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Jehovah’s Witnesses in Xinjiang: How to Become a Xie Jiao

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The indictment of a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses confirms that Art. 300 of the Chinese Criminal Code is enforced against those who did not commit any crime other than spreading their beliefs.

Korla, Xinjiang, where the Jehovah’s Witnesses were arrested and indicted
Korla, Xinjiang, where the Jehovah’s Witnesses were arrested and indicted (credits).

Massimo Introvigne

Bitter Winter reported last week how, for the first time, a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses was indicted in Xinjiang for the crime of being active in a xie jiao (“heterodox teaching,” sometimes translated, inaccurately, as “evil cult”), even if the Jehovah’s Witnesses, as far as we know, are not part of the list of the xie jiao. ChinaAid deserves credit for having brought this important piece of news to our attention. In its Chinese edition, ChinaAid has published the full text of the indictment, of which we offer below an English translation. Often, we do not publish the name of those arrested or indicted to protect their relatives, but in this case all the names have already been published by ChinaAid in both its English and Chinese editions.

The indictment is a useful and important document as it opens a window on how the Jehovah’s Witnesses operate in China. It also confirms that Art. 300 of the Chinese Criminal Code, contrary to false information the Chinese embassies continue to transmit to authorities dealing with refugees in various countries, is enforced against the members of groups listed, or regarded, as xie jiao who have not committed any common crime. The formula “using a xie jiao to undermine law enforcement” of Article 300 is interpreted as “being active in a xie jiao” in any capacity.This is true for hundreds of cases concerning Falun Gong and The Church of Almighty God, and is true for this indictment concerning the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

What are their “crimes”? Jehovah’s Witnesses are accused of “seriously disrupting public order” and “undermining law enforcement,” but these are generic formulas. What are they accused of doing in practice? The indictment explains that the “xie jiao organization ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ violated the national regulations of management of religions, establishing a congregation system in Korla, which recruited a membership of 63 persons, illegally using the name of Christianity, deifying ‘Jehovah,’ spreading superstition and heresy, […] using regular meetings to control thoughts of the believers and to collect money, influencing the normal religious belief of the masses.”

As usual in xie jiao cases, the atheistic CCP pretends to define the true nature of Christian orthodoxy. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are accused of “illegally using the name of Christianity” (the CCP reserves to right to decide who is or is not Christian) and of “spreading superstition and heresy” and “influencing the normal religious belief of the masses” (note that the Chinese Constitution protects only “normal” religion—but it is the CCP that decides what is “normal”). All religions have “regular meetings” and “collect money,” and accusing minority religions of “controlling thoughts of the believers,” or “brainwashing” them, is as old as discrimination. It is bizarre to accuse the Jehovah’s Witnesses to “deify Jehovah.” Since Jehovah is one of the names of God used in the Torah, which the Christians call the Old Testament, all Jews and Christians “deify Jehovah.” All these are clearly crimes of opinion and expressions of the religious liberty guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The United Nations themselves interpret Art. 18 UDHR, on freedom of thought, conscience or religion, stating that, “the terms ‘belief’ and ‘religion’ are to be broadly construed. Article 18 is not limited in its application to traditional religions or to religions and beliefs with institutional characteristics or practices analogous to those of traditional religions. The [United Nations] therefore views with concern any tendency to discriminate against any religion or belief for any reason, including the fact that they are newly established, or represent religious minorities that may be the subject of hostility on the part of a predominant religious community” (General Comment no. 22 CCPR). Certainly, governments are not authorized to rule on what is “Christian,” “orthodox” or “heretic,” and what name of God believers should use.

The indictment mentions also “crimes” specific of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and not normally ascribed to other xie jiao. These are “advocating and propagating the thoughts of so-called ‘political neutrality,’ ideas of not attending patriotic education, refusing military service (including attendance at military training), not joining the Communist Party, not joining the Youth League, not hoisting the national flag, not singing the national anthem, not saluting the national flag.” Scholars of Jehovah’s Witnesses are very familiar with these accusations. Indeed, the Jehovah’s Witnesses do maintain an attitude of “political neutrality.” They do not vote, do not join political parties, do not serve in the army (they are conscientious objectors), do not salute the flag nor sing the national anthem. Most democratic countries in the world, starting from the United States and the countries in the European Union, have recognized that this attitude derives from the peculiar theology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are otherwise law-abiding citizens, and should be accepted as part of their religious liberty.

Note, also, that the first set of crimes, i.e. spreading their beliefs, would be at any rate enough to apply to them Art. 300, as evidenced by cases concerning other movements accused of being xie jiao.

