Contact: Daniel Burton, China Aid Association, Inc., 432-689-6985, 267-205-5210, info@ChinaAid.org; www.chinaaid.org, www.monitorchina.org

BEIJING, July 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- CAA has learned that on July 6, 2008 Pastor Bike Zhang , chairman of the Federation House Church and his wife, Xie Fenglan, were forced to leave their home in Chaoyang District by Beijing PSB officials. The couple was able to find shelter in the home of a friend, Niu Bei until officials again found the home and forced the Zhangs to leave. Zhang and his wife were forced to move into a hotel in Guo Xian town, Tongzhou District, and were allowed extended residence by the owner.  At 16:00 on July 14 Tongzhou PSB officials threatened the owner of the hotel to evict the couple or face incarceration. The couple then decided to find residence in Changping, but were stopped by police officials while on their way and taken to the Town Government office. Police proceeded to interrogate the couple rotating them on a one on one basis without food, drink, or rest. At 6:00am Xie Fenglan collapsed due to the stress of the torture but was not taken to the hospital until 11:00am. The couple was released from the government office and stopped at a local hotel on their way out of town. While local police officials again drove the couple out of the hotel and forced them to leave. After a short while of living in Tongzhou, the couple were again accosted by local police and forced to move. Zhang begged the PSB officials to allow his sick wife to stay in the location and rest overnight. The officials rejected this plea and forced Zhang to send his wife to her sister's residence in Sanhe, Hebei for recovery, while Zhang found residence in a local hotel. On July 16th, while going out to buy medicine for his wife, local police officials followed Zhang and forced his wife to move out from her sister's home.

Photo: (Pastor Bike Zhang in Beijing 3/08)

Both Zhang and his wife are now forced to live on the streets and are not able to find shelter. When asked why the couple was being expelled from Beijing , officials responded, "Because Bike Zhang met the Americans, and destroyed the harmony of the Beijing Olympic Games."

This egregious treatment of one of China's most respected and well-loved house church leaders is a shocking and outright violation of basic human rights and rule of law. The Chinese Government has shown neither remorse nor discretion in violating UN and international mandates to grant citizens basic human liberties such as shelter and protection. The acts against Pastor Bike Zhang and his wife are unjust and unlawful. This type of behavior exhibited by the CPC is reflective of a dictatorship with no regard for the wellbeing of its citizens and not a world leader worthy of the honor of hosting the Olympic Games. We urge the international community and those concerned to voice their objection of these acts to the Chinese Government.

To voice your concern, please contact:

Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. , Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202)5889760
Fax: (202) 588-9760

Attn: Chinese Ambassador to the US , Mr.  Zhou Wenzhong

Issued by CAA July 18, 2008