(Heilongjiang province) Chinese Communist authorities tried Xu Feng, a Christian music school principal, with “illegal business operations.” The case began its trial on July 14th, but all information about information has been restricted.
Xu Feng’s trial
Local authorities arrested Xu Feng, the principal of Maizi Christian Music High School, in 2021. He and his co-workers were detained for nearly two years before their trial began. July 14th was full of twists and turns. Defense lawyers summarized several features of the trial. According to the attorneys, the court violated the law before and after the trial. Meanwhile, the defense argued that the judge should not let an unjust verdict destroy the “goodness” still in society.
No Information
The description of court proceedings and the verdict in Xu Feng’s case were completely censored and restricted by the Chinese government’s internet censorship authorities. All information regarding the trial and its outcome was swiftly removed from the internet.
Christian music school
Maizi Christian Music High School in Harbin City is an art school dedicated to nurturing Christian music talents. Staff focus on teaching piano and training students to serve in church choirs. The school operates with a non-profit objective.
The school enrolls teenagers who are unable to continue their education due to various reasons. Many of their students were neglected or abandoned by society. The fact that teaching students music results in prosecution is absurd, bizarre, and truly beyond belief.
Skeptical charges
Kong Yan, Xu Feng’s wife, expressed skepticism regarding the justice department’s accusations made against her husband. She pointed out that the school only charged students for the minimum cost of accommodation and food. Xu Feng himself never profited from the school. Teachers at the school receive a small allowance of 1,000 yuan (~$140), working mostly on a volunteer basis.
Religious Affairs Regulations
Since the implementation of the revised Religious Affairs Regulations in 2018, local authorities regularly harassed Maizi Christian Music High School. Faculty and staff faced constant threats from the police. Since 2021, Xu Feng has had his home searched by the police twice, and his phone has been under constant surveillance.
Raid, arrests, and charges
After the raid on September 4th, 2021, police sealed off the school. All of its assets, including pianos, computers, and documents, were confiscated. On December 10, 2021, public security concluded its investigation and transferred Xu Feng to the prosecutor’s office on charges of “illegal business operations.” A financial administrator in the same case was also taken into custody but was released on bail, facing the same conviction.
Prison conditions
During his time at the detention center, the quality of the food provided by the detention center for Xu Feng was extremely poor, which led to malnutrition. After advocating for improvement, he was allowed to buy additional food, and the conditions slightly improved. The harsh prison environment caused him to develop skin conditions.
~ Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
