Heavy Jail Penalties in the Linfen Golden Lampstand Church Case

Brother Li Shuangping was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison. Another nine Christians were also punished.

By Dong Quiyue

June 23, 2025

The now-famous image of the destruction of the Golden Lampstand Church, from a video by church members.

On June 20, 2025, ten Linfen Golden Lampstand Church members in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, were handed severe sentences for “fraud,” now a popular charge to repress independent religion. The case against the church leader, Yang Rongli, and her husband, Wang Xiaoguang, was separated from the one of the ten Christians sentenced on June 20.

In 2018, “Bitter Winter” reported on the persecution of the Golden Lampstand Church, a house church in Linfen City, Shanxi, and the destruction of its worship site. The congregation is part of a Sola Fide network with over 50,000 members, and the church cost nearly 2.6 million USD to construct.

In 2021, we reported that Golden Lampstand, after the destruction of its church, continued to hold outdoor services and faced police harassment. On August 7, 2021, numerous church leaders and co-workers were detained by the police in Yaodu District, Linfen City, on charges of “fraud.” On December 27, the case was transferred to the Linfen City Procuratorate for review and prosecution.

The deputy prosecutor overseeing the case, Xie Binghua, had earlier visited the imprisoned believers several times, pressuring them to dismiss their Christian lawyers in favor of local attorneys more aligned with the CCP, which they finally did.

Linfen Intermediate People’s Court. From Weibo.

The sentences for the ten members of the Golden Lamp Church found guilty of “fraud” are as follows: Brother Li Shuangping was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison with a fine of RMB 100,000.

Sister Li Qin was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison, with a fine of RMB 50,000.

Sister Huo Zhuangping was sentenced to five years and five months in prison with a fine of RMB 50,000.

Sister Zhao Guoai was sentenced to five years and four months in prison, with a fine of RMB 50,000.

Sister Feng Junying was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison with a fine of RMB 40,000.

Brother Dong Yongyong was sentenced to three years and eleven months in prison with a fine of RMB 40,000.

Sister Yang Hongzhen was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, suspended for three years, and fined RMB 30,000.

Sister Wang Xianfeng was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, suspended for three years, and fined RMB 20,000.

Sister Chen Qinglan was sentenced to two years and two months in prison, suspended for two years and six months, and fined RMB 20,000.

Sister Wu Ling’e was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison, suspended for two years, and fined RMB 3,000.

Verdicts were also announced in the separate case of the Covenant Home Church. Pastor Li Jie and Elder Han Xiaodong were sentenced to three years and eight months, exceeding the three years agreed upon during the trial.

Source: bitterwinter.org