According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea and its US-based partner organization China Aid, Pastor Huang Yizi of Fengwo Church in Pingyang County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, has been held at a detention center since July 30.  

Pastor Huang first ran into trouble with authorities in 2014 when he was jailed for a year for openly opposing the Chinese government’s removal of crosses from Wenzhou churches. At that time he withdrew his church from the government-run Three-Self Church Association. After his release from prison, Pastor Huang was quickly re-arrested and then sent to a so-called “black jail”. He was detained for five months at the jail, allegedly for endangering national security. During that time he was denied access to his family and his attorney. 

Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley says that after Pastor Huang signed the so-called China Declaration statement of faith in 2018 along with 438 other Chinese pastors, he has been under regular surveillance by authorities and faced numerous interrogations. She says that most recently Pastor Huang was accused of “illegal business operations” for selling recordings of his sermons. Then on July 30 he was arrested and taken to the detention center on charges of “illegal preaching” and “ordination activities”.  

Representative Foley says that Pastor Huang is being held under strict conditions, unable to read the Bible or correspond with his family. 

“When Attorney Yuan visited Pastor Huang at the detention center, they came to realize that Pastor Huang had not been given postcards that his wife and children had sent, and Pastor Huang’s family had not received the letters he wrote to them,” says Representative Foley. “Likewise, Attorney Yuan mailed Pastor Huang’s Bible to the detention center, but authorities there did not give it to Pastor Huang.” 

Representative Foley says that in response to this issue, his family has called prisoner treatment hotlines to express their concerns, and Attorney Yuan has filed paperwork on the matter with city- and county-level officials, as well as the Wenzhou Public Security Bureau, but no responses have yet been received. 

“In his briefings to the authorities, Attorney Mao correctly noted that the Chinese constitution guarantees citizens, including prisoners, freedom of correspondence on matters not related to their legal case,” says Representative Foley. “As regards the postcards sent to Pastor Huang, it would have been very easy for authorities to see that everything the family had written was entirely personal. Likewise, Pastor Huang’s letters to his family contained only expressions of care and longing for them, entirely unrelated to his legal case.”  

Representative Foley says that Pastor Huang has repeatedly expressed his wish to read the Bible.  

“On August 26, Attorney Yuan sent Pastor Huang his Bible by mail,” says Representative Foley. “Postal records show that the detention center signed that they received the delivery, but Pastor Huang still has not been given his Bible.” She says that Attorney Yuan raised the matter to the detention center supervisor. “The supervisor told Attorney Yuan that the situation would be reviewed and handled according to the law. But still there has been no action,” says Representative Foley. 

Representative Foley says that in mid-August, Attorney Yuan filed a formal request with Pingyang County authorities for a review regarding the necessity of Pastor Huang’s detention. However, she says that on September 4, the authorities responded with a written notice stating that they considered Pastor Huang’s continued detention “necessary”.  

Representative Foley says that Pastor Huang’s wife, Lin Aili, has expressed gratitude for public concern over the case. 

“Lin Aili Samonim says that although Pastor Huang is in hardship, his heart remains filled with joy and peace, and that he and she are thankful for everyone’s thoughts and intercessory prayers,” says Representative Foley. “She asked that everyone continue praying for Pastor Huang, that his legal rights may be safeguarded, that he may soon communicate with family and freely read the Bible, and that he may quickly regain his freedom. She also asked everyone to pray for the four detained Christians in the same case, including Elder Chen Fuxi and Brother Li Yongfeng, asking the Lord to protect them and bring them home soon.” 

Individuals interested in learning about or supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s work in partnership with persecuted Christians in China can visit www.vomkorea.com/en/china or give via electronic transfer to: 

KB Bank: 463501-01-243303 

Account Holder: (사)순교자의소리 

Please note “China” on the transfer.