Contact: ChinaAid, 432-689-6985 office, 432-553-1080 media phone, media@chinaaid.org

WENZHOU, Zhejiang, China, Feb. 1, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- 14 Christian house church leaders vanished in China's coastal Zhejiang province on Jan. 13, the latest in a saga of China's serial persecution of religion.

The Christians, all leaders of China's underground house church movement's Middle Eastern evangelism network, are believed to be in the custody of Chinese state security agents, their location undisclosed. ChinaAid President Bob Fu said, "This massive, enforced disappearance of 14 peaceful church leaders shows the Communist Party has no regard to rule of law and its citizens' religious freedom rights. The Chinese government should be absolutely held accountable for this incident and immediately disclose the whereabouts to the families and their churches."

The government has not yet announced their charges, but Chinese officials have a history of persecuting Christians solely based on their faith, denying them the religious freedom and basic human rights outlined in both the Chinese Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which China is a signatory.

Zhejiang's Christians have faced harsh persecution and discrimination in the past few years, as the province has been the focal point of a cross demolition movement and a follow-up surveillance camera installation movement.

ChinaAid urges international leaders to speak out against this blatant abuse of religious freedom and human rights and call on China to immediately and unconditionally release these innocent Christians. We also invite those living in the free world to share this story and help us further our mission to expose China's abuses and stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians, promoting human rights, religious freedom, and rule of law.