• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • ABOUT CHINA
    • NEWS
    • TESTIMONIES
    • OP-EDS
    • FEATURED
    • GLOSSARY
    • CHINA PERSECUTION MAP
  • FROM THE WORLD
    • NEWS
    • OP-EDS
    • FEATURED
    • TESTIMONIES
  • INTERVIEWS
  • DOCUMENTS AND TRANSLATIONS
    • DOCUMENTS
    • THE TAI JI MEN CASE
    • TRANSLATIONS
  • EVENTS
  • ABOUT
  • EDITORIAL BOARD
  • TOPICS

Bitter Winter

A magazine on religious liberty and human rights

three friends of winter
Home / China / News China

China Illegally Monitors Abroad Cell Phones of Foreigners in Contact with The Church of Almighty God

09/20/2018Bitter Winter |

whatsapp

An Indian college student started doing research on The Church of Almighty God and downloaded its application in India. Shortly, he was messaged by the Chinese National Cybersecurity Agency, and offered money if he would disclose the names of the Church’s members he was in contact with

A recent U.S. official document noted that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is now “crossing the line into criminal actions” in its frantic efforts to control its image abroad and fight against organizations that are banned in China, including minority religions persecuted as xie jiao (“heterodox teachings”). In the last few days, harassment in Korea of the refugees of The Church of Almighty God (CAG), a Chinese Christian new religious movement listed as xie jiao, and a massive cyberattack against Bitter Winter were among the examples of these criminal activities.

Bitter Winter now has learned of yet another criminal activity of the CCP abroad, its illegal surveillance of cell phones belonging to foreign citizens. Arnav (pseudonym) is a citizen of India and a college student there. He is the owner of a Chinese cell phone, produced by Xiaomi.

Months ago, Arnav started researching The Church of Almighty God. He contacted the CAG in Hong Kong and started interacting by WhatsApp with a female Hong Kong CAG member. She sent to Arnav documents and videos and suggested that Arnav install the CAG app on his cell phone, which he did.

On September 3, Arnav received a message sent to his WhatsApp account from China by somebody who claimed to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency. He said they had detected that Arnav was in regular contact with some “traitors” from China and offered him US $ 1,000 for the name and whereabouts of his CAG contacts in Hong Kong. When Arnav refused, the alleged Cybersecurity agent first threatened him, then raised the offer to $ 2,000. Uncertain whether he was really in contact with the CCP or the victim of a practical joke, Arnav blocked the number.

However, on September 4, he received a follow-up message from another WhatsApp number. Again, somebody claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency asked Arnav to cooperate. He noted that his agency had “unlimited WhatsApp accounts” and would be able to harass him for months. Arnav blocked also the second number, only to be contacted again by a third and a fourth. Finally, the offer was raised to $ 2,500, with the promise that the agency would also provide Arnav with a social network account and numbers of “beautiful women” ready to chat with him.

The person claiming to be an officer from the Cybersecurity Agency also commented that all religions are prohibited in China and will be wiped out at any rate in coming years and that CAG members from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau will be arrested as well.

Technical personnel connect Arnav’s strange adventure with the brand of his cell phone being Chinese. Certainly, tapping phones of peaceful foreign citizens abroad is a serious breach of international law.

Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Rai
Chats between persons claiming to be from China’s National Cybersecurity Agency and Arnav (Provided by an insider)

Tagged With: The Church of Almighty God

Related articles

  • Slave Labor in Chinese Jails: CAG Women Prisoners of Conscience Speak

    Slave Labor in Chinese Jails: CAG Women Prisoners of Conscience Speak

  • Church of Almighty God Refugee Cases Discussed in New Book

    Church of Almighty God Refugee Cases Discussed in New Book

  • China: National Security Education Day Focused on Fighting Illegal Religion

    China: National Security Education Day Focused on Fighting Illegal Religion

  • Church of Almighty God Persecution Continues to Increase

    Church of Almighty God Persecution Continues to Increase

Keep Reading

  • 1000+ Church of Almighty God Members Arrested
    1000+ Church of Almighty God Members Arrested

    The crackdown prepared the Chinese Communist Party’s 100th anniversary.

  • Church of Almighty God: Another 300+ Arrested in China
    Church of Almighty God: Another 300+ Arrested in China

    Crackdown operation took place this Fall and Winter in Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, and Shandong.

  • Church of Almighty God Refugees: Favorable Decisions by Italian Supreme Court and Court of Rome
    Church of Almighty God Refugees: Favorable Decisions by Italian Supreme Court and Court of Rome

    Judges recognized that the CAG is severely persecuted in China, and members are harassed by the CCP even abroad.

  • A 3-Year “Final Solution” Plan Against The Church of Almighty God
    A 3-Year “Final Solution” Plan Against The Church of Almighty God

    Countless CAG members have been arrested following a national crackdown operation launched this September to eradicate the Church.

Primary Sidebar

Support Bitter Winter

Learn More

Follow us

Newsletter

Most Read

  • Pro-Chinese Propaganda by The World Muslim Communities Council: Uyghurs Strike Back by Gulfiye Y
  • Zhanargul Zhumatai: “Help Me, I Just Want to Leave China” by Ruth Ingram
  • L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, and the Visual Arts. 1. The Aesthetic Mind by Massimo Introvigne
  • Stricter Rules on Private Tutoring Protect Ideology Rather than Parents by Wang Zhipeng
  • Japan Religious Donations Law. 4. The Return of Brainwashing by Massimo Introvigne
  • Hong Kong: Christian Scholar Peng Manyuan Released but Not Rehabilitated by Gladys Kwok
  • The Weaponization of the CCP’s “Zero COVID” Against Tibet by Marco Respinti
  • L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, and the Visual Arts. 3. Art as Communication by Massimo Introvigne
  • L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, and the Visual Arts. 4. Art and Illustration by Massimo Introvigne
  • L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, and the Visual Arts. 5. Professionals vs. Amateurs by Massimo Introvigne

CHINA PERSECUTION MAP -SEARCH NEWS BY REGION

clickable geographical map of china, with regions

Footer

Instant Exclusive News
Instant Exclusive News

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief

MASSIMO INTROVIGNE

Director-in-Charge

MARCO RESPINTI

ADDRESS

CESNUR

Via Confienza 19,

10121 Turin, Italy,

Phone: 39-011-541950

E-MAIL

We welcome submission of unpublished contributions, news, and photographs. Each submission implies the authorization for us to edit and publish texts and photographs. We reserve the right to decide which submissions are suitable for publication. Please, write to INFO@BITTERWINTER.ORG Thank you.

Newsletter

Follow us

LINKS

orlir-logo hrwf-logo cesnur-logo

Copyright © 2023 · Bitter Winter · PRIVACY POLICY· COOKIE POLICY