Beijing authorities said Friday that no one has been detained for participating in normal religious activities, refuting recent foreign media reports that members of a house church were detained when holding an outdoor gathering in downtown Beijing's Zhongguancun area.

The city's information office issued a statement Friday afternoon, saying that no one has been detained because of their religious beliefs or while conducting normal religious activities.

According to the statement, police persuaded people attending the gathering to leave, as they had to maintain public order in the bustling business district.

Police also told them to abide by the law, said the statement.

According to Chinese laws and regulations on religious affairs, citizens enjoy freedom of religions and believers are protected by the law when conducting normal religious activities in places for such events or at their own homes, it said.

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