'This isn't a judgement: it's persecution.'
Catholics attend a Christmas eve mass at a Catholic church
near the city of Taiyuan, Shanxi province, December 24, 2012
By Stoyan Zaimov
Christian Post
Five persecuted Christians in China have reportedly been sentenced to between three to seven years in prison for purchasing and selling what authorities called "forbidden Christian devotional books."
"Of them, pastor Li Dongzhe and Piao Shunnan received seven years, Zhao Chunxia and Li Yuan were given five years, and Shi Jinyan was sentenced to three years," the report stated.
"Most of them belong to a Korean ethnic minority group that resides within China, and all of them attend registered churches. They were arrested last June."
The Communist government in China has been cracking down on Christian churches, pastors of underground congregations, and various Christian minorities that it deems pose a threat to its rule.
In January, a predominate house church pastor in southwest China's Guizhou province was tortured into "confessing" charges related to "divulging state secrets," and sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Pastor Yang Hua of Living Stone Church was first detained in December 2015 when he tried to prevent authorities from taking his computer and hard drive during a raid on the house church.
His lawyer, Chen Jiangang, stated,
"Even a day in jail is too much for an innocent person. I have only one thing to say about this. This isn't a judgement: it's persecution."
"This is a political case that has nothing to do with the law or the truth," he added. "This is political persecution pure and simple."
"Of them, pastor Li Dongzhe and Piao Shunnan received seven years, Zhao Chunxia and Li Yuan were given five years, and Shi Jinyan was sentenced to three years," the report stated.
"Most of them belong to a Korean ethnic minority group that resides within China, and all of them attend registered churches. They were arrested last June."
The Communist government in China has been cracking down on Christian churches, pastors of underground congregations, and various Christian minorities that it deems pose a threat to its rule.
In January, a predominate house church pastor in southwest China's Guizhou province was tortured into "confessing" charges related to "divulging state secrets," and sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Pastor Yang Hua of Living Stone Church was first detained in December 2015 when he tried to prevent authorities from taking his computer and hard drive during a raid on the house church.
His lawyer, Chen Jiangang, stated,
"Even a day in jail is too much for an innocent person. I have only one thing to say about this. This isn't a judgement: it's persecution."
"This is a political case that has nothing to do with the law or the truth," he added. "This is political persecution pure and simple."
Christian Post article continues
Persecution Unveiled has been called by God to prick the consciences of this nation and all free people to speak up and act on behalf of those who have no voice. Follow us on Pinterest, and Google; like us on Facebook, and visit our website using this link.
Persecution Unveiled has been called by God to prick the consciences of this nation and all free people to speak up and act on behalf of those who have no voice. Follow us on Pinterest, and Google; like us on Facebook, and visit our website using this link.
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