Chinese Jailed Elderly House Church Activist Near Death, Family Says
Monday, August 20, 2007 (12:00 am)
By BosNewsLife News Center
BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife) -- An elderly jailed house church activist remained in "life danger" Saturday, August 18, as her health rapidly deteriorates because of abuses in prison, her family said.
Shuang Shuying, 77, who was in February sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Beijing court on what rights watchers described as "trumped up" charges related to her Christian activities, was apparently found in "serious condition" by family members who visiting her.
"Her hands were trembling and she looked very pale. She used to weigh 55 kilograms (121 pounds), Now she weighs only about 40 kilogram (88 pounds)," said her daughter-in-law, Wei Jumei, in a letter distributed by the US-based Christian rights group China Aid Association (CAA).
"The jeers and verbal abuses she gets from fellow inmates and the police's terror and psychological pressure have made the old lady all the more miserable," Wei added. Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comments on the allegations. The government has in the past denied human rights abuses.
CHINESE CHRISTIANS
Chinese Christians say policemen have told her son, Pastor Hua Huiqi that she is held as a "hostage" to pressure him to end his fight for religious rights of China's rapidly expanding 'house churches', named this way as they are organized in homes of believers.
Pastor Hua, who is also an internationally known human rights activist, was released July 25 after serving 6 months in jail for "disturbing social order."
In her letter Wei said she was concerned about the apparent tactic as "Shuang has serious diabetes, high blood pressure, cataracts and neuralgia in peripheral nerves."
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
She urged the international Christian community to pray for her mother-in-law and appealed to the Chinese government to release Shuang. Wei also asked Christians "to pray for the Chinese police and government as well as the detained prisoners," according to the letter released by CAA, which has close contacts with house churches.
CAA President Bob Fu said the latest developments underscore that the "international community" should "protest the injustice done to this ill, elderly Christian lady by writing letters and making phone calls to the Chinese authorities.
"It definitely represents a new low on the so-called rule of law in China especially in the host city of 2008 Summer Olympics," Fu added. (With reporting from China).
Copyright 2007 BosNewsLife. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without our prior written consent.
BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife) -- An elderly jailed house church activist remained in "life danger" Saturday, August 18, as her health rapidly deteriorates because of abuses in prison, her family said.
Shuang Shuying, 77, who was in February sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Beijing court on what rights watchers described as "trumped up" charges related to her Christian activities, was apparently found in "serious condition" by family members who visiting her.
"Her hands were trembling and she looked very pale. She used to weigh 55 kilograms (121 pounds), Now she weighs only about 40 kilogram (88 pounds)," said her daughter-in-law, Wei Jumei, in a letter distributed by the US-based Christian rights group China Aid Association (CAA).
"The jeers and verbal abuses she gets from fellow inmates and the police's terror and psychological pressure have made the old lady all the more miserable," Wei added. Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comments on the allegations. The government has in the past denied human rights abuses.
CHINESE CHRISTIANS
Chinese Christians say policemen have told her son, Pastor Hua Huiqi that she is held as a "hostage" to pressure him to end his fight for religious rights of China's rapidly expanding 'house churches', named this way as they are organized in homes of believers.
Pastor Hua, who is also an internationally known human rights activist, was released July 25 after serving 6 months in jail for "disturbing social order."
In her letter Wei said she was concerned about the apparent tactic as "Shuang has serious diabetes, high blood pressure, cataracts and neuralgia in peripheral nerves."
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
She urged the international Christian community to pray for her mother-in-law and appealed to the Chinese government to release Shuang. Wei also asked Christians "to pray for the Chinese police and government as well as the detained prisoners," according to the letter released by CAA, which has close contacts with house churches.
CAA President Bob Fu said the latest developments underscore that the "international community" should "protest the injustice done to this ill, elderly Christian lady by writing letters and making phone calls to the Chinese authorities.
"It definitely represents a new low on the so-called rule of law in China especially in the host city of 2008 Summer Olympics," Fu added. (With reporting from China).
Copyright 2007 BosNewsLife. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without our prior written consent.
Copyright 2009 Worthy News. All rights reserved.
This is an open forum. Any opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Worthy News, or its parent ministry Worthy Ministries.
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Dear brothers and sisters,
How interesting that I should come across your website and that you & other beloved brethren are dwelling in togetherness. I bless the name of the Lord for what you are doing in the body of Christ. It is wonderful to see men and women of God stand firm in faith and declare the message of Jesus Christ.
My name is Isaac Mukweyi married to Emily. We are working in the body of the ministry by house Churches network in Kenya East Africa. I was greatly touched and ministered to when I came a cross your Ministry page. God bless you greatly for obeying his Voice to minister this kind of healing to the Body of Christ.
I want to encourage you both to continue to re-discover your true identities and walk this earth reflecting the Love of Christ. Life is but a journey…. that leads us back into the Father heart of God. Don’t let religious concepts stand in the way of TRUTH…. for the doctrine of men only lead to certain death but relationship with the Father leads to a NEW & LIVING way. Jesus said ” my words are SPIRIT & LIFE ” Let the Spirit guide and teach you in all HIS ways. The world is looking for something….. we have what they are looking for. I’m not talking about getting them “saved” no, no, no, but rather they have an encounter with the ONE who Loves them from before the foundations of this known world. That of course is the Christ in us ! ( not just us but to every person on this earth who is born of a woman ) There are no laws, rules, or regulations to follow for it is written on our hearts. Jesus came to set us free from the law of sin & death. Brother you are FREE indeed.
Would you please pray with us about the possibility of Coming to Africa some day if the Lord allows and may be do some ministry in this area? We have several house Churches network in Kenya , Uganda and Tanzania pray that one day the lord may send you to come and strengthen our network with what God has put in you for the glory of the body of Christ. Please pray and see if the Lord leads. My heart has been to unite the friends and families for the love of Christ, as the bible says in Luke 10. I believe the dream of Jesus as in John 17 was to see the strong relationship united and show the world that we are one.
May God blessing we continue praying for you and looking forward to hearing from you.
God bless you and keep you.
Yours in Christ.
Bro. Isaac & Emily Mukweyi