Five Christians who had been detained since August 2022 for leading Bible studies were released on bail by the authorities in China’s Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province on 7 May.

Three ethnic Nu men from the local area, Wang Shunping, Nu Sangdeng and San Luobo, and two women from other parts of China, Hua Xiuxia and Dong Mengru, were detained for allegedly ‘organising and sponsoring an illegal gathering’ in early August 2022, which in reality consisted of prayer and free Bible and music lessons for young people.  

Four other Christians who took part in the Bible study were taken into custody on 12 January 2023, however they were released five days later.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW is pleased to hear that these Christians have been released on bail, however we call for the outstanding charges against them to be dismissed. It is unacceptable that they were detained for nine months simply for providing Bible and music lessons to an ethnic minority community in a disadvantaged area in China. We continue to call on the Chinese authorities to respect the right of all citizens, including children and young people, to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, and to release all those detained for participating in peaceful religious activities.’