China Aid Association learns that a Christmas celebration activity held by a house church in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, was attacked by the local police, three church leaders are being detained.

On December 29, 2006, about thirty policemen and the staff of the local Religious Affair Bureau in five vehicles attacked a Christmas celebration gathering in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia. They declared the celebration as "illegal gathering," and three church leaders were detained and sentenced to 15 days administrative detention.

This is the second celebration activity held by the church during Christmas. The three detained Christians are: Sister Liu Guanghua, 42 years old; Sister Zhi Huiping, 41 years old; and Sister Zhi Ruiping, 35 years old. All of them are being held at Duolun County Detention Centre.

CAA also learns that brother Lou Yuanqi, a house church leader in Xinjiang, who was rearrested December 23, 2006, was allowed to be bailed pending trial December 29, 2006. It is believed that the arrest is to deter the Christians from holding any Christmas celebration.

"To attack and arrest peaceful Christians during Christmas season is contrary to both the spirit of Christmas and the Chinese law," said Bob Fu, the president of CAA. "We urge the Chinese government to release the three innocent church leaders immediately."

CONTACT: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, Inc., 267-205-5210, mailto:info@ChinaAid.org; http://www.chinaaid.org/, http://www.monitorchina.org/

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