Authorities in China have arrested six Christians in Guizhou Province over allegations linked to ordinary church activities, including Sunday school for children and family worship, according to a religious rights monitoring group.
The arrests took place in Kaili City, within the Qiandongnan Prefecture region, where officials accused the group of “organising minors to carry out activities disrupting public order”.
The Christians are said to have been involved in hosting Sunday school sessions, sharing the Christian message with children, and allowing families to worship together. The report was published by the religious rights organisation Bitter Winter, citing the human rights group Weiquanwang.
The six individuals named in the case are Wei Yongqiang, He Jinbao, Quan Xiaolong, Long Jian, Cheng Yongbing, and Zhou Guixia.
According to the report, prosecutors proceeded with the arrests without fully considering legal arguments submitted by defence lawyers. It also claims that all arrests were approved at the same time, suggesting a coordinated effort to pursue the case.
The charge of “disrupting public order” is traditionally used in China for cases involving genuine threats to safety, such as violence or criminal activity. However, rights groups say it is now being applied to peaceful religious gatherings involving children.
The report argues that children attending worship with their parents is a normal part of family religious life and should not be treated as a criminal offence.
The six Christians have also been charged with fraud. In previous cases, Chinese courts have convicted religious leaders of fraud related to voluntary donations or offerings made during worship services. In one earlier case, a Seventh-day Adventist preacher identified as Zhang was sentenced to 12 years in prison on similar charges.
The latest arrests come amid wider concerns about increasing restrictions on religious practice in China, particularly in areas involving children and informal church gatherings.
In recent years, officials have introduced stricter rules on religious activity under updated laws on public order and religious administration. Rights groups say these measures have led to increased detentions of pastors and lay Christians in several provinces.
Observers also point to ongoing government efforts to align religious life more closely with state policy under the leadership of Xi Jinping. This includes a policy often described as the “Sinicization” of religion, which encourages religious groups to adapt their teachings and practices to align with state ideology.
At a recent training session in Beijing, Catholic leaders from across the country were reportedly instructed to study state ideology and promote socialist values in their teaching and ministry. The programme was part of broader efforts overseen by state-backed religious bodies, including the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
Reports also say that references to the Vatican or papal authority were absent from the training, despite the ongoing agreement between China and the Vatican, which has been widely debated in recent years.
Rights groups argue that these developments show continued tightening control over religious life in China, with increasing pressure on both Protestant and Catholic communities.
Adapted and rewritten from reporting by CDI.
