(GUIZHOU, CHINA — Nov. 12, 2026) Four Christians in southwestern China face trial on allegations their supporters say criminalize ordinary church activities, including children’s Sunday school classes, while their families report obstacles preventing defense lawyers from obtaining copies of case files.
The four men — Wei Yongqiang, He Jinbao, Long Jian and Cheng Yongbing — are affiliated with a house church in Kaili City, Guizhou Province. Authorities have transferred their case to court for trial.
Police initially placed the four and two other Christians under administrative detention March 18 before criminally detaining them, according to previous ChinaAid reporting.
Authorities have accused the four of fraud, illegal gatherings and “organizing minors to engage in activities that disrupt public order.” According to sources familiar with the case, the allegations involving children stem from activities such as teaching the Gospel and holding Sunday school classes.
On Nov. 12, the defendants’ wives — Jiang Na, Tian Meiling, Zhang Caiwei and Xiang Meiling — issued a joint prayer letter urging public attention to the case and protection of their husbands’ legal rights.
The families say defense lawyers have been unable to obtain copies of case files, despite legal provisions permitting them to do so. The attorneys continue negotiating with judicial authorities over access to those copies as proceedings advance.
Legal professionals note that the charge involving minors generally applies to conduct threatening public order, such as fighting or theft. Those familiar with the case argue that parents have a fundamental right to guide their children’s religious education and that criminal prosecutions over such activities are rare.
Previous prosecutions over church offerings
In 2021, Kaili authorities sentenced four Seventh-day Adventist church leaders on fraud charges involving offerings that congregants maintained were voluntary. Elder Zhang Wenying received a 12-year prison sentence, while the others received sentences ranging from three to six years.
Across China, authorities have increasingly targeted pastors of unregistered churches with fraud allegations involving religious offerings. Religious freedom advocates argue that these prosecutions effectively criminalize ordinary Christian giving and place independent congregations under greater government pressure.
On Thursday, Pastor Gao Quanfu of Light of Zion Church stood trial in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, on fraud charges involving church offerings. Prosecutors accused church leaders of obtaining donations through deception. The hearing ended without a verdict.
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.