(Dalian, Liaoning Province – January 30, 2024) According to reports, although the case of Pastor Kan Xiaoyong has not been formally announced, the verdict of the first trial has been issued. Dalian Ganjingzi District People’s Court has determined that the six defendants Kan Xiaoyong, Wang Fengying, Chu Xinyu, Zhao Qianjiao, Zhang Songai, and Liang Dongzhi are guilty of crimes of cult and illegal business operations, with the charge of fraud not established. Despite the exclusion of the most severe charge of fraud, Pastor Kan Xiaoyong was still sentenced to 14 years in prison. Kan Xiaoyong’s wife, Wang Fengying, was sentenced to 4 years, Chu Xinyu to 10 years, and it is expected that Zhao Qianjiao, Zhang Songai, and Liang Dongzhi will be sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment with a 4-year probation period. All defense lawyers are legal aid lawyers appointed by government authorities.
Pastor Kan Xiaoyong is 65 years old. He was originally from Wuhan, Hubei Province. He comes from a “red” family (CCP connected family), with his father having participated in the anti-Japanese war. Before becoming a pastor, Pastor Kan was a successful entrepreneur. His wife, Wang Fengying, is a well-recognized teacher and a ballet dancer who performed in the “White-Haired Girl” ballet. In 2018, they gave up their comfortable life to establish the ” Discipleship Home Network” online platform in Dalian, dedicating themselves full-time to spreading the gospel. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, Pastor Kan Xiaoyong personally donated to the Dalian Red Cross and the Beijing Red Cross. The ” Discipleship Home Network Church” that he founded also made donations to the Red Cross. At the same time, the couple also adopted 100 children with leukemia.
On October 20, 2021, Pastor Kan Xiaoyong and his wife Wang Fengying were arrested by Shahaokou District Public Security Bureau on charges of ” Sabotaging the Enforcement of Laws by Organizing and Utilizing Cult Organizations.” Alongside them, church co-worker Chu Xinyu and three female believers, Zhao Qianjiao, Zhang Songai, and Liang Dongzhi, were also arrested under the same charge. During the prosecution stage, Ganjingzi District People’s Procuratorate added two additional charges of “fraud” and “illegal business operations.” The case was brought to trial in May 2023 at Ganjingzi District People’s Court. The trial proceeding lasted nearly half a year, with a total of 30 days in court session, and concluded on October 26, 2023. During the trial, Wang Fengying also presented details of the torture she endured and identified two police officers who beat her in court. Pastor Kan Xiaoyong also told the judge during the trial about the details of being tortured to confess and how the police used shoes to strike his head.
On October 23, 2023, Kan Bei, the daughter of Kan Xiaoyong and Wang Fengying, sent a letter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of China, publicly disclosing a series of illegal actions by the Dalian court and expressing strong indignation. In her open letter to Chief Justice Zhang Jun, Kan Bei pointed out numerous illegalities in the trial at the Ganjingzi District People’s Court in Dalian, expressing her anger. Kan Bei questioned the charges against her parents. She attended the trial as an observer for a total of 24 days from July to the end of October 2023. In the letter to Mr. Zhang Jun, she emphasized that during the trial, her parents testified to the terrifying experiences of torture and coercion by Dalian police.
Lawyer Sui Muqing first revealed the results of the first trial. He believes that despite the sentencing still being excessively heavy, the defense by the lawyers was quite successful. The prosecution had initially requested a sentence of 15-20 years for Pastor Kan Xiaoyong, and his defense lawyers are Zhao Qingshan and Zuo Yingchun. For Wang Fengying, who was sentenced to 4 years, the prosecution initially sought a sentence of 15-18 years, and her defense lawyers are Zhang Kai and Guo Haibo. Chu Xinyu was sentenced to 10 years, with the prosecution initially requesting a sentence of 13-18 years, and his defense lawyers are Huang Deqi and Tang Xianlong. The remaining three individuals are expected to be sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment with a 4-year probation period, and their defense lawyers are legal aid lawyers appointed by government authorities. The prosecution had initially requested a sentence of 3-5 years for them.
Lawyer Sui Muqing believes that purely from the results, the defense was undoubtedly very successful, especially in the defense of Wang Fengying. Achieving such a remarkable defense outcome in the current challenging environment is particularly commendable. Throughout the defense process, the defense lawyer team demonstrated great professionalism and excellence. Their solid legal expertise and courage are admirable, and their conduct as conscientious lawyers is truly commendable! However, from a legal perspective, the fact that the six innocent individuals were convicted and given heavy sentences is not a failure of the defense but rather a failure of the so-called rule of law. Lawyer Sui revealed that the defendants and defense lawyers will file an appeal, continuing the fight for innocence.
