‘politically motivated charges.’ The statement read, ‘These pastors and co-workers are being treated as criminals simply because they faithfully shepherded a large, legally unregistered church that refused to submit to CCP control and surveillance.’