Elder Li Yingqiang Charged With Inciting Subversion After Church Crackdown
Since a renewed crackdown on the Early Rain Covenant Church began on January 6, 2026, authorities have confirmed that elder Li Yingqiang (李英强) and another church member known as Brother Lin (林弟兄) have been formally charged with inciting subversion of state power. These charges mark a significant escalation in the handling of the case. Other church members taken during the same actions — including preacher Dai Zhichao (戴志超), Ye Fenghua (叶丰华), Jia Xuewei (贾学伟), Liang Zhongyuan (梁中原), and Li’s wife Zhang Xinyue (张新月) — remain in custody or subject to police-imposed restrictions on their freedom. Their exact legal status and charges have not been publicly disclosed. Seminary student Song Haibing (宋海兵) was released on January 19 after administrative detention. Family members and legal representatives continue to face difficulty obtaining formal documents or access to those still held, and developments remain opaque.
Investigative Journalist Liu Hu Detained After Reporting on Local Corruption
Journalist Liu Hu (刘虎) has been criminally detained by Chengdu police on suspicion of false accusation and illegal business operations, according to an oral notification given to his family. His assistant, Wu Yingjiao (巫英蛟), was also detained, and both are currently being held at the Chengdu detention center. The Jingjiang District Police Sub-bureau announced on February 2 on its official WeChat account that it is conducting the investigation. The detentions are widely believed to be linked to an exposé Liu published about a corrupt county-level party official in Sichuan.
Liu is a veteran investigative reporter known for uncovering official misconduct and corruption. In 2013, Beijing police detained him on similar charges, and he was held for nearly a year before prosecutors ultimately declined to indict him. His latest detention has sparked renewed concern among journalists and legal observers about press freedom and the use of non-political charges to target reporters. The case drew widespread online attention and support, though many related posts were quickly censored. Even official media weighed in: an editorial published on February 3 by Jinan Daily in Shandong called for transparency to prevent the erosion of public trust and to safeguard objective journalism, but the piece was later removed.
Writer Min Liangchen Sentenced to Prison Over Critical Essays
Writer and social commentator Min Liangchen (闵良臣), a well-known essayist from Xinyang in Henan, was sentenced in January 2026 to three years in prison after being convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in a first-instance trial. He is currently appealing the ruling. Min was first taken into custody in April 2024 by police from the Zhongyuan District of Zhengzhou, and the authorities later charged him with creating and publishing a large number of critical articles — including hundreds of pieces published overseas — that authorities claimed “fabricated false information” and defamed China’s political system and leadership, allegedly harming social order. In a letter written from the detention center, Min stated that writing articles is not a crime, and he has maintained that the judgment was political; his case reflects ongoing government repression of outspoken critics and commentators in China.
Mei Shilin Returns Home Following Detention Over Political Banners
Mei Shilin (梅世林) was released on December 12, 2025, and has since returned to his home in Chengdu. Mei, a 27-year-old man from Muchuan County, Sichuan, was detained after hanging three banners calling for political reform on an overpass outside the Chadianzi Bus Station in the early morning of April 15. The banners read: “Without political system reform, there can be no national rejuvenation”, “The people do not need a political party whose power is unchecked,” and “China does not need anyone to point the direction—democracy is the direction.” His action was widely seen as echoing the 2022 Sitong Bridge protest in Beijing, drawing police attention and leading to his detention at a Chengdu detention center. Legal observers have noted that authorities may handle such cases under non-political charges, such as “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” to reduce political sensitivity.
Yunnan Court Sentences Lisu Christian to Six Months
Li Guiwen (李贵文), a 58-year-old Lisu Christian volunteer from Yuanmou County in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for “organizing an illegal gathering” in a first-instance judgment issued on December 18, 2025. Based on the sentence length, his release is expected around February 1, 2026. The conviction arose from small Christian gatherings held in his home, which were deemed by the court to constitute activities at an unapproved religious venue. Li was detained on August 2, 2025, and later prosecuted in November. The court upheld a custodial sentence despite defense arguments that the gatherings were peaceful, constitutionally protected, and did not disrupt social order.
Release Delayed After Sentence Extension for Tibetan Activist Anya Sengdra
Anya Sengdra (阿亚桑扎), a Tibetan activist and community leader, has had his prison term extended, delaying his release to February 2026. While serving his original seven-year sentence, authorities added an additional conviction, effectively prolonging his detention beyond the initial end date in late 2025. Sengdra was first detained in 2018 and later sentenced in 2019 for charges including “gathering people to disturb public order” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” stemming from his grassroots activism in Golog, Qinghai. Prior to his imprisonment, he was known for organizing local communities to expose official corruption, oppose illegal mining, and campaign against the killing of protected wildlife.
Freed After Three Years: Kamile Wayit Released Following COVID-Lockdown Protest Case
University student Kamile Wayit (卡米莱·瓦依提), a young Uyghur women, was released on December 28, 2025 after serving a three-year prison sentence she received in 2023. Her conviction stemmed from being found guilty of “promoting extremism” in connection with posting a video on social media related to the nationwide “A4 protests” (aka “white paper protest”) in November 2022. Kamile, who studied at Henan Shangqiu Institute, was detained on December 12, 2022, shortly after returning home for winter break. A local court in Xinjiang sentenced her in March 2023. During her imprisonment she was held at the Kashgar Women’s Prison, and after completing her term she reportedly reunited with her family and is in good health.