Arrest and background
10 years imprisonment (Sentenced in 2017)
In 2017, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities sentenced Liang Qin to 10 years in prison on fabricated charges of ‘cult activity.’ Officials accused Liang of being linked to the Three Grades of Servants (TGOS) sect, an organization Chinese officials view as dangerous.
During a 2016 government crackdown on the TGOS in Yunnan Province, police raided and arrested approximately 200 Christians, including Ju Dianhong, Zhang Hongyan, Zi Huimei, Yang Shunxiang, and Zhang Shaocai, all of whom denied ever being part of the sect. Despite this, the judge sentenced them to serve between 4 and 13 years imprisonment.
CCP authorities accused Liang of assisting Ju Dianhong in recruiting members and doing missionary work on behalf of TGOS. The court also said that they found the members in possession of Christian books, such as Pilgrims Progress and Streams in the Desert, which they labelled ‘evil cult materials.’
Liang Qin denied knowing or participating in any activities involving TGOS. Her lawyer said that Sister Liang ‘had not violated any laws or regulations, or undermined the law in any way. Her preaching was nothing more than normal Christian activity, wholly unaffiliated with the Three Grades of Servants.’ He added that ‘the books which the prosecution used as evidence of her cult involvement may be bought in many bookstores and are published by authorised presses.’
After her conviction the Chinese authorities did not reveal Liang’s prison location. But thanks to the tireless work of Release International’s partner ChinaAid this information is now available and we encourage Christians in the UK to write a letter of encouragement to Liang following our Reach Out guidance.
There has been no update on Liang Qin’s situation since February 2021.
Take Action:
You can write a letter of encouragement to Liang Qin at her prison address below. Please ensure that you follow our letter writing guidance detailed in Reach Out.
Liang Qin
No. 1 Prison For Women of Yunnan province
Kunyang town, Jinning district, Kunming city
Yunnan Province, China
Zip code: 650600
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Updated: March 2024