By Ningmeng —
The Yuanmou County People’s Court in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, issued a
verdict on December 18 last year in a case involving Christian activities. Li Guiwen (李贵文), a local volunteer of the Lisu ethnic group, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, convicted of the crime of “organizing illegal gatherings” in the first instance. His sentence is set to end on February 1, 2026.
Li Guiwen, 58 years old, is a resident of Pingtian Township, Yuanmou County. Since relocating from a Lisu village to Pingtian Township in 2002 due to a geological disaster, he has continued the long-standing Christian tradition among the Lisu people, opening his home to fellow villagers for gatherings. On August 2, 2025, Li Guiwen was arrested by police and was formally indicted in November of the same year.
The case spanned more than four months, from his detention on August 2 last year to the trial and verdict on December 17. According to the judgment, the core points of contention were the use of an “unapproved religious venue” and the conduct of “illegal religious activities.” Although the defense attorney argued that the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and assembly, that no social order had been disrupted, and that the defendant’s actions did not constitute the crime of organizing illegal gatherings, the court nonetheless upheld the guilty verdict.
Sentence: Six months’ fixed-term imprisonment (expected release on February 1, 2026).
Confiscation: Seven books and related audio-visual materials, as well as sheet music, were confiscated. — ChinaAid
