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

The leader of an unofficial 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 announcement on an official court website. The priest's Early Rain Covenant Church was the target of a government crackdown last year in which he was detained. Dozens of members of his "underground church" reportedly disappeared in the raid.

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Wang put on trial

Wang had been convicted in an open trial by a court in the city, where Early Rain Covenant Church had been based. The government often uses subversion against dissidents as a way to silence criticism of the government and the Communist Party. The priest wrote a post on his church's Facebook page criticizing the Chinese government for repressing Christians in the country, saying the "Party can flourish for a while, but it cannot last forever. The Party can kill my body, but it cannot kill my soul".

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'House' and 'Underground' churches in China

Chinese protestants are split between unofficial "house" or "underground", and state-sanctioned churches where Communist Party songs also feature in the order of service. Similarly, Catholics are divided between unofficial churches led by bishops recognised by the Vatican and those who follow official prelates. Yet the Communist and atheist 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 the Chinese government in 2018 as part of a crackdown on religion, especially on followers of Islam and Christianity. Another big underground church to be shut down was Beijing-based Zion Church for operating without a license. Likewise, unauthorised versions of the Bible were pulled from Chinese online retailers.

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

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