In closed trial, Xinxiang court rejects Pastor Li Juncai’s appeal; upholds original formulated “guilty” verdict


First page of Pastor Li Juncai’s appeal trial verdict.
(Photo: Pastor Li Juncai’s family)

(Xinxiang, Henan Province—March 22, 2021) In a closed trial March 17, Xinxiang (Henan Province) Intermediate People’s Court rejected Pastor Li Juncai’s appeal, and upheld the original court’s formulated verdict. On December 31st, 2020, after detaining him for one year and ten months, Yuanyang County Court had sentenced Pastor Li with the following:
  • one year on the charge of misappropriation of funds;
  • one and a half years on the charge of embezzlement of duty;
  • two and a half years on the charge of intentionally destroying books of account;
  • one year on the charge of disrupting public service.

As the court decreed Pastor Li’s time as concurrent for several crimes, authorities sentenced him to serve five and a half years sentence and a fine of 50,000 yuan. Reportedly, officials will recover a total of 145,766 yuan from embezzlement of duty, and return to Yuanyang County Christian Council and Yuanyang County Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches.

Second page of Pastor Li Juncai’s appeal trial verdict.
(Photo: Pastor Li Juncai’s family)
Authorities accused Pastor Li of the four fabricated crimes for objecting to the government’s forcible cross removal and refusing to change a church proclamation “Love God and people” to “Love the country and religion.” Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities criminally detained Pastor Li on February 20th, 2019, charging him with “disrupting public service.” They also detained three other Christians from the same church. The next day, Yuanyang County Religious Affairs Bureau authorities, police, and urban management officers forcibly removed the cross from the top of Yuanyang County Central House Church. They also removed signs inside the church, proclaiming, “Love God and people.” CCP authorities then forced church members to raise China’s national flag inside the church. One month later, officials released the other three Christians on bail, but they continued to detain Pastor Li.
Third page of the second trial verdict for Pastor Li Juncai.
(Photo: Pastor Li Juncai’s family)

Li Chao, Pastor Li’s son, contends that CCP authorities fabricated all charges against his father in retaliation for Pastor Li standing against the CCP’s religious persecution.

Pastor Li served as pastor of Yuanyang County Central House Church, a former Three-Self church until 2013. Approximately 700800 members attend this church, the largest church in the area, which owns wns several buildings.
During Pastor Li’s appeal trial, Chang Boyang and Wen Yu, hid defense lawyers, refuted all the charges from his original trial. They also provided detailed and accurate evidence, indicating that none of the charges agreed with the facts. Nevertheless, although Pastor Li’s lawyers presented sufficient evidence, the court failed to overturn the first court’s erroneous verdict.
~ Report by Yubing, ChinaAid Special Correspondent
Previous China Aid Posts regarding Pastor Li Juncai:





###
“And like their bow 
they have bent their tongues for lies.
They are not valiant for the truth on the earth.
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” says the Lord.
                                                                                                   ~ Jeremiah 9:3 (NKJV)
China Aid exposes abuses in order to stand in solidarity with the persecuted and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law. If you wish to partner with us in helping those persecuted by the Chinese government, please click the button below to make a charitable donation.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: +1 (432) 553-1080 | Office: +1 (432) 689-6985 | Other: +1 (888) 889-7757

For more information, click here
News
Read more ChinaAid stories
Click Here
Write
Send encouraging letters to prisoners
Click Here
Previous slide
Next slide

Send your support

Fight for religious freedom in China

In closed trial, Xinxiang court rejects Pastor Li Juncai’s appeal; upholds original formulated “guilty” verdict

News
Read more ChinaAid stories
Click Here
Write
Send encouraging letters to prisoners
Click Here
Previous slide
Next slide

Send your support

Fight for religious freedom in China

Scroll to Top