China (International Christian Concern) — On Sept. 11, the Hohhot Intermediate People’s Court, located in the autonomous Inner Mongolia region of China, confirmed the original ruling against 10 Christians sentenced to prison for distributing legally published Bibles, asserting that their actions equated to an illegal business operation.

The 10 people were arrested in 2021 for purchasing legally published Bibles and reselling them at significantly lower prices as a means of evangelism. International Christian Concern (ICC) has followed this case for several years now.  

Although the Bibles were published legally, the court deemed the distribution of them illegal because the house church that the distributors belonged to was not officially registered. Additionally, the church refused to join the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) church.

The TSPM operates under three core principles: self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation. It is the officially recognized church in China and functions within the constraints imposed by the Chinese Communist Party. Consequently, many house churches choose to operate independently and without official recognition, which places them in violation of the law.

The 10 believers sentenced for the illegal Bible distributions are Wang Honglan, Ji Heying, Zhang Wang, Wang Jiale, Liu Minna, Li Chao, Yang Zhijun, Ji Guolong, Liu Wei, and Ban Yanhong. When arrested in April 2021, they argued that their sales of Bibles were not profit-driven and that their intentions were purely evangelistic. Ban Yanhong pled guilty and received a prison sentence. The other believers were sentenced to prison time along with heavy fines in November 2024.

“We do not want to see our brothers and sisters suffer, nor do we want to see others live under God’s wrath,” the defense attorney representing the believers stated. “Wang Honglan and others have helped countless families and students, benefiting society. We hope the government will respect the faith of Christians and stop persecuting and oppressing them.” 

The case was appealed and brought before the Hohhot Intermediate People’s Court on Sept. 5. The court upheld the original verdict, sentencing the believers to prison and imposing heavy fines. The prison terms and fines varied for each individual, with many believers receiving sentences ranging from one to five years.

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