Protestant pastor and six Christians disappear after police raid in China
Protestant pastor preaching in China. Photo: ChinaAid
On August 5, 2026, police in China detained a Protestant pastor and six other Christians. Contact with them was subsequently lost, while authorities have not disclosed their whereabouts or the reasons for their detention, ChinaAid reports.
Those detained include the pastor of an unregistered Protestant congregation, its financial officer, and five church workers from Shanghai. All seven remain unreachable.
The congregation had previously refused to join a state-controlled religious body and undergo official registration. Authorities subsequently shut down the church, but believers continued to gather unofficially.
Human rights advocates view the incident as part of growing pressure on independent Christian communities in China. ChinaAid called on the authorities to disclose the detainees’ whereabouts and grant them access to lawyers and family members.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Christians in Afghanistan were facing the threat of genocide.
Read also
Upper Lavra court hearing postponed
The next court hearing in the Upper Lavra case has been scheduled for November 3.
UOC priest blesses ambulances at Kamianske medical center
A UOC priest in Kamianske blessed ambulances for a medical facility and wished its doctors God's help in their work.
Dumenko to German ambassador: Law targeting UOC also applies to other groups
Epifaniy Dumenko sought to defend Ukraine’s law restricting religious organizations during a meeting with the German ambassador.
Activists bused to court hearings in UOC cases, media say
A minibus has been spotted transporting protesters to and from courthouses where UOC cases are being heard.
Firefighters save historic UOC church from fire in Zakarpattia
A fire broke out at a UOC church in the Tiachiv district, damaging the altar and church furnishings.
Volyn Eparchy faithful collect six tons of aid for Sviatohirsk Lavra
Believers in Volyn collected food and warm clothing for people displaced by the war who have found shelter at Sviatohirsk Lavra.