Background of Early Rain Covenant Church
Early Rain Covenant Church is a Protestant Christian group founded in 2008 in Chengdu. It operates outside state approved religious structures in China. The church has faced long term scrutiny from authorities due to strict regulation of religious activity.
Its founding pastor Wang Yi was arrested in 2018. He is currently serving a nine year prison sentence on charges including inciting subversion of state power and illegal business activity.
Sunday service raid in Jiangyou
During a Sunday service in Jiangyou, a city in south western China, armed police entered the gathering. The church said the service was underway when officers stormed the location.
Witness accounts suggest around fifty officers took part in the operation. The congregation included adults, elderly members, and children.
Authorities moved the gathering into a controlled space where identity checks were carried out. Videos shared by the church show uniformed and plain clothed officers managing the group inside a large hall.
Detention and interrogations
Police detained more than thirty members, including two church leaders, Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing. They were taken to a detention centre for questioning.
According to church statements, those detained were later released the same day between evening hours. However, the two leaders remained in custody at the time of reporting.
Some congregants were asked to sign written statements in exchange for release. They refused. The group was eventually allowed to leave after several hours of questioning and restrictions inside the hall.
Church response and ongoing tensions
The church said its members continued to sing hymns and pray during the raid and while under detention conditions. It also shared images showing congregants seated under police supervision.
Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing have previously been questioned by authorities, including earlier detentions related to public order accusations.
Chinese officials have not issued a public response regarding the latest arrests.