Full translation of the indictment:

 

Korla City Procuratorate’s public prosecution criminal procedure No. 326 (2019)

 

  1. Defendant Liu Weiguo, alias Liu Yuqian, male, born on July 25, 1972, resident ID card number: 110108197207254977, ethnic Han, high-school educational level, an employee at Beijing Yuanjia Science and Technology Company. His registered permanent residence, birthplace, and address: Room 102, Door 3, Unit 3, Building No. 20 at Wei Garden, Dacheng Lane, Fengtai District, Beijing City. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 5, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out on the same day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Lin Zaiwu, alias Lin Dahai and Lin Zong, male, born on August 24, 1982, resident ID card number 350181198208245016, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, no fixed occupation. His registered permanent residence, birthplace and address: No. 17 at Tianwei, Donghan village, Donghan town, Fuqing City, Fujian Province. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 8, 2018; this Procuratorate approved the arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out on the same day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Li Yifang, alias Li Zhi, male, born on November 21, 1970, resident ID card number 370225197011213516, junior middle school educational level, ethnic Han, self-employed. His registered permanent residence and birthplace: No. 2, In No. 14 at First Zone in Xiasi village, Zhangfang town, Fangshan district, Beijing City, temporarily residing at Room 202, Unit 4, Building No. 1 in the old city government residential community, Korla City. Due to his being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, this Procuratorate ratified his arrest on November 10, 2018, which was carried out on November 12 of the same year by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Lin Hao, alias Qu Zheng, male, born on June 24, 1979, resident ID card number 371081197906243418, ethnic Han, high school educational level, no fixed occupation. His birthplace: Wendeng City of Shandong Province; registered permanent residence: No. 495 at Lidao village, Zetou town, Wendeng district of Weihai City, Shandong Province; current address: Room 2002, Unit 1, building No. 3 at Victorian City residential community on Peace Avenue in Xinxiang City, Henan Province. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 16, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out the same day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Jiang Xijun, alias Jiang Yan, male, born on October 1, 1979, resident ID card number 210303197910011638, ethnic Korean, junior middle school educational level, self-employed. His birthplace: Anshan City, Liaoning Province; registered permanent residence: Room 402, Unit 3, Building No. 4 at No. 601 on Tonghai Road in Mouping district, Yantai City, Shandong Province; current address: Room 1501, Unit 1, Building No. 16 at Fucheng Phase 6, Development Zone, Yanjiao town, Sanhe City, Hebei Province. Due to his being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, this Procuratorate ratified his arrest on November 10, 2018, which was carried out on March 7, 2019 by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Gao Xinlian, alias Zhao Ping, female, born on February 1, 1969, resident ID card number: 65282619690201002X, ethnic Han, high school educational level, unemployed. Her birthplace: Yanqi County in Xinjiang; registered permanent residence and address: Korla City in Xinjiang; she lives at Room 502, Unit 2, Building No. 1 of Judong Garden on Jianguo North Road in Korla. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 23, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Wang Xiaoqing, alias Ulan Bart, male, born on December 30, 1961, resident ID card number: 150102196112302037, ethnic Han, college educational level, a staff member at Inner Mongolia Agricultural University. His registered permanent residence and birthplace: Xincheng District, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; he now lives at Room 2002, Building No. 3 of Hengdamingdu on Dongying South Road in Saihan District, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 8, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out the same day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Yu Bingru, previously-used name Yu Xinxue, male, born on February 17, 1966, resident ID card number: 652801196602171617, ethnic Han, university undergraduate, the legal representative of Baide Education Counselling Service Ltd. in Xinjiang. His birthplace: Shihezi City in Xinjiang; registered permanent residence: Room 1402, Building No. 2 at Benchengtianyue Grand, No. 8 on Donghu 1st Road in Duanzhou District, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province; now living at Room 402, Building No.1 at the family housing facility of China’s National Grid on Culture West Road and Tuishuiqu Road in Korla City. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 22, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Zhang Min, alias Zhang Xiaohe, female, born on November 6, 1972, resident ID card number 51022219721106062X, ethnic Han, university undergraduate educational level, an employee at Beijing Yuanjia Science and Technology Company. Her birthplace: Banan District, Chongqing City; registered permanent residence and current address: Room 102, Door 3, Unit 3, Building No. 20 at Wei Garden, Dacheng Lane, Fengtai District, Beijing City. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was put under criminal detention by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 5, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Jiang Jinling, alias Li Ling, female, born on April 4, 1974, resident ID card number: 110111197404044221, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, farmer. Her birthplace, registered permanent residence, and current address: No. 2, In No. 14 at First Zone in Xiasi village, Zhangfang town, Fangshan district, Beijing City. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on November 10, 2018; this Procuratorate approved the arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out on November 12 of the same year by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Chen Meiling, alias Lin Chen, female, born on January 19, 1986, resident ID card number 211402198601195044, Manchu ethnic minority, working as a nurse, college educational level. Her birthplace: Huludao City, Liaoning Province; registered permanent residence: No. 495 at Lidao village, Zetou town, Wendeng district, Weihai City, Shandong Province; current address: Room 2002, Unit 1 of building No. 3 at Victorian City residential community on Peace Avenue in Xinxiang City, Henan Province. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on October 16, 2018; this Procuratorate approved the arrest on November 10 of the same year, which was carried out on November 12 of the same year by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Fan Tao, male, born on September 20, 1986, resident ID card number 652901198609204818, ethnic Han, college educational level, an employee at Beijing Jindu Law Agency. His birthplace: Aral City, Xinjiang; registered permanent residence in Xinjiang: Room 401, Unit 2, Building No.36 at Lixiangshuiyun [residential community], No. 47 on Petrochemical Avenue of Jianshe subdistrict, Korla City, Xinjiang; temporarily residing in Room 505, Unit 6, Building No. 11 at Courtyard 7 of Third Ring New Residence, Fengtai District, Beijing City. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 24, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Wei Pengfei, alias Mi Xue, female, born on August 15, 1982, resident ID card number 652801198208153444, ethnic Han, technical secondary educational level, no fixed occupation. Her birthplace: Shaodong county, Hu’nan Province; registered permanent residence: No. 28, Fu J5 Lane, Sha’nan village, Airport Highway, Korla City, Xinjiang; currently living at Room 501, Unit 2, Building No. 19 at No. 56 on Tengfei Road in Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 20, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Huang Lili, alias Tang Xiao, female, born on November 26, 1992, resident ID card number 411602199211265521, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, no fixed occupation. Her birthplace: Zhoukou City, Henan Province; registered permanent residence: Room 602, Unit 2, Building No. 33, No. 126 on Jianguo North Road, Korla City, Xinjiang; now living at Room 101, Unit 2, Building No. 10, No. 56 on Tengfei Road, Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 20, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Ma Xiaojun, alias Ma Xue, female, born on September 30, 1978, resident ID card number 412922197809304525, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, no fixed occupation. Her registered permanent residence and birthplace: Niuzhuang village, Zhaohe town, Fangcheng county, Nanyang City, Henan Province; current address: Room 102, Unit 1, No. 7 at Third Lane, Group One in Qia’erbage Township, Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 20, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Yang Hua, female, born on March 11, 1990, resident ID card number: 513030199003118621, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, no fixed occupation. Her registered permanent residence and birthplace: No. 111 of Group One in Liangfeng village, Lifu township, Qu County, Dazhou City, Sichuan Province; now living at Building No. 17 at the residential community of No. 24 Company, No. 2 on East 1st Lane of Tiemenguan Road, Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 20, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Shi Xianhe, male, born on July 13, 1994, resident ID card number 410926199407134415, ethnic Han, junior middle school educational level, no fixed occupation. His birthplace: Fan County, Henan Province; registered permanent residence: No. 174 on Jianshe Road in Tahaqi township, Hoxud County, Xinjiang; now living at Room 602, Unit 2, Building No. 6 at Golden Dream residential community, Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, he was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 22, 2018; this Procuratorate approved his arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

