(Xi’an, Shaanxi Province) ChinaAid received reports that Pastor Lian Changnian’s health is deteriorating in prison. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) charged the Xi’an Church of Abundance pastor with fraud two years ago.
Mental decline
On September 10, 2024, the lawyer representing Pastor Lian met with him in the detention center. His lawyer observed that Pastor Lian’s mental condition, which started declining last year, has worsened. The pastor shows signs of dementia and hallucinations. He is afraid to sleep during the day or night, constantly afraid someone is trying to poison him or strangle him.
Earlier this year, the lawyer reported that Pastor Lian Changnian’s hair turned completely white. His hair was deeply wrinkled, and he was lethargic and extrememly tense. His behavior was strange, with abnormal expressions and reactions. During the meeting, Pastor Lian repeatedly stood up suddenly, appearing very frightened and uneasy.
Unfit for detention
Pastor Lian’s family and lawyer are extremely concerned about his physical and mental state. At over 70 years old, continued detention could pose a serious threat to his life. His family and lawyer have repeatedly informed the court and detention center about Pastor Lian’s true condition, stressing that he is no longer fit to remain in detention. Despite this, the court continues to hold him in custody and has not replaced compulsory measures with bail.
Arrest and torture
Authorities raided Xi’an Church of Abundance in August 2022. The Shilipu police station in Xi’an detained Pastor Lian Changnian, his son Pastor Lian Xuliang, and their co-worker Fu Juan on charges of “fraud.” The three were placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” (RSDL) where they were secretly held in a location designated by the government. During this period, they were subjected to torture, including starvation, beatings, forced intake of unknown substances, and being denied access to the restroom for extended periods. These were all part of attempts to extract coerced confessions.
False accusations
At the same time, the police summoned church members and used a combination of threats and coercion to pressure them into framing their pastors. They attempted to sow discord between the pastors and the congregation, falsely accusing the pastors of greed. Police even encouraged church members to file accusations against the pastors for fraud and spread rumors of corruption within the church. However, many individuals whom the police labeled as “victims” stated that their monetary contributions were offerings and tithing made to God. One Christian, Qin Wen, even hired a lawyer to prove that she was not a victim.
Unfortunately, these “fraud” charges are commonplace for Chinese underground churches. ChinaAid published a comprehensive report on these cases, which you can read more about here.
~Lemon, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
