Thursday, September 25, 2008

Midland-based Group Monitors Trial of Jailed Chinese Pastor

Issued by ChinaAid, September 24, 2008

SHANDONG, CHINA — A closed-door trial willl be held for Pastor Zhang Zhongxin at 9 a.m. on September 26 at the labor camp in Shandong province where he is serving a two-year sentence of reeducation-through-labor. The ruling will determine whether this sentence, imposed upon Zhang on July 6 of this year, was an appropriate punishment.

Pastor Zhang’s attorneys and relatives have been banned from meeting with him or reviewing his files, because authorities claim Pastor Zhang is suspected of endangering state security. If the court finds Zhang innocent of the crimes against him, the reeducation sentence will be repealed. However, if the court rules in favor of the sentencing, Zhang will remain in labor camp until 2010.

Christian defense attorneys Li Fangping and Zhang Jianfeng continue to try to meet with Pastor Zhang. ChinaAid will continue to monitor the trial.

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The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

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