A ministry which highlights the plight of the persecuted church has released new information on the harsh conditions facing believers in China's prisons and jails.
A photograph on the cover of last month's The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter shows a Chinese policeman torturing a Chinese Christian prisoner. Within the issue are more photos and stories of Chinese prisoners who are regularly questioned and tortured by officials of the Public Security Bureau.
Gary Lane of Voice of the Martyrs recently returned from China, where he met with persecuted Christians. Some of the evangelists and pastors he met had been arrested repeatedly, and when Lane asked whether they were afraid of going back to jail, they told him, "No, because this is just God giving us another place to share the gospel."
Lane says despite persecution, the spirits of these Chinese Christians -- in prison or out of prison -- remain high.
"To many of them, it doesn't matter where they are," Lane says. "They can be free in their spirits, whether they are behind bars or not, and still share the good news with their fellow Chinese citizens."
The photographs that appeared in VOM's newsletter depicting actual torture and interrogations of Chinese prisoners were taken by an insider who assured the police the photos would be sent to their superiors as a record of their work and might possibly result in their promotion. According to Lane, the photographer who leaked the photos has gone into hiding and will have to remain hidden for some years.