(Kunming, Yunnan Province — August 28, 2026) Authorities in southwest China are preparing to try three members of an unregistered house church on charges of “organizing illegal gatherings,” as concerns grow over the health of one detainee and several family members.
The pre-trial conference in the Century New Town Church case is scheduled for Sept. 2 in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. The trial of minister Yu Shaolin and church members Li Qun and Luo Ping is scheduled to follow on Sept. 16.
Yu, Li and Luo were arrested by police on April 12, as previously reported by ChinaAid News. On May 20, they were formally placed under criminal detention on suspicion of “organizing illegal gatherings” and have remained in custody since.
The three were previously reported to be held at the Guandu District Detention Center in Kunming.
The pre-trial conference is intended to address procedural issues before the formal trial, including potential disputes over evidence and other matters raised by prosecutors or defense attorneys.
Before becoming a Christian, Yu was involved in nightclub culture and developed a drug addiction. He later converted to Christianity and underwent rehabilitation. As a minister, he has spent years preaching the Gospel and helping people in his community struggling with substance use.
Church reports indicate that Yu’s health has become a significant concern during his detention. The 52-year-old reportedly suffers from several chronic illnesses, including carotid artery plaques, severe varicose veins, and impaired liver and kidney function, which require long-term medication.
According to the church, Yu is in a frail physical condition at the detention center.
The defendants’ families are also facing significant physical and psychological strain, according to church reports. Yu’s wife, Li Siqi, has reportedly been diagnosed with an adrenal tumor and hypertension, and her condition has recently deteriorated.
Yu’s mother-in-law was hospitalized following what the church described as a panic episode in May. Her symptoms have reportedly worsened to include auditory hallucinations and severe anxiety.
The elderly parents of Li and Luo have also developed health problems, including high blood pressure, according to church reports.
Century New Town Church is an unregistered house church. Religious groups in China are required to operate within officially approved religious organizations, while independent congregations that worship outside that system may face official bans, raids or other legal action.
The charge against Yu, Li and Luo is also the same one used in the August sentencing of three leaders of Maizhong Reformed Church. ChinaAid President Bob Fu said the cases reflect what he described as a broader effort by the Chinese government to restrict Christian worship.
“These sentences expose the cruel reality of Xi Jinping’s so-called Sinicization campaign: peaceful Christian worship is increasingly treated as criminal activity whenever believers refuse to place the Communist Party above their faith,” Fu said.
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.