(Huainan, Anhui – November 7, 2025) The Covenant Church in Huainan City, Anhui Province received the verdict on Thursday (November 6). The church’s pastor and several Christians were sentenced to different prison terms on charges of “intentional destruction of property.” The case stems from the church’s opposition to government policies such as mandating the installation of surveillance devices in religious venues and the forced removal of crosses.

According to the court’s judgment, Pastor Zhao Hongliang of this church was sentenced to one year and one month in prison, with his term set to end on March 21, 2026. Brother Shang Lei of the same case was sentenced to one year in prison, with his term ending on February 13, 2026. In addition, Brother Xu Yongshui received a six-month sentence, which has already been fully served, and Brother Xu Kehong was sentenced to four months of criminal detention, and a suspended sentence of five months.

According to sources, the case stemmed from accusations that several members of Covenant Church removed surveillance equipment installed at the entrance of the church.

Huainan Covenant Church is a registered local church (Panji District). On multiple occasions, it had previously expressed opposition publicly to local government policies on religious management, such as the mandatory installation of surveillance systems in venues for religious activity, the removal of crosses from church rooftops, and the prohibition of minors from attending church services.

This judgement symbolizes a temporary conclusion, at the legal level, to a case that stemmed from disputes over church governance and religious freedom.

Reported by China Aid Association based on reports from Kingdom Prayer Network