(Anhui Province, China — June 10, 2026) Three leaders of the independent Maizhong Reformed Church stood trial June 9 in Fuyang, a city in eastern China’s Anhui Province, on charges of “organizing illegal gatherings,” a case that has drawn attention from religious freedom advocates and foreign diplomats.
Attending the proceedings in Fuyang City were Xu Chao, Li Yunyan, and Li Mei, the wives of Pastor Zhang Sen, Pastor Chang Shun, and Elder Ma Tao. The women said they wore formal attire as an expression of solidarity and faith during the opening day of the trial.
“Because those standing in the dock are not criminals, but our husbands,” Xu Chao wrote in a post on X after the hearing. “We dressed formally not to celebrate, but to face suffering with dignity and to bear witness to our faith with courage.”
The trial is among the latest cases arising from China’s ongoing campaign against unregistered house churches.
Zhang, Chang, and Ma face charges of “organizing illegal gatherings,” an offense frequently used against religious groups that operate outside state-approved structures, according to religious freedom advocates.
Prominent house church targeted by Chinese authorities
Pressure on Maizhong Reformed Church began mounting in 2021 amid increasingly restrictive religious policies in Fuyang, an inland city in northwestern Anhui Province. Led by Pastor Zhang and other church leaders, the congregation attracted official scrutiny because of its refusal to join the state-sanctioned Protestant system.
Under China’s religious regulatory framework, Protestant congregations are expected to operate under the government-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement. For many house churches, including Maizhong Reformed Church, joining the system would require accepting government oversight of clergy appointments, sermon content, and church finances.
“Refusing to join means becoming legally ‘invisible,’ and at any moment you can be labeled ‘illegal,'” said a scholar specializing in Chinese house churches who requested anonymity. “For these congregations, it is a matter of preserving the purity of their faith.”
Church members say authorities responded with years of mounting administrative pressure. The church’s worship venue was raided, landlords were pressured to terminate rental agreements, and members were repeatedly summoned for questioning. Despite the pressure, the congregation continued meeting.
The campaign intensified in the summer of 2025. On June 29, personnel from multiple government agencies raided a Sunday worship service. Witnesses described the operation as chaotic and confrontational. Pastor Chang Shun and Elder Ma Tao were placed under criminal coercive measures that same day.
Ten days later, on July 9, 2025, police formally arrested Pastor Zhang Sen, another key leader of the church, as previously reported by ChinaAid News.
The raid disrupted the church’s stability. In the subsequent months, the case progressed rapidly through the judicial process. By October 2025, the three leaders had been formally transferred to prosecutors for review and indictment on charges of “organizing illegal gatherings.”
Verdict expected in days ahead
The trial’s first day follows a recent international advocacy effort by the defendants’ families.
On June 3, the wives of the three church leaders sent letters to U.S. and European diplomatic representatives in Beijing urging them to attend the proceedings or send embassy staff as observers, arguing that the case concerns the peaceful practice of religious faith.
Observers of religious freedom in China say authorities have increasingly relied on criminal prosecution rather than administrative penalties to pressure unregistered churches. While earlier measures often focused on dispersing gatherings or closing venues, recent cases have resulted in lengthy prison sentences for prominent church leaders, including Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu’s Early Rain Covenant Church.
Outside the courthouse on Tuesday, police maintained a visible security presence that limited public gatherings near the proceedings. Family members and a small number of approved attendees nevertheless continued to express support for the defendants.
Following the hearing, Xu Chao wrote: “May the truth be seen, and may justice prevail. May the name of Christ be exalted, and may God’s will be done.”
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.