China detains two leaders of influential underground church

critical · BBC World · 15 Jun 2026 · 07:56 UTC · Authoritarian Governance · 1 min read

Summary

State forcibly detains religious leaders and congregants during worship, exemplifying authoritarian suppression of freedom of assembly and religious practice.

More than 30 members of Early Rain Covenant Church were taken for interrogation midway through Sunday service.

religious persecution state repression mass detention underground church political control

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China detains two leaders of influential underground church

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