On 23 June Linfen Covenant House Church published a statement revealing that church members Li Jie, Han Xiaodong, and Wang Qiang were recently handed prison sentences by Yaodu District Court of Linfen City, Shanxi province. The three church members were sentenced on charges of “fraud” in relation to the collection of donations from church members – a common charge against leaders of unregistered churches in China. The wives of the three imprisoned church leaders have been campaigning for justice for their husbands and for their release since they were detained after police raided a church camp in August 2022.

Pastors Li Jie and Han Xiaodong were sentenced to 3 years and 8 months and given 30,000 yuan fines (equivalent to approximately €3,500). Church staff member Wang Qiang was sentenced to 1 year and 11 months in prison and fined 20,000 yuan (about €2,400). Following the verdict, Church in Chains’ partner ChinaAid announced that it plans to launch a public campaign to highlight the three cases.

The trial took place on 8 May when all three Christians testified in Yaodu District Court in Linfen City. There was a large police presence and security was reportedly tight around the courthouse. When Pastor Li Jie’s wife, Li Shanshan, their two children and his mother Zhang Ruxin arrived outside, they were surrounded by special police forces and forcibly taken to Xiangxian Street police station. Several church members reported receiving anonymous warning calls on the day.

Church Statement

Linfen Covenant House Church rejected the court’s verdict outright and issued a renewed call for prayer for its three imprisoned church members:

“Although the judgment of the case has been announced, we do not accept this unjust judgment. Our brothers did not commit fraud, and the offerings of our church are not fraud. Our church remains a house church, adhering to Christ as the sole head of the church and the principle of separation of church and state. We recognize that Li Jie, Han Xiaodong, and Wang Qiang are suffering for righteousness sake and are willing to take up the cross with the Lord. We receive the result of the judgment from the Lord with a heart of gratitude and obedience.

“We are grateful for the prayers of many churches, the care shown to the families, and the hard work of the legal team. May God continue to guide and protect. We ask everyone to continue praying for the follow-up of this case and the spiritual well-being of our brothers Li Jie, Han Xiaodong, and Wang Qiang. May the Lord keep them.”

Background

Linfen Covenant Church is a large, unregistered church in northeast China’s Shanxi province. A crackdown began on 19 August 2022, when over one hundred police officers raided an outdoor family camp attended by seventy members. Officers searched all church members present, confiscated their mobile phones and took them away overnight, allowing some of the children to go home after 2 am. Pastors Li Jie  and Han Xiaodong were taken into detention, while police searched their homes at 3 am and removed documents and books. Ten weeks later, police also detained church staff member Wang Qiang.

Since the crackdown began the authorities have brought in many church members for questioning in an attempt to gather evidence and false testimony against the detained leaders. Some members have been pressurised by their employers and families to say they were victims of fraud and some have signed pledges not to attend the church.

Linfen Covenant Church refuses to join the government-controlled Three-Self Church and in 2018 Pastor Li Jie signed “A Joint Statement by Pastors: A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith”, a statement written by Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church calling for religious freedom in China and protesting against increased state interference in religious activities since new Regulations for Religious Affairs had come into effect in February 2018.

The Joint Statement was signed by over four hundred Chinese church leaders, many of whom have been harassed since they signed. Linfen Covenant Church has endured constant harassment and persecution since Li Jie signed the Joint Statement.

(Bitter Winter, ChinaAid)

Photo Credits: Linfen Covenant House Church (via Chinese Human Rights Defenders), ChinaAid