  1. Defendant Xu Yanli, female, born on August 19, 1972, resident ID card number 412322197208192748, ethnic Han, college educational level, vice principal of the Jintaiyang kindergarten in the Development Zone of Korla City. Her birthplace: Shangqiu City, Henan Province; registered permanent residence and current address: Room 301, Unit 2, Building No. 4, No. 7 on North 1st Lane, Renmin East Road, Sayibage Subdistrict, Korla City, Xinjiang. Due to being suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, she was detained as a criminal by Korla City Public Security Bureau on September 23, 2018; this Procuratorate approved her arrest on October 26 of the same year, which was carried out the following day by Korla City Public Security Bureau.

 

This case is concluded with an investigation by Korla City Public Security Bureau. The conclusions that defendants Liu Weiguo, Lin Zaiwu, Li Yifang, Lin Hao, Gao Xinlian, Wang Xiaoqing, Yu Bingru, Zhang Min, Jiang Jinling, Chen Meiling, Fan Tao, Wei Pengfei, Huang Lili, Ma Xiaojun, Yang Hua, Shi Xianhe, Xu Yanli were suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement and that defendant Jiang Xijun was suspected of the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement were passed onto this Procuratorate on December 25, 2018 and January 10, 2019, respectively, for reviewing and prosecuting. On the same day this Procuratorate took the cases, the defendants were notified they have the right to a defending attorney; the defendants were lawfully questioned, their opinions were heard, and all materials concerning the case were inspected. On February 8, 2019, the Procuratorate returned the case to the Public Security Bureau for supplementary investigation; the Public Security Bureau reported on the case after their supplementary investigation on March 6, 2019. During that time, the chief prosecutor twice authorized extending the deadline for investigation and prosecution; each extension was for half a month.

