The Chinese government has been clamping down on the religion across the country and has now been accused of removing a cross from a church in the eastern province of Anhui. According to the Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness (CCFR), a non-profit religious organization registered in the United States, a church located in the city of Huainan had its cross removed from the building.

In a video posted by the group, a worker can be seen standing on the building where the cross was allegedly removed.

The CCFR also showed a house church in Shangrao City in Jiangxi province which had been damaged and demolished.

Churches across the country are advised to join the Three-Self Church which is a group of government-approved churches in the country.

According to the Pew Research Center, a US think-tank, there a 67 million Christians in China.

Under the Chinese constitution, citizens are entitled to enjoy religious freedom, although the Communist Party is officially atheist.

Despite the alleged religious freedom, according to persecution watchdog, Bitter Winter, the local government in Jianxi province has increased its crackdown of the religion.

Several churches in Dexing City, Shangrao and Fuzhou city, were raided by local authorities where they were told to shut down or join the Three-Self Church.

Last month, Christians in China had their Easter celebrations disrupted by police who arrested members who were watching a prayer service on Zoom.

JUST IN: Christianity crackdown in China as cross torn down and ‘demolished’

Members of the Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) had tuned into the meeting held by pastor Wang Yi to mark the holiday.

However, police in the Sichuan province arrested the members as they watched the sermon.

The ERCC has been under severe pressure from the government and in December 2018, its pastor was detained.

One unnamed female member of the church told International Christian Concern: “At that time I was also in the Zoom call, but there was a long period of time where I did not hear a thing.

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“I thought it’s the network connection issue at first, but I soon heard a quarrel erupt.

“Our co-worker Wang Jun was questioning some people, ‘Who are you to do this?’”

The ERCC has filed a lawsuit against the Chinese government for unlawful surveillance and harassment.

Chen Yam claims herself and her husband Xiao Luobiao had been victims of a controlled campaigned of discrimination for more than a year.

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, said members of the church have faced harassment by police since the ERCC was shut down in 2018.

She said: “In a time when the Chinese people are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the heartless regime chose to inflict more trouble on its citizens.

“The UN should immediately suspend China’s appointment to the Human Rights Council for its lack of respect for human rights.”

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