Protestant Pastor Xu Yonghai and 11 members of his church were still in detention in February, weeks after the Holy Love Fellowship house church was raided.
According to reports, 18 or 19 Christians had gathered to study the Bible together in a member’s house in Tongzhou, Beijing, when police arrived and detained 15 members of the group at the local police station. Four, including Pastor Xu Yonghai, were later released. However, Xu was detained again a few days later.
The 12 are being held in Beijing Municipal First Detention Centre. According to a police announcement, they are being criminally detained for their alleged participation in demonstrations and illegal assembly.
