UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 2024): On 10 September the lawyer representing Pastor Lian Changnian met him in the detention centre and reported that his mental condition has worsened. He shows signs of dementia and hallucinations and is afraid to sleep for fear that someone will poison or strangle him. Pastor Lian’s family and lawyer are extremely concerned about him and have repeatedly informed the court and detention centre about his physical and mental condition, saying he is no longer fit to remain in detention.

This month marks two years in detention without trial for three leaders of Xi’an Church of Abundance. They are being held in Baqiao Detention Centre in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province.

Pastor Lian Changnian and his son Pastor Lian Xuliang (pictured) together with their co-worker Fu Juan were detained on suspicion of “fraud” in a raid on the church on 17 August 2022. They were formally arrested on 22 March 2023 and in January this year their case entered the courts, with a sentencing recommendation of five years’ imprisonment for each.

Commenting on the anniversary, Pastor Lian Xuliang’s wife Zhang Jun said, “It’s been two years. We find joy in sorrow, look up in helplessness, and hope in patience. May the Lord’s days and will be fulfilled!”

Lawyers for the three church leaders have repeatedly requested meetings with the judge but each time the clerk has informed them that the judge is either in court or in training and is unable to meet.

Xi’an Church of Abundance was established over thirty years ago and is one of the largest churches affiliated with the China Gospel Fellowship house church network, which has long suffered government persecution and has been listed as a banned cult organisation. Many of its pastors, co-workers and members have been arrested, including Pastor Lian Changnian (70), who has been imprisoned several times.

Chinese authorities often make false accusations of fraud against leaders of unregistered house churches based on the collection of tithes and offerings, as a way to have them imprisoned.

When the three Xi’an leaders were formally arrested in March 2023, police portrayed regular donations to the church as fraud by the pastors and incited church members to accuse them of fraud. China Aid reported: “Afterwards, the police continued to summon Christians from the church, using torture to coerce them into betraying and framing the pastors and abandoning their faith.” However, many of those whom police identified as “victims” stated that their money was donated to God and that they had not been defrauded by the pastors. A Christian named Qin Wen even hired a lawyer to prove that she was not a victim.

New details emerge of mistreatment in detention

After the three Xi’an church leaders were detained they were placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” where they reportedly endured torture including starvation, beatings, forced administration of unknown drugs and long periods without access to toilets. Their families only received news of them after they had been secretly detained for six months.

A prayer letter issued by Xi’an Church of Abundance on 20 August 2024 has revealed new details about the conditions under which the three church leaders were held during their designated residential surveillance. The location was a hotel that had been converted into several narrow rooms, each with a long bench against the wall serving as the living and sleeping area, and the Christians were held separately for six months.

On 15 February 2023 they were criminally detained on suspicion of fraud and transferred to Xi’an Baqiao Detention Centre, where conditions improved and they were provided with adequate food.

Pastor Lian Changnian’s health “severely damaged” in detention

On 29 April 2024 Xi’an Church of Abundance issued a prayer letter stating that Pastor Lian Changnian’s physical and mental health had been severely damaged during his designated residential surveillance and that during that period a police officer beat his son Pastor Lian Xuliang in front of him.

The previous day, 28 April, a defence lawyer visited the pastor in Xi’an Baqiao Detention Centre and found him confused, agitated and physically weak. The lawyer reported that his hair had turned completely white, his face was deeply wrinkled and he appeared listless and very tense. The pastor would either use his hand to support his head or would keep his head lowered. His voice was very low and he would only answer one question in ten, unable to express himself clearly. During the meeting he suddenly stood up several times, appearing very fearful and uneasy.

In July, however, it was reported that on a more recent visit the lawyer found that Pastor Lian’s condition had improved. He seemed mentally clear and even said that at the end of May he had fasted and prayed for five days.

Linfen pastors accused of fraud also held for two years without trial

This month also marks two years in detention without trial for pastors Li Jie and Han Xiaodong of Linfen Covenant House Church, and almost two years for a church staff worker who was detained ten weeks later. They too have been accused of fraud and their wives (pictured) are campaigning for justice and release.

(China Aid)

Photos: China Aid