China: Court imprisons Protestant Pastor for 9 years for 'inciting' subversion

leer of an ufficial Protestant church has been sentenced for nine years of imprisonment by a court in China on December 30 for "incitement to subvert state power". Pastor Wang Yi was also found guilty of "illegal business operation" by a court in southwest China's Chengdu, according to an anuncement on an official court website. priest's Early Rain Covenant Church was target of a government crackdown last year in which he was detained. Dozens of members of his "underground church" reportedly disappeared in raid.

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Wang put on trial

Wang h been convicted in an open trial by a court in city, where Early Rain Covenant Church h been based. government often uses subversion against dissidents as a way to silence criticism of government and Communist Party. priest wrote a post on his church's Facebook p criticizing Chinese government for repressing Christians in country, saying "Party can flourish for a while, but it cant last forever. Party can kill my body, but it cant kill my soul".

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'House' and 'Underground' churches in China

Chinese protestants are split between ufficial "house" or "underground", and state-sanctioned churches where Communist Party songs also feature in order of service. Similarly, Catholics are divided between ufficial churches led by bishops recognised by Vatican and those who follow official prelates. Yet Communist and aist Chinese government is wary of any organised movements outside its own control, including religious ones.

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Early Rain Covenant Church was among a number of prominent "underground" churches shut down by Chinese government in 2018 as part of a crackdown on religion, especially on followers of Islam and Christianity. Ar big underground church to be shut down was Beijing-based Zion Church for operating without a license. Likewise, unauthorised versions of Bible were pulled from Chinese online retailers.

Patrick Poon, a Hong Kong-based researcher with Amnesty International told media that mess is very clear — you will be next Wang Yi if you don't register and follow Communist Party's line on religion.

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