(Shunde, Guangdong Province – December 13, 2023) On November 30, Elder Zhu Longfei of Shengjia Church in Shunde, along with previously detained Preacher Deng Yanxiang, Deacon Zhu Longjiang, Deacon Wang Weicai, and Zhu Qiaoling, were prosecuted together under the charge of “illegal business operation”. The case was filed by Shunde District People’s Procuratorate to Shunde District People’s Court. They were charged with “illegal business operations” because of the devotional material (“Daily Scripture Interpretation”) printed for internal use within the church. Furthermore, they were characterized as “illegal printing and distributing publications that seriously endanger social order and disrupt market order,” with particularly severe circumstance.
On May 24, 2023, Shengjia Church was raided by multiple departments, including Shunde Department of Public Security, Shunde Religious Affairs Bureau, Shunde Department of Education, and Shunde Department of Industry and Commerce. Preacher Deng Yanxiang, Deacon Zhu Longjiang, Deacon Wang Weicai, and Zhu Qiaoling were arrested on suspicion of illegal business operations. Additionally, two learning centers associated with the church were also raided by hundreds of personnel, leading to the confiscation of numerous books, furniture, and other items on the same day.
On August 9, Elder Zhu Longfei was summoned by Shunde Public Security and subsequently arrested on suspicion of illegal business operations. At this point, a total of five co-workers from Shengjia Church had been arrested. Among them, Zhu Qiaoling, Deacon Zhu Longjiang, and Elder Zhu Longfei are siblings. All the children of the Zhu family have been detained. Elder Zhu Longfei’s wife, Sister Liang Dandan, who suffers from heart disease, is left to care for her elderly and ailing parents-in-law.
During the detention of Elder Zhu Longfei, Pastor Deng Yanxiang, Deacon Zhu Longjiang, Deacon Wang Weicai, and Zhu Qiaoling, their wives, children, and elderly family members often shed tears. In October, the mother of the three siblings from the Zhu family became critically ill and was hospitalized. Lawyers made multiple attempts to apply for bail out pending trial for the three siblings from the Zhu family, but all requests were rejected.
In the indictment, Shunde District People’s Procuratorate contends that Zhu Longfei, Deng Yanxiang, Wang Weicai, Zhu Longjiang, and Zhu Qiaoling, in violation of national regulations, collectively engaged in printing and distribution of illegal publications that seriously endangered social order and disrupted market order. The circumstances were particularly severe. Their actions contravene Item 4 of Article 225 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. The criminal facts are clear, and the evidence is indeed substantial. They should all be held criminally responsible for the crime of illegal business operations. Defendants Wang Weicai, Zhu Longjiang, and Zhu Qiaoling played a secondary or assisting role in the joint commission of the crime and are considered accomplices, subject to punishment according to the provisions of Item 2 of Article 27 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. Pursuant to Item 1 of Article 176 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China, the public prosecution requests the Shunde District People’s Court to find the accused guilty and impose the appropriate penalties.
After the group was arrested, their family members and several members of the church have successively made public appeals on their behalf. They assert that these individuals are kind and upright Christians, not only innocent of any crimes but also contributing positively to their families, the church, and society. They earnestly request the prompt release of the five Christians and the restoration of their deserved innocence.
In the public Thanksgiving letter dated November 27, 2023, Shengjia Church stated:
“We firmly believe that these five Christians, who are devoted to loving the Lord and others, and who abide by the law, have not engaged in any illegal business operations. The authorities are exploiting and oppressing them under the pretext of illegal business operations. Despite facing storms, Shengjia Church still stands strong!”
