Updated at 2:06 p.m. EST on 2013-03-11
Pastor Sun Wenxian leads the unofficial Protestant Youhao Church in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang, which exists outside the Three Self Patriotic Movement of churches administered by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Last month, she suffered a heart attack after a confrontation with police officers who raided the church, and beat her. She spoke to RFA's Cantonese Service from her bed at home, where she is still recovering from the attack, but where she is also under tight surveillance:
"I have to lie down and I'm still on an intravenous drip. I have to rest and take care of my health. My heartbeat is still irregular, and they have me under observation. My freedom has been restricted, and I'm not allowed contact with anyone. There are people guarding me, and they won't let anyone in to see me."
Sun was rushed to hospital shortly after her heart attack, but asked to be allowed to return home to recover, out of concern for the fate of her church in the wake of the raid. She said she had no way of finding out who attacked her.
"The police gave no identification when they came in, and I have no way of confirming it. They have refused my request to investigate the attack. The religious affairs bureau officials are in cahoots with them. Their aim is to prevent our church from holding meetings for worship, and to restrict the activities of our members. They are afraid that our church will just keep growing."
Sun said she had hired a lawyer to help her pursue her attackers and seek redress.
Reported by Fung Yat-yiu for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.