Chinese authorities have detained two leaders of an influential underground Protestant church after armed police raided a religious gathering in the south-western city of Jiangyou.
The Early Rain Covenant Church said more than 30 members, including children, were taken away for questioning after officers stormed a Sunday service. The church said the raid involved at least 50 police officers, with congregants reportedly surrounded by a SWAT unit during the operation.
The detained leaders, identified as Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing, were taken into custody on Sunday, although authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons for their detention.
According to the church, several members were transported to the Jiangyou detention centre for questioning, while others remained inside the venue and underwent identity checks. The church said most of those detained were later released after several hours.
The Early Rain Covenant Church, founded in Chengdu in 2008, has faced increased scrutiny from Chinese authorities due to its status as an unofficial religious group operating outside state-approved churches.
Its founding pastor, Wang Yi, was arrested in 2018 and is serving a nine-year prison sentence after being convicted of charges including “inciting subversion of state power” and illegal business operations.
Chinese authorities officially recognise state-sanctioned churches, while many independent Christian groups operate underground, often referred to as “house churches.” Religious rights organisations say pressure on such groups has increased in recent years.
The latest incident follows previous detentions of Early Rain leaders, including Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing, who were reportedly questioned by police in January over allegations of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
