(Hohhot, Inner Mongolia – April 2, 2025) The case involving nine Christians accused of “illegal business operations” for the sales of Bible study materials in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, has once again postponed the date of the verdict after nearly four years of trial proceedings, raising serious concerns from the outside world about the situation of religious freedom in China.
Trial proceedings postponed once again
According to sources in China’s churches, the nine Christians — Wang Honglan, Wang Jiale, Liu Minna, Yang Zhijun, Ji Heying, Ji Guolong, Zhang Wang, Liu Wei, and Li Chao — were charged with “illegal business operations.” The case was initially set for pronouncing on March 27, 2025, but the court canceled the hearing for undisclosed reasons. This long-running Christian case has faced repeated delays, adding further uncertainty to the outcome.
Background of the Case
Reportedly, the case originated on April 15, 2021, when the nine Christians from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, were charged with “illegal business operations” for providing Bibles to low-income Christians in China, aiming to strengthen the Scripture reading movement among Christians.
The Bibles they sold were all sourced from a legitimate publishing house in Nanjing, China, and there was no profit involved. However, Chinese authorities deemed this act illegal, leading the case to judicial proceedings.
The sentencing, originally scheduled for March 27, 2025, has been postponed for the third time for undisclosed reasons.
Repeated delayed sentencing creates uncertainty and prolonged detention with violation of human rights
Analysts believe that prolonged detention and repeated sentencing delays deliberately creates uncertainty, potentially exerting psychological pressure on the accused and their supporters. Some speculate that political factors may be influencing the handling of this “sensitive” case, while others suggest that international attention may be causing local authorities to act more cautiously.
The case has lasted for four years, and due to prolonged detention, the health conditions of some involved individuals are concerning.
During her imprisonment, 70-year-old Wang Honglan was not allowed to speak with other inmates but was forced to massage others in the detention center. During the investigation, the police threatened her, stating that if she refused to sign a confession, her family would be imprisoned.
Wang Honglan has been serving the church since she became a Christian at the age of 24.
Currently, the trial process remains slow, and the court has not announced a new sentencing date.
Statement from China Aid Association
ChinaAid Association has been closely following the case and asserts that the defendants’ use of Christians’ resources to subsidize Bible purchases for impoverished Christians is not illegal. It certainly is not cause for criminal proceedings to be imposed on a 70-year-old mother and other Christians for such actions. Even if there was a lack of legal awareness, their acts were done in good faith and should be met with sympathy and leniency. After four years of forced detention, the authorities have already achieved their warning and punitive objectives.
ChinaAid Association calls on the Inner Mongolia authorities to release them immediately. This case is not only a challenge to the personal religious freedom of the nine Christians but also a serious test of China’s religious policies.
(Reported by Special Correspondent Gao Zhensai of ChinaAid)