Dutch Chinese Christians Rally in Amsterdam on Eve of Human Rights Day: Urging End to Religious Persecution and Defense of Faith Freedom and Human Rights
Amsterdam, December 13, 2025 (Dutch Voice Against Communism Reporting)
On the eve of International Human Rights Day (December 10), a prayer gathering featuring Christians drew approximately 180 participants to the National Monument in Dam Square, the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Braving overcast and rainy weather, they gathered here, holding signs, singing hymns, and sharing personal experiences, collectively calling on the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Christian faith, respect freedom of belief, and defend universal human rights. This gathering was not only an important event commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also a solemn moment for overseas Chinese Christian communities to speak out for their persecuted compatriots back home. The gathering's theme, "Stop Religious Persecution! Respect Freedom of Belief! Defend Human Rights!" echoed across the free soil of the Netherlands, awakening passersby to China's deteriorating human rights situation.
Gathering Background: From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the Reality of Christian Persecution
On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with Article 18 clearly stating: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." This declaration was intended to serve as the cornerstone for global human rights protection. However, 77 years later, in mainland China, Christians still face systematic persecution. The gathering's organizers—primarily Christians from the Church of Almighty God, Zion Church, and other Chinese house churches, along with some human rights defenders—pointed out that since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) came to power in 1949, it has implemented severe crackdowns on unregistered "house churches," including banning churches, removing crosses, arresting pastors and believers, and even forcing believers to renounce their faith.
According to flyers distributed at the gathering, from 2011 to June 2025, at least 490,000 members of the Church of Almighty God have been arrested, nearly 80,000 have suffered torture, and 13,866 have been sentenced to prison. More shockingly, at least 307 believers have died due to persecution. In October 2025, Beijing's Zion Church faced a large-scale arrest, with nearly 30 leaders and believers, including Pastor Jin Mingri and Wang Lin, detained. In the same month, nearly 700 Christians from the Church of Almighty God in Shandong Province were detained. Additionally, the flyers mentioned the CCP's persecution of elderly Christians: In Zhejiang Province, from February to September this year, nearly 100 believers over 70 years old were arrested, with the oldest being 93; they were sent to "transformation classes" for forced brainwashing and even subjected to torture. These figures are not isolated incidents but part of the CCP's "Sinicization of Religion" policy, which requires all Christian faiths to submit to socialist ideology, leading to countless believers becoming displaced and families being torn apart.
The gathering was scheduled from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM on December 7, 2025, at the National Monument in Amsterdam, a landmark commemorating World War II victims that symbolizes the defense of freedom and human rights. Participants included 160 Christians (mainly from the Church of Almighty God and Zion Church) and about 20 human rights defenders. Despite the cold weather—with overcast skies in the first half and light rain in the second half, temperatures around 9°C—the atmosphere remained peaceful and resolute. When Christians shared their persecution experiences, many were moved to tears; during the slogan-shouting segment, the energy was high, with passersby stopping to watch, take photos, and even join for group pictures.
Gathering Proceedings: Prayers, Speeches, and Symbolic Actions
The gathering opened with preparatory volunteer Liu Feilong, who thanked everyone for traveling from across the Netherlands in the cold weather and emphasized that their presence was the most sincere response to justice. Host Erin (a Christian) then led the event with a bilingual Chinese-English opening, reviewing the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and condemning the CCP's persecution of Christian faith: "The CCP not only fails to fulfill these most basic human rights obligations but systematically deprives citizens of their fundamental human rights and dignity through surveillance, torture, ideological transformation, forced confessions, and strict censorship."
The gathering featured diverse formats, including public prayers, moments of silence, choir performances, testimonies from representatives of persecuted churches, sign-holding stands, and flyer distribution. Visual elements were particularly moving: A 6-meter-long bilingual timeline poster was laid out on site, documenting the "century of humanitarian disasters" from the CCP's founding in 1921 to the present, focusing on the suppression of Christianity, such as the banning of house churches and removal of crosses. Participants held a 10-meter-long blue banner with white text: "End Religious Persecution! Protect Freedom of Belief! Defend Human Rights! 停止宗教迫害！尊重信仰自由！捍卫人权！" Additionally, there were over 20 A3 display boards showing photos, names, birth dates, and death dates of Christians from the Church of Almighty God who died due to persecution; and ten signs reading "Chinese Communist Party, Stop Persecuting Christians."
The singing segment was one of the gathering's highlights. The Church of Almighty God's choir led "The Kingdom," with lyrics full of hope: "The kingdom descends, God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven." In the second half, the entire group sang the Chinese version of "Amazing Grace" in the rain: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see." This scene touched many passersby, with rain mingling with tears, symbolizing the resilience of Christian faith amid suffering.
