In June 2026, 27 Christians from The Church of Almighty God (CAG) in Shandong Province were sentenced by courts to prison terms merely for attending gatherings, spreading the gospel, repairing electronic equipment, hosting Christians, safekeeping church books, and engaging in other activities. Among them, 11 were over the age of 60. Christians Bai Yuqing and Ye Lei were each sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. The 27 Christians were fined a total of RMB 326,000 (about USD 48,500).
According to the reports, beginning in July 2024, the Wulian County Public Security Bureau in Rizhao City, Shandong Province, used drones, the Skynet surveillance system, tracking and positioning, prolonged physical surveillance, and other methods to identify and monitor CAG Christians for six months. The authorities then launched large-scale arrests in Wulian County. At least 106 church members were arrested, including several elderly and underage Christians. The oldest was 86, while the youngest was only 15.
Among the CAG Christians who were arrested, at least 63 were taken to a facility known as the “Care Home” and subjected to forced brainwashing. At least 25 of them were subjected to varying degrees of abuse and torture for refusing to disclose information about the church or refusing to sign the “Three Statements.” The mistreatment included slapping them in the face, handcuffing their hands behind their backs, rolling books into tubes and striking their faces with them, forcing them to remain in the sun for prolonged periods, making them stand for long periods, forcing them to hold a horse stance, striking their hands with sticks, and striking the soles of their feet with chair legs.
On June 29, 2026, the People’s Court of Wulian County, Rizhao City, Shandong Province, held a trial and collectively sentenced 27 CAG Christians for “using a cult organization to undermine the implementation of the law.” Bai Yuqing, a 54-year-old female church member, and Ye Lei, a 53-year-old female church member, were each sentenced to seven years and six months in prison and fined RMB 30,000 (about USD 4,500) for performing their duties as gospel group leaders in the church.
Christians Zheng Fangming (male, 54 years old), Wu Keqing (male, 60 years old), Shi Xiaoqing (female, 52 years old), Liu Feifei (female, 49 years old), and Xin Siming (female, 63 years old), were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to four years and fined between RMB 10,000 and RMB 20,000 (about USD 1,500 – 3,000) merely for repairing electronic equipment such as media players and copying materials about their faith for fellow believers.
Christians Yang Zhifang, Xin Siming, and Ma Lina were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to three years in prison and fined between RMB 5,000 and RMB 15,000 (about USD 750 – 2,300) for storing or transferring church books.
In addition, Christians Wu Aixin, Zhou Fangxiang, and Qiu Meiling, as well as Yu Meihua and her husband, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one year to one year and six months and fined between RMB 6,000 and RMB 10,000 (about USD 900 – 1,500) merely for hosting fellow believers.
(Note: All names in this report are pseudonyms.)
