NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Chinese authorities formally arrested 18 leaders of a major underground church, clearing the way for their prosecution and potential prison sentences of up to three years.

According to Reuters, which reported the arrests Wednesday citing a Christian NGO advocate, nearly 30 pastors and staff members belonging to Zion Church were detained by police in mid-October in the biggest crackdown on Chinese Christians in seven years.

ChinaAid, a Christian non-profit human rights organization, said in a statement that the leaders were arrested on “politically motivated charges.”

“These pastors and co-workers are being treated as criminals simply because they faithfully shepherded a large, legally unregistered church that refused to submit to CCP control

See Full Page