The prayer segment was led by host Erin, who prayed for persecuted Christians and China's future freedom: "May God protect them, grant them faith, so that in the face of torture and oppression, they remain unyielding, unbroken by evil forces, and persist in their faith, conscience, and justice. Amen!" The crowd responded "Amen," creating a solemn atmosphere. She specifically prayed for detained believers from the Church of Almighty God and Zion Church, including Pastor Jin Mingri, Wang Lin, Liu Jiang, Sun Cong, and others, asking God to grant them strength and wisdom.
(Photos of Christians speaking at the event, provided by volunteer Jiang Peikun)
Christian Speeches: Personal Experiences Awakening Conscience
The core of the gathering was speeches by Christian representatives, who shared their persecution experiences in China under pseudonyms. Brief highlights from their quotes are as follows:
Gao Jie shared childhood memories and being forced to drop out of university: "In the eyes of the CCP, believing in God is a crime. I ask all friends who pursue justice not to ignore our voices. Your attention can help the world understand the suffering of the Chinese people."
Ning Jing recounted multiple arrests from 2020-2024: "The CCP's goal is to force brothers to betray their faith and sell out the church. Today, I speak for those brothers and sisters still struggling in prison, to make religious freedom a reality, not just a slogan."
Jiayin (speaking in English) described her father being arrested for participating in a gospel film: "Why should people with faith have to hide and feel ashamed? Isn't freedom of belief a basic human right? Why should we risk imprisonment for exercising our God-given rights?"
Huihui condemned the CCP's suppression of the Church of Almighty God: "The CCP's black hand extends overseas—they send agents to monitor, track, and harass overseas Christians. Let us use continued attention and action to support all those suffering for their faith."
Jianchi recalled a life in hiding: "I moved countless times, living in duck sheds and mountain caves; during that time, I was extremely fearful, lonely, and helpless. Please everyone pay attention to the current situation of Chinese Christians persecuted by the CCP; let us pray together for human rights and freedom in China."
Qingxin listed 2024 data: "The CCP spares no effort in manpower and resources to exterminate these unarmed Christians. Our silence will only make the devil more arrogant. We don't need to do earth-shattering things; we just need to not remain silent."
Shenxing shared a 2012 arrest experience: "Whenever I hear of Christians detained for their faith, my heart aches indescribably. May God bless everyone, and call on more people to pay attention to China's human rights issues."
Shi Nian titled her speech "While the World Celebrates Human Rights, We Pray Just to Stay Alive": "The CCP claims externally that Chinese people have freedom of belief, but that's just a lie to cover up evil. Let us condemn the CCP's persecution together and speak out for our compatriots still in darkness."
These speeches intertwined personal suffering with universal appeals, emphasizing "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21), and quoting the Bible: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10) and "A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench" (Isaiah 42:3).
The slogan segment was led by Henan rights activist Xing Songlin and China Democracy Party Overseas Committee member Li Qiu, with the crowd chanting: "Respect Human Rights! Freedom of Belief! Stop Persecution! Faith is Innocent! Worship is Innocent! Persecuting Faith is a Crime! Violating Human Rights is a Crime! Persecuting Christians is a Crime! Persecuting Prisoners of Conscience is a Crime!" The voices echoed across the square.
As a popular tourist spot in Amsterdam, Dam Square drew many visitors to stop and view the timeline poster, listen to volunteers explain the current state of Christian persecution in China, and accept flyers. The flyers detailed the CCP's persecution of Christians, including the banning of house churches, the October 2025 arrests at Zion Church, and statistical data on the Church of Almighty God from 2011 to now. The flyers called for resisting the CCP's suppression of Christianity and supporting hardline politicians toward China.
On site, 1,500 English flyers were distributed, with many tourists taking photos and videos, and even posing for pictures with participants. At the end of the gathering, the entire group sang the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..." Preparatory volunteer Liu Feilong thanked all participants, emphasizing "Your presence is the most sincere response to justice."
Broader Impact and Appeals
This gathering was not only an expression of Christian faith but also part of the global human rights movement. The organizers called on: The Chinese government to immediately stop persecuting house churches and Christian groups, and release all prisoners of conscience detained for their faith; the international community to continue monitoring and sanctioning those responsible; and all who cherish freedom to pray and act together. The flyers quoted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Human rights are universal; everyone should enjoy freedom of belief."
In the current global deterioration of human rights, this gathering reminds us that human rights have no borders. The Netherlands, as a model for human rights protection, provided a platform for overseas Chinese Christians to speak out, but persecution continues domestically. Participants emphasized that silence equals complicity. Only through continued exposure and international pressure can China achieve true freedom of Christian belief.
Though the gathering ended in the rain, its light shines like a candle, igniting hope. May more people join the call, making religious persecution history and letting freedom of belief illuminate every corner.
Responsible Editor: Jiang Peikun
Comments
Post a Comment