Legal review findings:

From 2009 to the present, Jiu An, Liu Weiguo, Jiang Xijun, Li Yifang, Lin Zaiwu, Lin Hao and other elders from xie jiao organization “Jehovah’s Witnesses” violated the national regulations of management of religions, establishing a congregation system in Korla, which recruited a membership of 63 persons, illegally using the name of Christianity, deifying “Jehovah”, spreading superstition and heresy, seducing and inciting believers to not join the Communist Party, not join the [Communist] Youth League, refuse military service, not hoist the national flag, not salute the national flag, not sing the national anthem, not vote in elections, having [suspicious] connections with personnel outside the country, using regular meetings to control thoughts of the believers and to collect money, influencing the normal religious belief of the masses, seriously disrupting public order, undermining law enforcement. The specific “corpus delicti” (facts concerning their crimes) are as follows:

 

  1. In March 2005, defendants Liu Weiguo and Zhang Min, a couple, were formally baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses in Beijing. In 2007, Liu Weiguo was appointed as Jehovah’s Witnesses ministerial servant in Chongqing and later appointed as Chongqing congregation elder. In October 2008, Liu Weiguo went to Ili, Xinjiang, to assume the office of Ili congregation elder. Between July 2011 and July 2013, Liu Weiguo assumed the office of Korla congregation elder, Zhang Min served as a special pioneer; they recruited seven Bible students: Song Qinghong, Xu Yanli; Shangguan Hong, Aori Liman, etc., and organized 13 persons (Gao Xinlian, Yu Bingru, Wei Pengfei, Wang Xiaoqing, Xu Yanli, Zhao Lianhe, etc.) to hold over 100 illegal meetings in a rented apartment in Bazhou Hospital Family Housing Facility; their preaching time was about 840 hours a year. In February 2012, the couple were apprehended and cautioned by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of Korla City, and banned from the location of the illegal meetings. To avoid a hit, defendant couple Liu Weiguo and Zhang Min changed the venue of the meetings, adopting a rotation of meeting places each week, and made the residences of elder Lin Zaiwu and believers Gao Xinlian, Yu Bingru and Wei Pengfei into meeting places for more than 100 meetings, every meeting they installing a special contribution box encouraging the believers to donate, collecting believers’ donations of over 500 RMB [which is about 72 USD], of which 300 RMB [about 43 USD] was given to the Hong Kong branch in support of the worldwide preaching work, with the remaining funds being used to print books and tracts to give to believers for use and to distribute to others in proselytism in the places where there are many people, such as People’s Square, Golden Age Square, Peacock Park. Also at meeting times, they deified Jehovah, advocated and promoted so-called “political neutrality”, requiring believers not to perform the duty required in the national Constitution, not attending patriotic education, refusing military service, not joining the Communist Party, not joining the Youth League, not hoisting the national flag, not singing the national anthem, not saluting the national flag, and requiring members to prohibit blood transfusions, the donation of blood, etc.In July 2012 and July 2013, Liu Weiguo and his wife led the believers including Huang Lili, Xu Yanli, and Zhao Lianhe to Hong Kong to attend a regional convention organized by the Hong Kong branch of “Jehovah’s Witnesses”. In July 2013, while organizing a meeting at Loulanshijia in Korla City, Liu Weiguo and his wife were tracked down by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee; they then left Korla City, and they attended a regional convention in South Korea during 2014.In October 2018, while defendants Liu Weiguo and Zhang Min were detained in Korla City Detention House, for faith reasons they resisted prison rules by refusing to sing Communist songs and the national anthem.

 

