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Members of the Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) had tuned into the online meeting held by imprisoned pastor Wang Yi on Easter Sunday to mark the most important holiday on the Christian calendar. Police raided the homes of six church leaders in the Sichuan province and arrested them as they sat and watched the sermon, according to International Christian Concern (ICC), a Washington-based charity which focuses on human rights and religious freedom.

The ERCC has in recent years suffered heavy persecution and in December 2018 its pastor was detained and all public gatherings banned. One unnamed female member of the church told ICC: “At that time I was also in the Zoom call, but there was a long period of time where I did not hear a thing. “I thought it’s the network connection issue at first, but I soon heard a quarrel erupt. “Our co-worker Wang Jun was questioning some people, ‘Who are you to do this?’”

Members of a persecuted church in China were arrested on Easter Sunday for watching a sermon on Zoom

Police raided the homes of six Christian leaders in China on Easter Sunday

The other leaders who were arrested have been named as Guo Haigang, Wu Wuqing, Jia Xuewei, Zhang Jianqing and Zhang Xudong. The home of one leader had its electricity cut off, while others received phone calls warning them about “police coming to visit them soon”. All six leaders have since been released and the electricity was restored later on Sunday afternoon. A person close to the church reported police had at first acted in a friendly manner towards church leaders before arresting them. READ MORE: North Korea exposed: Photo smuggled out shows reality of Kim's regime

Six Christians were arrested on Easter Sunday in the Chinese province of Sichuan

Young girls pray at a church in China

Christians in China have faced growing persecution in recent years

The man, known as Zhang Jiangqing, said he was issued with a stern warning against taking part in any services run by Pastor Wang. Officers told him: “Don’t participate in already banned [religious] activities anymore. “Don’t listen to Pastor [Wang]’s sermons anymore. “If you do this again, we will deal with it seriously and take you away.”





Christians in China are facing growing levels of persecution

The arrests came after a member of the ERCC church filed a lawsuit against the Chinese Government for unlawful harassment and surveillance. Chen Yan claims she and her husband Xiao Luobiao have been victims of a control campaign for more than a year. Ms Chen last week wrote about her ordeal and her intention to sue in a series of blog posts.

The Chinese Government is keen to crack down on churches and has detained leaders in a bid to deter gatherings

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