The Chinese government's anti-religious activities against religious minorities disliked by President Xi Jinping's Communist Party continue unabated. The following article reveals the uneducational behaviour of universities in Henan province, which, in essence, demand students who are believers of the Church of Almighty God to abjure their religion under penalty of being reported to the police. For those who do not adhere to the invitation, the gates are opened to forced indoctrination centers run by the CCP, often the scene of beatings, abuse and torture.
Henan Universities Force Students to Record Anti-religion Videos as Political Task, Persecuting Those Who Refuse
ADHRRF — Several universities in Henan Province have forced students to record anti-religion videos. Those whose videos are deemed unsatisfactory are targeted for further investigation, and dozens of students have faced varying degrees of persecution.
On June 24, 2024, Xu Yang (pseudonym), a university student from Henan, was notified by the school authorities to attend a meeting at the Communist Youth League branch to record an anti-religion video. Upon arriving, Xu saw both the dean and the counselor present.
The counselor instructed Xu to read aloud from a piece of paper in front of the camera. However, upon seeing blasphemous statements on the paper, Xu hesitated but, fearing punishment, complied while deliberately mumbling the key phrases. The counselor was dissatisfied and forced her to read it again. When Xu refused, she was taken into a separate meeting room.
Then the counselor aggressively interrogated Xu about her belief in Almighty God, and even brought in teachers to try to convince her to deny or blaspheme God. The counselor threatened that the public security bureau was intensifying its investigation of believers in Almighty God, and that the university would not tolerate anyone found to be a believer of Almighty God. And if she did not comply, the school authorities would report her to the police and sever ties with her.
Reportedly, her university had conducted three rounds of screenings, identifying 12 students. These students had been monitored, and some had already been taken by the police.
On May 20, 2024, another university in Henan unexpectedly ordered every class to hold an anti-religion meeting, with mandatory attendance for all students. During the meeting, students were required to hand over their phones. Photography, video recording, and any online posting or discussions of the meeting were strictly prohibited. Those who violated the rules would bear severe consequences. During the meeting, class leaders instructed each student to utter a blasphemous statement in front of the camera, which was then submitted to the school authorities. Even students who were off-campus or abroad were forced to comply, sending their videos back to the school authorities. Any student reluctant to make the statement or hesitant to read it smoothly would be reported to the school authorities.
University Teachers Collaborate with Police to Trap Christian Students, Leaving Them Feeling as If Death Is Preferable
In April 2024, Han Yun (pseudonym), another university student from Henan, was lured back to campus under the pretense of discussing post-graduation employment. Upon returning, she was immediately arrested by plainclothes police officers who did not show identification. They put a black hood over her head and took her to a hotel room for secret interrogations. Han was held there for 20 days, during which she was beaten, abused, and tortured by the police as they pressured her to reveal information about her church. Afterward, she learned that the facility was a CCP-run forced indoctrination center.
Upon her release, the police added her on WeChat, constantly interrogating her about her whereabouts, pressuring her to attend brainwashing sessions, and asking her to identify other Christians. If she refused or ignored their calls, they would threaten her father, saying they would take her to the brainwashing center again. During that period, Han lived in tension, feeling as if they were driving her mad—even contemplating ending her life.
“Everyday, I couldn’t eat or sleep. Every time my phone rang, my heart would jump into my throat. I often had nightmares about myself or my schoolmates being arrested. At night, I would lock my bedroom door, fearing the police would come for me again,” Han said anxiously.
CCP Issues Political Orders for Rigorous Investigation and Arrest of Christian Students
According to sources, the CCP issued a secret directive to dig out believers of Almighty God in schools at all levels, including universities, elementary schools, and even kindergartens. One teacher involved in the investigations stated, “This is a political task directly issued by the State Council.” Another teacher confirmed, “My school is determined to not allow any believers in Almighty God to remain.”
Currently, many students’ religious beliefs are under CCP surveillance. Those who refused to follow the CCP in blaspheming God were forced to suspend their studies and go into hiding, pressured to drop out of school, or taken into custody by the police. Police interrogators have revealed that specially trained officers are tasked with interrogating and transforming students, while school authorities are held responsible for overseeing their transformation.
Source: ADHRRF
