Dozens face sentencing in Yunnan province

More than twenty Christians in China’s southern Yunnan province face trial on falsified cult charges.

Multiple Christians are accused of “participating in cult activities.” Last October, three Christian women, Liu Wei, Yin Dianhong, and Tu Yan, were taken into custody for evangelizing and establishing churches in the multiple regions of Yunnan.

Because authorities found materials such as the Bible, other Christian books, and as poems and songs composed by Christian writer and composer Xiaomin, while investigating the cases, they claimed the Christians participated in the “Three Grades of Servants” cult.

In response, Tu’s sister, Tu Kui, wrote a statement to police that the books had nothing to do with the cult. “The books … can’t be used as evidence to persecute us,” she told a reporter. “Which country doesn’t have Pilgrim’s Progress? The court and the public security bureau do not have any substantial evidence.”

Tu Yan’s case was transferred to the local procuratorate for prosecution on Jan. 12 and sent to a court in Dali for a court hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. On Sept. 3, her lawyer, Wang Zongyue, said he has not yet received notice of the impending trial, despite the court having the case for about two months.