An attack on lawyers hired to defend 17 detained Christians in central China, shown around the world on Sky TV on December 13, drew attention to a case which may not be as clear-cut as it has been reported.
The church leader at the centre of the dispute, Pastor Zhang Shaojie, appears to have been pushing the boundaries of what might be deemed ‘appropriate’ for a church leader within the government-sanctioned Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), not least in hiring lawyers known to be close to the China Aid Association.
These lawyers, who announced that they were beginning a hunger strike – until allowed access to their clients – were beaten and kicked by a coachload of [alleged] government-hired aggressors.