  1. In February 2003, defendant Lin Zaiwu came into contact with “Jehovah’s Witnesses” while studying abroad in Japan and was baptized in Japan the following February [2004] becoming a preacher. In January 2009 in Fuqing City, in the province of Fujian, via approval of [the/a] local congregation’s elder, he became an auxiliary pioneer, and in July of the same year he became a regular pioneer. In August 2012, Lin Zaiwu and his wife Yang Xianhua (dealt with in a separate case) came to Korla City and actively recruited Jehovah’s Witnesses members and organized meetings. From August 2012 to December 2015, defendant Lin Zaiwu, while serving as Korla congregation elder, together with Yang Xianhua and Jiang Xijun, organized Gao Xinlian, Yu Bingru, Wei Pengfei, Xu Yanli, Huang Lili, Zhao Lianhe, etc, more than 10 people in all, to attend over 80 meetings in their residences (Room 1705, Unit 2, of Jurong Building; and Room 102, Unit 5, Building No. 3 at Huashanjinxiu Park), recruiting Bible students Hu Ping, Shi Yanyan, Yang Hua, Dong Suying, Shi Xianhe etc. In July 2013, Lin Zaiwu and Fan Tao were jointly responsible for a sign-language group, recruiting the deaf-mute person Zhang Kai and others. He also disseminated to minors the thoughts of not fulfilling the duties of the national Constitution, advocating and propagating the thoughts of so-called “political neutrality,” ideas of not attending patriotic education, refusing military service (including attendance at military training), not joining the Communist Party, not joining the Youth League, not hoisting the national flag, not singing the national anthem, not saluting the national flag, etc. He used donations taken at meetings to make the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization’s books, periodicals, tracts, etc. and distribute them to believers so that the members can distribute these propaganda materials to others in crowded places; at the same time, he promoted Jehovah’s Witnesses’ foreign website for the purpose of recruiting believers.In July 2015, defendant couple Lin Zaiwu and Yang Xianhua led Yang Ming, Zhang Kai, Hu Ping, Shi Xianhe and others to Hong Kong to attend a regional convention organized by the Hong Kong branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses, receiving higher-level training, with the aim of recruiting more members to the organization.

 

  1. In October 2000, defendant Li Yifang was baptized as a preacher of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Beijing. In October 2013, he was assigned to Korla City to assume the office of elder. Between October 2013 and May 2018, defendants Li Yifang and Jiang Jinling, after arriving in Korla City, were principally responsible for the work of normal-hearing group, organizing members in their house, Lin Zaiwu’s home, the houses of believers Wei Pengfei, Huang Lili, Gao Xinlian, Xu Yanli, Yang Hua, Shi Xianhe, and Yu Bingru’s company, to have meetings over 300 times, advocating and propagating the thoughts of so-called “political neutrality,” thoughts of not fulfilling the duties of the Constitution, not attending patriotic education, refusing military service (including attendance at military training), not joining the Communist Party, not joining the Youth League, not hoisting the national flag, not singing the national anthem, not saluting the national flag, etc.During the meetings, a contribution box was made available to collect donations, which are used for everyday expenses, to print related books and periodicals and used for this organization to propagate Jehovah’s Witnesses thinking to believers and outsiders. On May 25, 2018, the meetings were administratively penalized and ordered stopped by Korla City’s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, with relevant goods confiscated and the place of activity banned.

 

  1. In 2004, defendant Lin Hao came into contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses while on a temporary job in South Korea, and was baptized as a preacher in May of the following year, becoming a regular pioneer in October 2007, and becoming Shenyang congregation elder in 2010. Defendant Chen Meiling was baptized as a preacher of Jehovah’s Witnesses in June 2010, then applied to become an auxiliary pioneer, and in December of the same year became a regular pioneer. In August 2016, defendant couple Lin Hao and Chen Meiling started preaching in Korla City. From August 2016 to April 2018, the couple Lin Hao and Chen Meiling, in agreement with Yu Bingru, utilized Yu Bingru’s Baide Education Counselling Service Ltd. to hold meetings, and under the banner of disseminating Christianity, they disseminated Jehovah’s Witnesses [thought] to others, and organized over 170 meetings in the homes of Li Yifang, Lin Hao and other believers, publicizing the ideas of not joining the Communist Party, not joining the Youth League, refusing military service, not worshipping ancestors and parents, not saluting the national flag, etc, and proclaiming that those who disobey these prohibitions can be given punishment. At every meeting, the door was locked and propped shut, and measures such as soundproofing with foam-rubber cushion were used to keep the meetings secret. Believers were encouraged to donate in support of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” worldwide preaching work and donating to the affected countries in the world etc., and many times, they gave the books, periodicals, and material for preaching, etc. of Jehovah’s Witnesses organization to believers and organized believers to use weekends to preach in the form of giving leaflets, contact cards, etc. to others.

 

  1. In March 2013, defendant Jiang Xijun received an assignment to assume the office of Korla City congregation elder from Wang Yong (handling as a separate case), who is in charge of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” congregation in Yantai City of Shandong. Between March and August 2013, Jiang Xijun, Lin Zaiwu, and Liu Weiguo organized Korla’s congregation to hold illegal gatherings for many times in places including Room 601 of Building A at Loulanshijia in Korla City, and Room 502, Unit 3, Building No. 1 at Judong Garden of Bayin residential district, and he printed and manufactured “Jehovah’s Witnesses” books and magazines in his residence at Room 603, Unit 4, Zhonglianshangdu residential community and disseminated them to others. They were advocating and propagating the so-called “political neutrality” and the ideas of not recognizing Chinese traditional culture, not joining the army, not singing the national anthem, refusing military service, not hoisting the national flag, and not participating in elections, etc.In March 2019, while Jiang Xijun was detained in the detention house, in disobedience of prison-management regulations, he on religious grounds refused to sing the national anthem and Communist songs.

