Pastors Yang Rongli and Wang Xiaoguang

Date(s) of Arrest:
Oct 21, 2009
Prison Terms:
7 years; 3 years
Charges:
Illegally occupying agricultural land, assembling crowds to disrupt traffic
Crime:
Establishing a church, having many followers, rebelling against tyranny

In the early morning of September 3, 2009, the government of Fushan County in Linfen City in Shanxi Province dispatched more than 400 police officers, who raided the Linfen Christian Church, attacked the Christians there, and then used bulldozers to destroy dozens of buildings. On November 25, a court in Linfen City of Shanxi Province found Linfen's church leaders culpable of "illegally occupying agricultural land" and "assembling crowds to disrupt traffic." These leaders were sentenced to prison for the following terms: Yang Rongli, seven years; Wang Xiaoguang, three years; Yang Xuan, three-and-a-half years; Cui Jiaxing, five-and-a-half years; Zhang Huamei, four years. Five others were sentenced to "reeducation through labor" or Laojiao.