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Beijing church website forcibly shut down by government

ChinaAid says that it has recently learned that the Websites Surveillance Section of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau forcibly shut down the website of Shouwang Christian Church of Beijing at 10:45 a.m. on April 13, 2009, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

The only explanation the church has received from the related agent is that government authorities concluded that the website was the “website of an illegal Christian organization,” and demanded that the agent shut it down.

Shouwang Christian Church members say that government authorities have never concluded that their house church is an illegal organization.

“Though Shouwang Christian Church pre-paid for a year of service, the website was shut down without prior notice or an official written explanation,” said a spokesperson for ChinaAid. “The website was registered by an individual, and was used mainly by the house church members to communicate with each other regarding daily activities and information about the church.

“Shouwang Christian Church plans to continue to press government officials for an official explanation regarding the reason that their website was shut down. The church requests that Christians around the world pray for their rights to be upheld and that their website will be restored.”

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TAGS: China ChinaAid Shouwang Christian Church website persecution religious freedom

[06/22/2009]

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