ICC Note:

A Christian man in China is facing possible criminal sentencing for printing and distributing Christian materials. Although the underground church has grown in China despite decades of persecution, recent legislation adds exorbitant fines for “illegal Christian activity.” The increased resistance of the Chinese government against Christian activity reflects a growing fear of threats to national unity. 

10/19/2016 China (The Gospel Herald): A Christian leader in China’s southern Guangdong province arrested for printing religious materials faces criminal sentencing after standing trial today, a persecution watchdog has revealed.

According to China Aid, Li Hongmin, a member of a house church in Guangzhou, was detained earlier this year for “illegal business operations” after he printed various Christian booklets, including the popular devotional Streams in the Desert.

Authorities confiscated these printings, as well as Li’s cell phone and other personal items before raiding his house. A source told China Aid that the authorities told Li that he would only be held for two hours and would be allowed to go home. However, they did not let him go home but detained him instead.

At the time, Li’s wife expressed shock and disbelief after hearing of the severity of the charges that were made against her husband, arguing that the materials being printed out by Li was far from being “illegal” or dangerous.

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