U.S. condemns beating of sons of Chinese pastor

Thu Oct 23, 2008
By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States strongly condemned on Thursday the "brutal beating" of two sons of a detained Beijing pastor and voiced concern over what it said was a pattern of intimidation of religious leaders in China.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Beijing-based pastor Zhang Mingxuan, president of the China House Church Alliance, had been detained along with his wife, and their two sons were beaten up this month by public security officials.

"We are gravely concerned by the brutal beating of Pastor Zhang 'Bike' Mingxuan's two sons by public security officials," said Wood, who did not provide details of the beatings. the rest

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