Pastor of Chinese church near death after repeated torture

The pastor of a large evangelical church in China is reportedly near death after repeated torture sessions in a Chinese prison.

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) reports that Pastor Gong Shengliang, the founder of the South China Church, has been beaten so severely he has internal injuries and has lost hearing in one ear.

A source inside the Jingzhou Prison in Hubei Province sent an urgent message to Gong’s family, “If you want Mr. Gong to be alive in the future, you’d better think of a way as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable,” relayed VOM. Gong has reportedly been bedridden for more than two weeks and has fallen unconscious several times during that span.

In a call to the prison by a VOM representative, prison officials confirmed that Gong is being held there, but refused any further comment. The Chinese government has used the fear of SARS to prevent family members from visiting Gong. The last visit from family was April 14, when Gong’s sister, Shuzhen Gong, and his daughter were allowed to see him. At that time his health was failing, but since then it has reportedly deteriorated even further.

The source inside the prison says three guards are specifically assigned to Gong each day, and every activity is watched and recorded. VOM sources reported that a political officer visits him everyday in efforts to brainwash him to reject his faith and admit to so-called “crimes against the state.” Gong is forbidden to talk to any of the other prisoners, and any prisoner caught talking to him-even in passing-is severely punished, sources reported.

“This is a time for action by American Christians,” said VOM spokesman Todd Nettleton. “First, we need to lift Pastor Gong in prayer, asking for God’s protection and healing on him. Second, we can call or write the Chinese embassy and urge better treatment for Pastor Gong, including access to medical care and the resumption of family visits.”

Gong was transferred to Jingzhou prison last December, after having been held at Jingmen prison following his sentencing. Pastor Gong was sentenced to be executed in December 2001 during a secret trial, but a re-trial was ordered by the Hubei Province Supreme Court after international outcry and pressure from the U.S to commute the sentence. Gong was re-tried last October and charges relating to cult and illegal religious activity were dropped. The second trial resulted in a sentence of life in prison.

According to the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Chinese communists banned Gong’s 50,000-member South China Church in April 2001.

“In the crackdown that followed, hundreds of church leaders were arrested, more than 500 SCC full-time evangelists had their homes and property confiscated, and thousands of SCC members were persecuted, fined, beaten and harassed,” reported WEA researcher Elizabeth Kendal. “Female SCC prisoners were tortured until some ‘confessed’ that Pastor Gong had raped them. Despite the women recanting...their ‘confessions’ were admissible in court. Pastor Gong is now serving a life sentence on charges of multiple rape.”