 

  1. In July 2007, defendant Wang Xiaoqing started to believe in Jehovah’s Witnesses. Between September 2009 and April 2014, Wang Xiaoqing assumed the office of ministerial servant in Korla congregation of the xie jiao organization Jehovah’s Witnesses, assisting Liu Weiguo, Lin Zaiwu, Jiang Xijun and other persons to manage the Korla congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and recruiting believers Zhao Lianhe, Qu Ping, and Li Jianqi. Between September 2009 and September 2013, he disseminated Jehovah’s Witnesses superstitious thinking to minor Yu Jing, instigating Yu Jing not hoisting the national flag, not singing the national anthem, not joining the Communist Youth League, not attending military training, etc.

 

  1. In October 2011, defendant Gao Xinlian came into contact with “Jehovah’s Witnesses” through Jehovah’s Witnesses ministerial servant Wang Xiaoqing, and was taken as a Bible student in December of the same year by special pioneer Zhang Min.In February 2012, this organization received administrative penalty from and was warned by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs department, and afterward, in order to continue the superstitious and xie jiao activities, Gao Xinlian repeatedly provided her residence at Room 502, Unit 2, Building No. 1 at Judong Garden, No. 27 on Jianguo North Road, Korla City, to be used as a meeting venue for the organization Jehovah’s Witnesses. Soon afterward, she was baptized under the direction of Liu Weiguo and Wang Xiaoqing, becoming a regular pioneer in September 2012. From December 2011 to the present, Gao Xinlian recruited and accepted as Bible students 8 people in all, including Lu Dai, Dong Suying, Li Jianqi, Yang Chunlei, etc. At the same time, Gao Xinlian used weekends and spare time to preach in the form of giving out tracts, contact cards and other propaganda materials in crowded areas. She advocated and propagated the thought of so-called “political neutrality” and the ideas of not recognizing Chinese traditional culture, not joining the army, not singing the national anthem, refusing military service, not raising the national flag, not attending elections, etc.

 

  1. In February 2010, defendant Wei Pengfei became a Bible student through the preaching of Ma Yila (dealt with in a separate case), and she was baptized and became a preacher in September of the same year. She became an auxiliary pioneer in 2011 after making an application to Jiu An, and in September 2013 she became a regular pioneer after making an application to Lin Zaiwu. From March 2011 to the present, Wei Pengfei has disseminated the xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses to her mother He Kaiyun, then recruited Zhang Cuihua, Lou Jingyuan, Zhang Lin, Xu Li, etc., to become believers. She preaches at least 70 hours every month and propagated Jehovah’s Witnesses through preaching and providing contact cards etc. Besides, she deified Jehovah, required believers to keep the following doctrines: not recognizing Chinese culture, not holding mourning and death-watches in a traditional fashion, refusing military service, not joining the Communist Party, not singing the national anthem, etc. In May 2013, Wei Pengfei disseminated xie jiao thoughts of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” to Huang Lili, causing her to gradually identify with it and eventually become a regular pioneer. In October 2018 while detained in Korla City Detention House, Wei Pengfei disobeyed prison management regulations, refusing on grounds of belief to sing Communist songs and the national anthem.

 

  1. In 2009, defendant Yu Bingru was introduced by ministerial servant Wang Xiaoqing to the Korla City congregation’s first-appointed elder Jiu An, and under the indoctrination of Jiu An, he gradually received accepted the superstitious thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and also entrusted his son Yu Jing (a minor) to Wang Xiaoqing for indoctrination, and introduced his wife Lou Jingyuan to Jiu An’s wife Liu Xinzheng to become her Bible student. He has attended over 100 of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ meetings. From October 2012 to May 2016, he repeatedly provided his office at Baide Education Counselling Service Ltd., which was located in the 6th floor of Building A at Loulanshijia on Renmin East Road, Korla City, to Li Yifang, Fan Tao and some others for holding Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings and activities. From September 2009 to August 2017, Yu Bingru required his son Yu Jing not attend military training at school, not sing the national anthem, not salute the national flag, and not join the Communist Youth League.

