Source: www.ChinaAid.org
Date: January 4, 2022
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| Huang Yuanda, a Christian, received an administrative penalty notice of 100,000 yuan (Photo: ChinaAid source) |
(Xiamen, Fujian Province—January 4, 2022) Last week authorities from Siming District, Xiamen City raided a Christian school. They fined Huang Yuanda, who is in charge of the school, 100,000 yuan (~15,000 USD).
The Administrative Penalty Notice issued by Xiamen City Siming District Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs to Huan Yuanda stated:
The Bureau has found out in accordance with laws that you held religious education training at 752 Longhu Shan Road Room 701 without authorization, which violates Regulation of Religious Affairs Article 41 Clause 2. The fact mentioned above is supported with evidence including the transcript of the interrogation, the log of checking the venue (November 4, 2021), Xiamen City Premises Lease, related photos and videos, and so on.
Per Regulations of Religious Affairs Article 70, the Bureau will give you the following penalty: all activities should stop, and you are fined RMB 100,000 yuan.
Pursuant to the Law of the PRC on Administrative Penalty Articles 44 and 45, you have the right to state and appeal. You can make the statement and appeal to Xiamen City Siming District Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs within 3 days starting the day you receive the notice. It is deemed as you give up the right if it is overdue.
Pursuant to the Law of the PRC on Administrative Penalty Articles 44, 63, and 64, you have the right to attend the hearing. If you require to attend the hearing, you should send your application to Xiamen City Siming District Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs within 5 days beginning the day you receive the notice.
In the past few years, multiple cases of persecution occurred in Xiamen. Particularly, Siming District Bureau of Religious Affairs, Court, and District Government gave severe fines to house church ministers and Christians multiple times. For instance, during Thanksgiving of 2021, Yang Xibo received two fine notices totaling over 350,650 yuan (~50,000 USD). Yang serves as a minister of Xiamen Xunsiding Church, established over 100 years ago.
Additionally, on April 23rd, 2021, Attorney Yang Hui received a penalty issued by Xiamen City Culture Market Comprehensive Law Enforcement Division. He registered “Confucius Used Books” online, a website where he purchased and sold used books. Authorities fined him 7 times, totaling 283,497 yuan (~44,000 USD).
Attorney Yang Hui is a Christian attending house church in Xiamen and has been committed to Christian human rights cases. He defended Early Rain Covenant Church during the 129 crackdown and Pastor John Cao.
In the past few years, the Chinese government intensified repression on Christian education with constant raids and arrests. Also, lawmakers issued new policies to tighten control over homeschooling and private education. In the Family Education Promotion, the government now has authority over education outside and inside the home.
Christians constitute the majority of the homeschooling population, so it is anticipated that more Christian schools will face further persecution in the future.
~Yu Bing, ChinaAid Association Contributing Reporter
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