Wang Yi, the pastor and founder of ERCC, was detained by the police in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, the southwestern Chinese province where ERCC is located. He was arrested alongside dozens of members of his church on suspicion of “incitement to subvert state power.”

Pastor Wang was found guilty of this charge by the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court. In December of 2019, he was sentenced to nine years in jail. In addition, authorities placed his family and the other members of his church who were detained under house arrest.

Pastor Wang’s imprisonment followed his publication of an essay criticising the government’s control over religion. The paper encouraged Chinese Christians to peacefully disobey the new rules the Chinese Communist Party recently implemented on the activities of religious organisations.

Source: persecution.org