 

  1. In February 2014, defendant Huang Lili was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witnesses preacher under the organization of Lin Zaiwu, and, in order to propagate superstitious thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the disadvantaged community including deaf-mute individuals, she learned sign-language from special pioneer Yang Xianhua for use in preaching. In August 2013, Huang Lili helped Yang Hua to become a preacher. From 2014 to the present, Huang Lili repeatedly organized sign-language group members including Shi Xianhe, Yang Ming, Li Bin, Zhang Kai, Ding Lijuan, Zhang Kai [homophone], etc. to attend meetings, and explained the xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses. While appointed as a regular pioneer by Lin Zaiwu, she downloaded, printed, and made 5 books and 5 tracts, and disseminated 5 books including the Bible and 15 leaflets. Starting in October, Huang Lili provided her residence at Room 101, Unit 2, Building No. 10 at No. 56 Residential Community for meetings. In November 2018 while detained in Korla City Detention House, Huang Lili still disobeyed prison management regulations, refusing on grounds of belief to sing the national anthem and Communist songs.

 

  1. In August 2012, defendant Fan Tao attended Jehovah’s Witnesses Hong Kong regional convention and was baptized becoming a preacher. In 2012, Jehovah’s Witnesses’ illegal meetings were cautioned against by Korla City Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee. Between July 2013 and October 2015, Fan Tao assisted Lin Zaiwu to carry out work to recruit believers, provided his residence for one meeting, and presided over a dozen Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings, recruiting Shi Xianhe to become a preacher, Li Bin and Hu Ping to become believers, and publicizing superstitious thoughts of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” to Gao Di, Liang Zhongfeng, Chen Wenjun, etc.

 

  1. In October 2011, defendant Ma Xiaojun was introduced by Aori Liman to the meetings organized by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Lin Zaiwu’s home. In December 2013, Ma Xiaojun was baptized under the organizing of Lin Yifang, becoming a preacher. During 2016, she instilled Jehovah’s Witnesses thought into her husband Wu Yuyin, sons Wu Junlong and Wu Penghui (a minor), her sister Ma Junying and friend Wang Ke, repeatedly attended Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings provided her residence as a venue for meetings and activities, gave publicity brochures to passers-by over 40 times successively, and introduced Jehovah’s Witnesses foreign website.

 

  1. In 2013, defendant Yang Hua got to know Huang Lili while working at Huijia Times and was influenced by Huang Lili to become her Bible student. In November 2013, Yang Hua propagated the xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses to her elder sister Yang Ling and brother-in-law Yu Lei and work colleagues. In 2015, after being “baptized” becoming a preacher, Yang Hua attended Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings many times, contributed over 200 RMB [about 29 USD], and provided her residence for use for meetings about 40 times. And she went to crowded places to preach by distributing cards and tracts for proselytism three times a week. In October 2018, while detained in Korla City Detention House, Yang Hua disobeyed prison management regulations, refusing to sing Communist songs and the national anthem.

 

  1. In November 2012, defendant Xu Yanli attended Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings and activities via Zhang Min and became Zhang Min’s Bible student. In July 2013, led by the couple of Liu Weigao and Zhang Min, Xu Yanli attended an assembly organized by Hong Kong branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In November 2013, under the organizing of Li Yifang, Xu Yanli was baptized and became a preacher. From July 2014 to April 2018, Xu Yanli used her own residence at Korla City (Room 301, Unit 2, Building No. 4 at Kangwei Garden, No. 15 on North 1st Lane, Renmin East Road) as a place for meetings and activities, during which time Li Yifang, Lin Hao, Jiang Jinling, Chen Meiling organized 9 people including Xu Yanli and Yang Hua to study at Xu Yanli’s home over 100 times, and Xu Yanli assumed the office of auxiliary pioneer for one month. During that period, Xu Yanli propagated xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses successively to Shangguan Hong, Shangguan Zhi, and Liu Qitao, and recruited Shangguan Hong to become a Bible student. In October 2018, while detained in Korla City Detention House, Xu Yanli disobeyed prison management regulations, refusing to sing the national anthem and Communist songs.

 

  1. In January 2013, defendant Shi Xianhe was introduced by Fan Tao to study xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in February of that year, Shi Xianhe introduced his wife Yang Ming to Yang Xianhua, and she became Yang Xianhua’s Bible student. From July 2013 to September 2018, Shi Xianhe attended the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses over 300 times, and repeatedly provided his residence for sign-language group meetings, and introduced Li Bin to Fan Tao who then recruited Li Bin as a Bible student. During meetings, Shi Xianhe and Huang Lili together used sign language to pass on the xie jiao (heretic) thoughts of Jehovah’s Witnesses, requiring members conduct themselves according to a strict canon, abide by the doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses, refuse military service, not sing the national anthem, not join the Communist Party or the Youth League, not attend elections, not celebrate Chinese traditional festivals, and refuse blood transfusions and blood donation.In August 2018, under the instruction of sign-language group leader Huang Lili, Shi Xianhe and his wife Yang Ming visited Hong Kong to attend an assembly organized by the Hong Kong branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses; he received training and became a preacher. In total, Shi Xianhe attended the regional convention in Hong Kong four times.

