(CNN) A prominent Chinese pastor and former legal scholar is one of 100 Christians detained by authorities after he was reportedly arrested on allegations of "inciting subversion of state power." Wang Yi and his wife, Jiang Rong, were taken into police custody early last week in the city of Chengdu, where they run the Early Rain Covenant Church, according to ChinaAid, a US-based nonprofit that advocates on behalf of China's Christian communities. A church parishioner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed Wang's arrest in a phone call with CNN. Authorities with China's National Religion Bureau did not respond to a request from CNN seeking comment. Western governments and civil rights advocates outside China have condemned the mass arrest of the Early Rain parish as the latest move in Beijing's stepped up crackdown on independent religious practice.

Source: CNN December 16, 2018 03:56 UTC