(Shanxi, China — November 12, 2025) Li Jie and Han Xiaodong, two members of the Covenant Home (House) Church in Linfen, Shanxi Province, were each recently sentenced to three years and eight months in prison on charges of “fraud.” Family members and church coworkers expressed that the two were wrongfully convicted because of their Christian faith. The case reflects the ongoing pressure faced by house churches in China.
Detention and Sentencing Details
According to the family members, the two individuals have been held in custody for over two years since their arrest in August 2022. Following the court’s verdict this fall, Han Xiaodong was transferred to Yongji Prison in Yuncheng, Shanxi. His wife received a notice of imprisonment on November 1 and a two-minute phone call from her husband calling from prison on November 5, confirming he was “safe and well.”
Uncertainty Surrounding Li Jie’s Status
However, Li Jie’s wife, Li Shanshan, has yet to receive any official notice or a phone call from her husband. After making numerous inquiries to prisons in various locations, she eventually learned from relatives, who asked around, that Li Jie had been transferred to Taiyuan No. 2 Prison on October 29.
“I just want to know if he is well, to hear his voice,” Li Shanshan wrote in a church prayer request. “Though they have been sent to different prisons, I believe there is good in it.”
About Covenant Home Church
The Covenant Home Church is a house church located in Linfen that operates outside the official religious management system. Its members have long held gatherings in homes for worship and religious activities.
Arrests and Charges
On August 19, 2022, Li Jie and Han Xiaodong were taken away by police from the Linfen Municipal Branch Bureau while at the Shigaoshan Residential Area in Jinzhong City. Months later, another church coworker, Wang Qiang, was arrested near his workplace. All three were detained at the Yaodu District Detention Center in Linfen. Local authorities filed charges for “illegal fundraising and suspected fraud in the name of religion.” Church members believe these accusations were merely an excuse to suppress their faith. This case is not an isolated instance; similar methods of crackdowns used by the Chinese government in recent years have resulted in the imprisonment of more than ten individuals, with some detained briefly before being released.
Court Proceedings
According to family members, the case was heard continuously for 20 days at the Linfen court between October 22 and early November 2024. Lawyers were not allowed to be present while the verdict was being announced, which took place inside the detention center.
Call for Prayer and Support
Li Shanshan urged the outside world to continue to pray for the two: “May the Lord grant them faith and hope, and may we soon receive calls from them.”
China Aid Association