After exposing the crime, the public security authorities seized from Huang Lili’s home one Samsung-brand laser printer, one Canon-brand color printer, one Samsung-brand Galaxy Tab 3 tablet computer, one Samsung-brand notebook computer, 20 DVD discs, 108 contact cards, 2 map cards, 23 large printed books, 44 small printed books, 22 handwritten notebooks, 55 sheets of handwritten notes, 383 propaganda leaflets, 81 color publicity brochures, 2 desk calendars, 4 advanced medical directive cards, one Bible reading schedule, one publicity picture book ; from Gao Xinlian’s home they seized one iPhone mobile phone. From Wei Pengfei’s residence, they seized 3 books, one poster, 12 handwritten notebooks, 84 Jehovah website calling cards, one camera. From Xu Yanli’s residence, they seized 2 Samsung gold mobile phones, 2 Samsung-brand tablet computers, 6 DVD discs, the system box of an HP desktop computer, 4 color group photographs, 47 Jehovah’s Witnesses website calling cards, 9 notebooks with study notes, 43 books, 110 leaflets. From Shi Xianhe’s residence, they seized 2 books, 2 copies of “programs for the 2018 regional convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” 1 notebook, 1 good-luck card, 3 sheets of [fine] writing paper, 1 sheet of handwritten notes, 1 white iPad Apple computer, 1 memory-card reader, one gold iPhone mobile phone, 2 USB sticks. From Yu Bingru’s residence, they seized 8 books, 1 handwritten notebook, 1 CD-ROM, one Lenovo USB stick, 3 Apple mobile phones, 2 iPads, 2 notebook computers. From Zhang Min’s residence, the authorities seized 1 white Samsung phone, 1 gold iPad, and 8 books. From Chen Meiling’s residence, they seized 1 tablet computer, 1 Samsung phone, 28 contact cards, 83 printouts of publicity articles, 7 receipts, 1 photograph, 2 application forms for auxiliary pioneer, 2 congregation analysis reports, 1 monthly accounts report of the congregation, 5 notebooks, 1 picture, and 10 books. From Wang Xiaoqing’s residence, they seized 4 notebooks, 6 books. Qin Dalin turned over to the authorities 260 books and 476 propaganda leaflets and 182 [Jehovah’s Witnesses] website contact cards. Form Li Yifang’s residence, the authorities seized 132 tracts, 17 books, 4 notebooks, 178 small brochures, and 2 USB sticks. From Ma Xiaojun’s residence, they seized 131 books, 4 notebooks, 169 leaflets, 64 calling cards, and 1 advanced medical directive. From Yang Hua’s residence, they seized 1 tablet computer.

Pieces of evidence to confirm the above-mentioned facts are as follows: material evidence, the documentation evidence, the witness testimony, the defendants’ confessions and arguments, authentication opinions, inquest, inspection, and identifying notes.

It is the opinion of this Procuratorate that the defendants Liu Weiguo, Lin Zaiwu, Li Yifang, Lin Hao, Jiang Xijun, Gao Xinlian, Wang Xiaoqing, Yu Bingru, Zhang Min, Jiang Jinling, Chen Meiling, Fan Tao, Wei Pengfei, Huang Lili, Ma Xiaojun, Yang Hua, Shi Xianhe, and Xu Yanli, under the pretext of Christianity, actively recruited members for the xie jiao organization Jehovah’s Witnesses, repeatedly organized and provided venues to conduct meetings, publicizing and advocating so-called “political neutrality,” organizing and inciting members or others to not carry out citizens’ legal duties, and undermine the laws and regulations of the state. Their actions offended Article 300 and Article 25 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. The facts of their crimes are clear, the evidence is real and ample to find the defendants criminally liable for the crime of organizing and using a xie jiao organization to undermine law enforcement, and it is a joint crime. Pursuant to paragraph 1 of Article 176 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China, we hereby bring the indictment and invite sentence to be passed according to law.

Hereby presented to

Korla City People’s Court

Prosecutor: Zhang Qi

Date stamp: 2019-4-15

 

Enclosures:

  1. Defendants Liu Weiguo, Lin Zaiwu, Li Yifang, Lin Hao, Jiang Xijun, Gao Xinlian, Wang Xiaoqing, Zhang Min, Jiang Jinling, Chen Meiling, Fan Tao, Wei Pengfei, Huang Lili, Ma Xiaojun, Yu Bingru, Yang Hua, Shi Xianhe, Xu Yanli now in custody at Korla City Detention House.
  2. 40 volumes of records material and evidence.

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