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In a move further restricting religious freedom in China, the country’s authorities have reportedly expanded harassment of Christians who practice their faith to the small community of lawyers who have tried to defend them.

Last year, a crackdown on an independent Beijing-based denomination, Zion Church, saw dozens of its worshippers taken into custody. These included its founder, Pastor Ezra Jin. He had become a well-known personality in the so-called “House Church” movement for his refusal to surrender his church’s autonomy to the Three Self Patriotic Movement (the state-approved umbrella body for Protestant churches), and also for the quality of his sermons, which had been widely circulated across China.

Recent reports detail how Chinese authorities have been summoning the lawyers representing the detainees, nominally for “discussions”. This is understood to be code for informal interrogation and warning them to desist from their legal work. As many as 20 lawyers are believed to have received such attention. Some have been given express warnings that they would face “serious consequences” if they persisted. There have also been reports of pressure exerted on family (including on elderly parents) and on the law firms with which they are associated. Such tactics are known to be used against lawyers pursuing human rights cases.

As many as six have had their licences suspended, and one, prominent attorney Zhang Kai, has had his licence revoked. Another, Li Xiaoming, said that his law firm had decided to terminate its association with him.

Li, himself a Christian, managed to communicate his thoughts to fellow believers and to human rights activists, stating that he was prepared to suffer persecution for his faith. He also referred to the legal and procedural aspects of the actions, criticising the practice of informal harassment and calling rather for open charges that could be met in the courts: “I hope they will issue formal documents and deal with me in the light, not through hidden, under-the-table methods.”

While Christianity has a long history in China and has attracted millions of new followers in recent decades, it has often been denounced as an alien influence. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) requires religious bodies to join state associations, and to align teachings to party doctrine. The CCP is officially atheist, and its members are prohibited from joining religious groups.