(Anhui — September 8, 2025) According to sources, Elder Xue Shaoqiang and Sister Wan Chunqin of Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church, who had been charged with “fraud” due to their faith, were detained in 2023 and granted suspended sentences with immediate release on January 8, 2025. On September 5, 2025, the court revoked the suspended sentences of the two, and they were to return to prison after they refused to comply with what they regarded as excessively harsh and unreasonable monitoring measures imposed by the court.
Sentences and Surveillance Conditions
Elder Xue Shaoqiang was initially sentenced to two years and six months in prison with a four-year suspended term, while Sister Wan Chunqin was sentenced to two years with a two-and-a-half-year suspended term. During the suspended sentence period, Bengbu City’s Bureau of Justice required them to carry and keep location-tracking phones turned on at all times and complete facial-recognition check-ins three times daily. Elder Xue would have had to comply for four years, and Sister Wan for two and a half years. Viewing these requirements as a serious violation of fundamental rights, both firmly refused to comply. The court, citing relevant regulations, revoked their suspended sentences. As a result, Elder Xue Shaoqiang must serve an additional ten months, and Sister Wan Chunqin four months.
Background of the Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church
Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church is a house church not registered with the official religious affairs department. The congregation collectively elects its pastors and elders. All church income comes from voluntary offerings of Christians contributed in accordance with the teachings of the Bible, with finances kept transparent and regularly reported to the congregation. The church insists that the “fraud” charges are entirely baseless and fabricated.
Closure of the Church and Initial Arrests
In April 2022, the Yuhui District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Bengbu City issued a notice banning the church. However, the church still insisted on gathering until authorities forcibly shut it down in April 2023.
On April 11, 2023, Pastor Wan Changchun, who was serving in Lijiang, Yunnan, was arrested across provinces by Bengbu police on charges of “illegal business operations.” Shortly thereafter, Elder Xue Shaoqiang, Sister Wan Chunqin (Pastor Wan Changchun’s elder sister), and coworker Cao Binting were also subsequently detained. The charges were later changed to “fraud,” and the Yuhui District People’s Procuratorate filed public prosecution.
Court Judgments and Sentencing Details
On March 27, 2025, the Yuhui District People’s Court of Bengbu issued its first-instance judgment of this case:
- Wan Changchun was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 50,000 yuan, with his term running until April 10, 2028;
- Cao Binting was sentenced to two years, a suspended sentence of three years, and a fine of 3,000 yuan;
- Xue Shaoqiang received two and a half years with a four-year suspended sentence and a fine of 3,000 yuan;
- Wan Chunqin received two years with a two-and-a-half-year suspended sentence and a fine of 3,000 yuan.
Rare Sentence Revocation Sparks Concern
In judicial practice, revocation of a suspended sentence is relatively rare. Xue Shaoqiang and Wan Chunqin persisted in their faith and conscience, choosing to reject the extreme surveillance measures and would rather accept full imprisonment than compromise. Reportedly, both were taken into custody on September 5 to serve the remainder of their original sentences.
Reported by Special Correspondent Ning Meng for ChinaAid