(Deyang, Sichuan Province – March 11, 2024) On February 22, 2024, the father of Elder Wu Jiannan from Qingcaodi Reformed Church in Deyang, wrote an article titled “Please Let My Son, Wu Jiannan, Come Home,” urging the Deyang City People’s Court to expedite the trial and do justice to Elder Wu Jiannan.
Wu Jiannan is an elder of Qingcaodi Reformed Church in Deyang. Due to the Chinese government’s persecution against Christianity, he was taken away by the Deyang police along with elder Hao Ming on November 17, 2021. Several other co-workers of the church were also taken away on the same day. Two days later, the Deyang police criminally detained Elder Hao Ming and Elder Wu Jiannan on suspicion of “fraud.” Subsequently, they were arrested and prosecuted on charges of “fraud,” with the alleged amount of fraud reaching as high as ￥560,000 RMB (~$77,804 U.S. dollars).
Elder Hao Ming and Elder Wu Jiannan were elected by the congregation of the Qingcaodi Reformed through a voting process. Both elders have a good reputation within the church community. Dedication to the church is a tradition in Christianity, and both church members and clergy staff, including pastors, elders, and co-workers, willingly offer their service. Providing a salary for ministers through a portion of the congregation’s offerings is a biblical requirement. However, Elder Hao Ming only receives a monthly book allowance of 100 RMB, while Elder Wu Jiannan’s salary is only ￥3,000 RMB (~417 U.S. dollars) per month. Through the efforts of their lawyers, the People’s Procuratorate of Jingyang District, Deyang City, amended the indictment decision on August 25, 2023, recognizing that during the court hearing, it was found that the facts of the case did not match those stated in the indictment. The alleged amount of “fraud” for both Hao Ming and Wu Jiannan was changed from ￥560,000 RMB to ￥101,300 RMB (~14,074 U.S. dollars). The trial was originally scheduled for January 17, 2024, but was postponed to January 29 and then further delayed until after the Spring Festival. As of now, the exact date for the trial has not been determined.
In the article, Elder Wu Jiannan’s father said he is a farmer who works the land. He is also a Christian. He has been in Deyang for over a month now, having traveled from his hometown in Anhui province. When he heard at the beginning of the year that his son’s case was nearing trial, he happily set aside all his farming duties and immediately rushed to Deyang, solely because he wanted to see his son. He emphasized that Wu Jiannan is a Christian preacher and has never defrauded anyone. His son has been detained for over two years, and the case has been in court for a long time, but there has been no conclusion yet.
Wu Jiannan’s parents spent a significant amount of money on transportation from their hometown in Anhui to Deyang, just to have the chance to see their son in court. However, upon arriving in Deyang, they were met with the news of another postponement of the trial, much to their disappointment. They had not anticipated the repeated delays in the court proceedings. He said:
We are not like government employees, sitting in their office every day, receiving a stable income from the government, never worrying about food or clothing! We farmers are not like that. If one day our crops fail, we all go hungry! You’re playing joke on us. Words should not be taken lightly, and promises should be kept, especially law enforcement officials who represent the country’s legal system and serve us, the people! Yet, you arbitrarily arrested my son, detained him for over two years without trial, without release, and repeatedly postponed the court hearings…
You are playing with people’s lives. Do the people deserve law enforcement officers like you? We feel ashamed. There’s a saying: “If you are not upright, you cannot correct others!” You are supposed to be the support of the people. You are supposed to reward the good and punish the evil. But actions are unacceptable. We have absolutely no trust in law enforcement officers now.
When the staff of the Deyang People’s Court and the People’s Procuratorate interrogated Elder Wu Jiannan before the Spring Festival, they hoped he would confess. However, Elder Wu Jiannan remained steadfast and refused to yield. His father said he knew his son would uphold his faith. As a Christian preacher, Wu Jiannan does not accept being convicted because of his faith. He has not engaged in fraud. He is simply faithful to God’s entrusted mission to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has been detained for over two years for his faith, yet there are no victims.
Wu’s father said, “The constitution guarantees the people the right to religious freedom, which is stipulated by the state. He is not a fraudster, he has not defrauded anyone. He only received ‘wages’ from the church according to its regulations to support his wife and two children. He teaches people to do good, contributes to the country, and not to commit crimes. You cannot arrest good people as criminals! You cannot convict my son because he is innocent.”
