On 17 August, police arrested six adults and one child from the Xi’an Church of Abundance, aggressively searched their homes and interrogated them at the police station before sending them home. The next day, the six adults were rearrested and charged with illegal gathering and illegal fundraising. The charges were based on testimony obtained from church members who had been threatened and intimidated. The two pastors, Lian Changnian and Lian Xuliang, and an evangelist, Fu Juan, remained in custody after the others were released, their location still unknown when their families requested prayer two days later. There was also evidence that Lian Xuliang had suffered physical abuse while in custody. On 19 August, the Civil Affairs Bureau announced that the congregation was officially banned.
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