Chinese authorities have begun a crackdown on "evil cults." Unfortunately, those who were arrested and accused of being cult members were Christians, the persecution watchdog group China Aid reported.

The arrests were made in October and November, but the exact number of the Christians apprehended by authorities in Yunnan province is not yet known.

"Tu Yan, a woman who began attending churches in Yunnan after she moved there for work, was returning home from a Christian gathering on Oct. 22 when she was apprehended on suspicion of 'using a cult organisation to undermine the implementation of the law,'" China Aid said in its latest report.

The woman was apparently released, but was re-arrested a month later on the same charge. Authorities accused her of being the "backbone of evil cults and organising three meetings on behalf of these institutions."

Her father denied her involvement in any cult activities but to no avail.

Tu disclosed to China Aid that four other church members were arrested on the same charge. Local Christians in the area, however, said as many as 12 people might have been apprehended.

Another eight Christians were also accused of belonging to illegal cults and arrested on Nov. 27 in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, reports said.

Chinese authorities accused the arrested Christians of belonging to a sect based in Taiwan, which China regards as a cult.

The latest arrests were part of a widespread crackdown on Christian churches being undertaken by the ruling Communist Party in China, watchdog groups said. An undetermined number of Christians and human rights activists are now locked up in jail for protesting against forced church demolitions and the arrest of other activists, the groups said.

Earlier in August, authorities arrested two Christian summer camp leaders in the northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, accusing them of trying to "brainwash" children, China Aid reported.

"Both women were accused of indoctrinating minors with superstitious beliefs. Chinese law forbids religious teaching to anyone under the age of 18, believing matters of faith to be dangerous brainwashing from which children must be protected," according to the group.

"Christian parents and church leaders can face disciplinary action from officials for involving their children in any Christian activities," it said.