Hefei House Church Leaders Sentenced for Fraud
In Hefei, two house church leaders from Anhui were convicted for fraud. Pastor Zhou Songlin (周松林) was sentenced to four years and six months in prison and fined 30,000 yuan, while Elder Ding Zhongfu (丁中福) was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 28,000 yuan. According to the court’s ruling, issued on February 13, 2026, Zhou’s prison term runs through May 31, 2028, and Ding’s through November 30, 2027. The court also ordered the confiscation of alleged unlawful gains and assets related to the case.
The charges stemmed from a religious case involving the Hefei Streams House Church, where Zhou and Ding serve. They were detained in late 2023, and authorities linked the case to the ownership and financial arrangements of church properties and funds. Sixteen members were initially detained, and some were later released on bail pending investigations. Supporters and lawyers argued that the accusations against Zhou and Ding were unfounded and that the case criminalized normal religious activities.
Hangzhou Activists Jailed for Commemorating Liu Xiaobo
In Hangzhou, democracy activist Zou Wei (邹巍) was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and independent author Zan Aizong (赞爱宗) was sentenced to three years in prison. Both were convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” after being detained and prosecuted by local authorities beginning in the summer of 2024. Zou’s expected release would be around January 2028, and Zan’s around July 2027.
Their imprisonment stemmed from organizing and participating in a seaside memorial commemorating the death anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) and sharing related photos online. Following the memorial, they were formally arrested in July 2024 and sentenced in February 2026.
Chengdu Early Rain Church Members Charged with “Subversion”
In the latest update on the Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church case, four members who remain in custody have been formally charged with “inciting subversion” following their detention on January 6, 2026.
Li Yingqiang (李英强) and Dai Zhichao (戴志超) were formally arrested on February 12, while Ye Fenghua (叶丰华) and Jia Xuewei (贾学伟) have been placed in residential surveillance at a designated location since mid-February.
This development marks a shift from earlier detentions and summonses to criminal prosecution on subversion charges, which potentially carry significantly heavier penalties under criminal law. Other individuals previously involved in the case have reportedly been released on bail pending further investigation since early February.
Missionary of a Beijing House Church Formally Arrested in Illegal Border Crossing Case
Dong Yanmei (董艳梅) was formally arrested in May 2025 on suspicion of “organizing others to illegally cross the border” after being criminally detained on March 23, 2025. While the three other church members involved in the same case were released on bail pending investigation on May 3, Dong was arrested and remains in custody at the Mianyang Detention Center in Sichuan.
Dong is a missionary of a Beijing house church. The charge relates to a 2024 overseas trip in which Dong and three fellow believers travelled on valid Chinese passports to Southeast Asian countries that grant visa-free entry. While there, they attended local Christian gatherings. Her family asserts that the travel was lawful and disputes the basis of the accusation.
Former Chengdu Security Official Detained in Sanya
Shen Yong (申勇), a former deputy chairman of the Jinniu District Political Consultative Conference and former district public security chief in Chengdu, was criminally detained on February 19 in Haitang District, Sanya, Hainan. The news was disclosed by independent investigative journalist Chen Hongtao on Weibo, who stated that Shen was taken into custody in Sanya, where he has been living since retirement. The specific grounds for his detention have not yet been made public.
Shen had been known for reporting alleged corruption by senior officials during his tenure in Chengdu. Beginning in 2004, he persistently accused then–Sichuan provincial leader Li Chuncheng of vote-buying and other abuses of power, allegations that predated Li’s later fall from office. Shen also publicly questioned online censorship practices in 2013, criticizing repeated suspensions of his social media accounts and calling for transparency in internet regulation. Prior to detainment, he had reportedly been following the detention of citizen journalist Liu Hu.