(Wuhan, Hubei Province, China — July 13, 2026) Authorities in central China have escalated their case against a house church pastor, transferring him to a detention center after he completed a 15-day administrative detention instead of releasing him as expected, according to sources confirmed by ChinaAid.
On June 24, law enforcement officers raided Cedar Tree Church in Wuhan, Hubei Province, during a worship gathering and detained Pastor Guo Xiaolin and his wife, Liang Cuili. Other attendees were required to provide personal information and were instructed to sign statements pledging they would “no longer participate in illegal gatherings.” Authorities also sealed the church’s meeting place.
Guo and Liang were each sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention and were expected to be released on July 10. However, recent information indicates Guo was not released at the end of his sentence. Instead, authorities transferred him directly to a detention center.
The transfer generally indicates that authorities have escalated the case beyond an administrative penalty and intend to initiate criminal proceedings against Guo. Liang’s status remains unknown.
According to sources, who are cited anonymously for their safety, Guo is originally from neighboring Anhui Province. During the initial raid, authorities ordered him to return to his hometown after completing his detention, effectively forcing him to leave Wuhan. It is unclear whether that order remains in effect following his transfer to a detention center.
The detention has also placed significant strain on the family’s two children, ages 14 and 15. With both parents detained and the family facing uncertainty over Guo’s future, concerns have been raised about the children’s care and education.
Chinese authorities have intensified enforcement against unregistered house churches in recent years, particularly those operating outside the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Officials have frequently closed churches under the Regulations on Religious Affairs while imposing administrative detention, fines, or requiring pastors to return to their registered places of household registration.
Enforcement measures used against Cedar Tree Church—including collecting worshippers’ personal information, requiring pledge statements, sealing the church’s meeting place, and attempting to expel a pastor from another province—reflect tactics authorities increasingly use to restrict independent Christian worship in the name of maintaining religious stability.
Together, the incidents underscore continuing pressure on independent Protestant congregations across Hubei and other parts of China.
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.