In the early days of 2026, police in Sichuan province detained several key figures from the prominent underground church, part of a series of actions seen as part of Beijing's intensified scrutiny of unregistered Christian groups.
This detention of Early Rain Covenant Church leaders sends a chilling message to unregistered Christian communities across the country. Supporters and religious freedom advocates say the detentions have sent fear rippling through congregations that already operate on the margins of official tolerance.
