U.S decries conviction of Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church

WASHINGTON – The United States of America had decried secret trial and conviction of Pastor Wang Yi, leader of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China. Pastor Wang Yi was upon conviction sentenced to nine years in prison in connection with his peaceful advocacy for religious freedom.

In a statement, Spokesman of the Department, Morgan Ortagus called for immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Wang Yi.

Pastor Wang Yi was originally arrested with dozens of other congregants on December 9, 2018, during a massive crackdown on Chengdu’s largest unregistered church.

Pastor Wang Yi was found guilty during a closed-door trial December 26 on trumped-up charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business activities,” with no defense lawyer present.

The Department of State described the conviction of Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant church as yet another example of Beijing’s intensification of repression of Chinese Christians and members of other religious groups.

“We continue to call on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and promises made in its own constitution to promote religious freedom for all individuals, including members of ethnic and religious minorities and those who worship outside of official state-sanctioned institutions”, the United States said of Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church.

Prior to his arrest and detention, Pastor Wang Yi said: “I hope God uses me, by means of first losing my personal freedom, to tell those who have deprived me of my personal freedom that there is an authority higher than their authority, and that there is a freedom that they cannot restrain, a freedom that fills the church of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ.”