China detains two leaders of an influential underground church
According to the BBC, Chinese authorities have detained two leaders of an influential Christian congregation that does not belong to the state-registered church system. Lawyers for the congregation say the arrests are on national-security grounds; officials have not commented.
According to BBC Asia, two senior leaders of an influential Christian congregation active in several Chinese provinces and outside the state-registered church system have been detained. Lawyers close to the congregation say the detentions are part of an investigation labelled "endangering national security".
Chinese officials have not commented directly. Local state media have not yet reported the detentions, and congregation members are also said to have been questioned by police. Human-rights organisations argue that pressure on religious groups has been increasing.
Symbolic statements from the US and European governments are expected. The case will be watched as a signal of how Beijing's approach to unregistered religious groups will evolve in the coming period.
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