HONG KONG, June 20 (Reuters) - Chinese police have thrown 12 Christians in Inner Mongolia into labour camps for up to three years for engaging in "illegal religious activities," a Hong Kong-based rights group said on Wednesday.
They were among 35 people rounded up during a church service on May 26, although 23 were released soon after paying fines of 200 yuan each, the Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.
The centre named Wang Yulan as one of the 12 who were sent to prison on Tuesday, and quoted a Chinese police officer as confirming Wang would be incarcerated for three years.
Wang's husband was thrown into jail for three years in 2000 for the same offence.
Christianity flourished in China in the late 1970s and there are now at least 55 million Christians in the country.
China's constitution enshrines religious freedom but worship is confined to state-controlled churches. The U.S. State Department's annual human rights report this year condemned Beijing's crackdown on underground Christians.
05:28 06-20-01
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