ICC NOTE: Hu Shigen, an elder of Yahebo Church in Beijing and long time democracy activist was formally arrested on January 8th after his initial detainment in July of 2015. Mr. Shigen spent six months in prison awaiting formal charges to be filed in what Chinese authorities have labeled as actions subverting state power. He has been a staunch advocate for democracy for the last 20 years in which 16 were spent in prison for his views. His arrest coincides closely with the formal arrest of Wang Yu and her husband Bao Longjun, both well known human rights lawyers. China continues its desperate attempt in quelling the rise of Christianity and any vestiges of liberal democracy which would be a direct threat to the Communist government. 

1/15/2016 Beijing, China (China Aid) – China Aid learned today that authorities in China’s northern Tianjin Municipality formally arrested a Beijing church elder and democracy activist for “subversion of state power” on Jan. 8, according to an arrest notice received by the man’s family members.

Hu Shigen, an elder of Yahebo Church in Beijing and long-time democracy activist, was detained on July 10 in connection with the nation-wide crackdown on legal professionals. Hu Shigen has faced trouble with the government for his pro-democracy actions for more than 20 years, during which time he served 16 years of a 20-year prison sentence. Hu Shigen’s brother, Hu Shuigen, supplied China Aid with a photo of Hu Shigen’s arrest notice, below.

News of Hu Shigen’s arrest comes only a day after news of the formal arrest of Wang Yu and her husband Bao Longjun, both prominent human rights lawyers. International media also reported that human rights lawyers Zhou Shifeng, Wang Quanzhang, Xie Yang and Xie Yanyi were formally charged recently. Authorities initially detained all six lawyers during the July crackdown.

China Aid reports on cases like Hu Shigen’s and others like him in order to expose the Chinese government’s abuses against its citizens and promote rule of law in China.

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