ICC Note:

A prominent Chinese pastor has been released after more than 7 years of imprisonment, abuse, and torture in prison.  Pastor Yang was visiting her hometown to protest the demolition of a church when she and many other Christians were brutally beaten by a police raid of more than 400 officers. During her time in prison she endured a host of health problems including hepatitis, diabetes, heart problems, and kidney stones. China strictly controls religious activity and Chinese Christians are often victims of persecution from the government.    

10/21/2016 China (Gospel Herald) – A prominent Chinese pastor who was arrested for protesting the forced demolition of a local church has been released after enduring seven years in prison, where she was reportedly tortured.

According to persecution watchdog China Aid, Pastor Yang Rongli, who led the 50,000-member Linfen Church in Shaanxi province, and her husband Wang Xiaoguang were arrested in 2009 while traveling to Taiyuan, the provincial capital, to protest the demolition of a house church in their hometown.

Later that year, they were convicted of “gathering a mob to disturb public order” for holding a prayer rally on Sept. 14, the day after 400 military police raided the church’s grounds. During the raid, more than 30 believers were seriously wounded and 17 buildings were destroyed.

Authorities sentenced Yang and Wang to seven and three years in prison, respectively, and fined the couple a total of 40,000 Yuan (U.S. $5,860).

Yang was forced to serve the entirety of her sentence, despite her insistence that the charge was falsified, and was released last week. During her time in prison, the pastor was reportedly tortured and upon her release showed physical signs of the brutality she endured.

Despite suffering from two kidney stones, hepatitis, diabetes, and a heart problem, Yang was denied medical assistance during her time in prison, according to the Human Rights Commission. However, the pastor has reportedly forgiven her persecutors and was in good spirits regarding her freedom.

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