China closes down Christian academy for allegedly brainwashing children

A Christian-run academy in China's central Henan province was closed down by the authorities following allegations that it was "brainwashing" its students.

China Aid, an organization that monitors religious freedom violations in the communist nation, reported that national security officers arrived at a Christian woman's house in July and confiscated books that have been used for an academy that runs theology classes for children.

The woman, who was identified in the report only as Ms. Zhu, told China Aid on Sept. 14 that the officers also removed items belonging to her church, including the computer, before banning and closing down the academy.

The raid on the woman's house came after the officers received a tip that the students were being "brainwashed" with religion.

The Chinese government has recently stepped up its crackdown on Christianity, and it has strengthened its restrictions on children attending religious events in the revised edition of its Regulations on Religious Affairs, scheduled to take effect in February.

In July, the Henan Provincial Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee and the Henan Provincial China Christian Council issued an order prohibiting churches from organizing summer youth camps for minors and students.

"The temperature is very high during the summer. To conform to the country's related legal policies on youth health, no summer camps that involve youth and students shall be organized by any church. Please stick to this notice if it differs from previous notices," reads the document from the two state-run Christian organizations.

In June, provincial authorities also announced new regulations forbidding foreign students from taking part in religious activities at universities in Henan.

The Chinese government contended that the new rules were made to "regulate schools' admission, the cultivation and management of international students and for the convenience of international students studying in schools in China."

The regulations, which took effect in July, requires foreign students majoring in philosophy and politics to take compulsory political theories courses. It also bans any form of religious activities on campus, including religious gatherings and preaching.

Schools in China are required to respect the customs and religious beliefs of foreign students, but they are not allowed to provide any venue for religious activities.

China Aid contended that the regulations forbidding students from practicing their beliefs on campus, as well as the restrictions on the summer religious activities of churches, violate the Chinese Constitution.

"No State organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion," Article 36 of the Constitution states, according to the non-profit group.