1,500 cult members arrested in past two years, China says after McDonald's killing
Revealing the detentions and prison terms meant to reassure public that things are being done to stop the religious sects
China today announced the round-up of hundreds of alleged cult members following a deadly attack in which a group of adherents beat a woman to death in a McDonald's restaurant.
Slightly more than 1,500 cult members have been detained and prison terms were handed out to at least 59, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It was not clear when the arrests took place, although the reports said some went back as far as two years.
Reports of the detentions appeared to be an effort to reassure the public following outrage over violence and other illegal activity blamed on cult adherents.
The reports said cult members were given terms of up to four years on charges of "using a cult organisation to undermine enforcement of the law".
Those detained were allegedly members of the Church of Almighty God and the Disciples Sect, groups drawing on an unorthodox reading of Christian scripture.
Accusations against them included using threats, violence and other illegal measures to expand their memberships and organisations.