(Yueyang, Hunan Province — August 3, 2026) Police raided a gathering of a house church in Hunan Province, in south-central China, on the night of July 11, detaining the church’s founder and two members who now face criminal charges after authorities escalated the case beyond administrative detention.
Several members of Panshi Bible Church in Yueyang, Hunan Province, were taken to the local Public Security Bureau for questioning and required to provide written statements.
Most were released by about 3 a.m. the following day, but the church’s founder, 60-year-old Pastor Huang Shi Tou, along with Yang Jianjun and Hu Hongtao, remained in custody, as previously reported by ChinaAid News.
Authorities initially placed the three Christians under 15 days of administrative detention on suspicion of “illegally organizing religious activities.” When that detention expired on July 26, they were not released.
Instead, authorities transferred them to a detention center under criminal detention on the more serious charge of “illegal use of information networks,” a recently enacted legal provision.
The escalation from administrative to criminal detention reflects Chinese authorities’ growing use of criminal charges against leaders of unregistered house churches, allowing for longer periods of detention and potentially more severe penalties.
As of July 29 — three days after their transfer to criminal detention — Pastor Huang had been allowed an initial meeting with his attorney, according to the church. Hu Hongtao and Yang Jianjun, however, had not been permitted to meet with legal counsel or family members, and their conditions remained unknown.
Family hardship, health concerns
The ongoing detention has placed significant strain on the families of the three men.
According to the church, Pastor Huang’s wife suffers from a chronic illness and depends on him for daily care.
Hu Hongtao’s wife, who is 33 weeks pregnant, is approaching childbirth without her husband’s support. Around the time authorities escalated his detention to criminal charges, she also learned that her father was critically ill, compounding the family’s emotional distress.
The church also expressed concern about Yang Jianjun’s health. He suffers from post-primary tuberculosis and is being held under special supervision in the secured ward of Yueyang Guangji Hospital rather than in a standard detention facility.
“We call on the relevant authorities to guarantee the lawful rights and interests of those involved in accordance with the law, including their right to meet with legal counsel and other procedural rights,” Panshi Bible Church said in a statement.
The church also urged the public to monitor the case and invited Christians to pray for the affected families, asking God to grant them peace and comfort.
Pastor Huang founded the Yueyanglou District Panshi Bible Church in April 2022. Like many Protestant house churches in China, the congregation operates outside the government-approved religious system rather than registering with state religious authorities.
In recent years, local authorities have increasingly relied on Criminal Law provisions—including “illegal business operations” and, in this case, “illegal use of information networks”—instead of limiting enforcement to administrative penalties. The shift allows authorities to pursue longer detentions and more serious criminal prosecutions.
At the time of publication, Yueyang authorities had not issued a public statement or responded to media inquiries regarding the case. The investigation remains ongoing. For the three believers and their families, the prolonged uncertainty in the legal process has resulted in significant hardship.
Gao Zhensai is a special correspondent for ChinaAid News. Founded in 2002, ChinaAid is an international Christian human rights organization committed to promoting religious freedom and the rule of law in China through advocacy, legal support, and international awareness campaigns.