Wang Honglan and four others still detained without verdict

(Hohhot, Inner Mongolia – May 6, 2024) It is reported that in the case of Wang Honglan and other Christians in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, who were charged with “illegal business operations,” four of the involved Christians – Ji Heying, Ji Guolong, Liu Wei, and Zhang Wang – were released on bail at 10:00 a.m. on April 14, 2024, leaving the detention center and returning home. The lengthy trial began on November 20 last year and lasted nearly 50 days, finally concluding in early January this year. Four other Christians – Wang Honglan, Wang Jiale, Liu Minna, and Yang Zhijun – are still in custody with no verdict yet. Among the nine accused Christians, Ban Yanhong was not released on bail. Due to his confession and acceptance of punishment, the court directly sentenced him to 5 years in prison, with the sentence ending in April 2026.

The 9 Christians spent money to help others purchase Bibles on a completely non-profit basis, but were accused of suspected illegal business operations. Since converting at the age of 24, Wang Honglan has persevered in serving the church for decades. She previously served a 5-year prison sentence for her faith and was also sent to a labor camp for 1 year. The church she attends has been holding a morning prayer meeting at six o’clock every day for thirty years, never stopping regardless of the season, or whether it was bitterly cold or scorching hot. For many years, in order to make Bibles more affordable for more Christians, they purchased state-sanctioned Bibles published by the Three-Self Church in Nanjing at a 95% of the regular price and then sold them at a 75% of the regular price. Not only was it non-profit, but they also had to spend their own money. However, they were charged with illegal business operations and arrested on April 14, 2021. 

Arrested along with Wang Honglan were her 73-year-old husband Ji Heying, their second son Ji Guolong, nephew Wang Jiale, co-workers Liu Wei, Liu Minna and her husband, and so on. In the detention center, they all experienced torture and coerced confessions to varying degrees. The procuratorate determined that the amount of Bibles they sold exceeded 40 million yuan. Wang Honglan, Wang Jiale, Liu Minna, and Ban Yanhong were the main defendants, and the procuratorate recommended sentences of 10 to 15 years. Ji Heying, Yang Zhijun, Ji Guolong, Liu Wei, Zhang Wang, and Li Chao were considered secondary responsible parties, and the procuratorate gave sentencing recommendations of varying severity.

The trial of the case formally began on November 20, 2023. On the third day of the trial, when the white-haired Wang Honglan entered the courtroom in handcuffs, there was not an empty seat in the gallery, as Christians from all over the country had rushed to support her. Wang Honglan expressed that as long as the other brothers and sisters could be released after the trial, she was willing to accept any disposition of her case. During the investigation, she was cursed at. When she truthfully told the police that she had helped many children continue their education and even study abroad, the police did not believe her and cursed her as a religious fraudster. During the trial, many parents who had benefited from her attended the entire proceedings. 

Wang Honglan recounted being beaten in the detention center, being bullied into giving massages to others for a year, and suffering a lot, to the point that her hands still hurt. When she said this, there was weeping throughout the courtroom. For a long time in the detention center, she was forbidden to speak and others were forbidden to speak to her. As a result, after interacting with her for a long time, others began to acknowledge that she was a good person. Wang Honglan did not acknowledge any of the charges or crimes alleged in the indictment. She did not make a single penny of profit and continually donated the money given to her by the younger generation. She had done this for decades. The printed gospel flyers were for giving to people and spreading the gospel, not for business.

The other Christians also gave very good testimonies for their faith during the trial. As their detention approached three years, it is encouraging that four Christians were released on bail.