controversial landmark trial began for printing 200,000 Bibles and other Christian literature. Pastor Cai Zhuohua, the leader of six Beijing-area house churches, was in a Beijing courtroom for about four-and-a-half hours Thursday, July 7, and charged with "illegal business practices,” several human rights activists confirmed. In China, only one printer is legally able to print limited numbers of Bibles and those Bibles can only be sold through registered churches, church watchers say.
Cai was on trial along with his wife Xiao Yunfei, her brother Xiao Gaowen and his wife, Hu Jinyun, who all claimed they were tortured before being brought to court, BosNewsLife monitored.
"The trial lasted about four-and-a-half hours, longer than expected" the human rights group Voice Of the Martyrs (VOM) USA quoted its Chinese sources as saying. The verdict was not announced, but analysts have warned for jail terms of several years.
US OBSERVER BANNED
VOM USA and the US based-China Aid Association (CAA), another Christian rights group, told BosNewsLife that a US Embassy staffer who tried to observe the trial was removed from the premises of the People’s Court of Haidian District in Beijing City. "When he arrived at that room, the embassy staffer was told that the hearing had been moved to hearing room 6, [and] then forced to leave the premises," VOM USA added.
Several family members, including the pastor’s mother, were also banned from attending the procedures, said the human rights groups, who have Chinese representatives in Beijing and close contacts with house church Christians.
As the hearing began, Pastor Cai apparently revoked his written testimony, which was composed from the interrogation records of the police. "He said he was not aware what the interrogator had written down on the interrogation record, and that he was forced to sign the record of the interview under torture. He denied he had anything to do with the record," the CAA said.
REVOKING TESTIMONY
All three of the other accused Christians also revoked their testimony, saying they had been forced under threat of torture to sign, CAA and VOM USA confirmed.
Nine lawyers had reportedly volunteered to represent the accused Christians, but the judge allowed only five of them into the courtroom. The lawyers tried to present evidence that the case had to do with Cai’s unregistered church activities and Christian faith, but the judge would not allow "any arguments about religious issues," observers of the trial said. "This has nothing to do with religion. This is an economic crime," presiding judge You Tao was quoted as saying.
The term ‘house churches’ refers to millions of Christians who rights groups say are forced to hold underground meetings because they refuse to worship in the Communist government-led churches.
SMALL VICTORY
In what was seen as a small victory for the defense the only witness allowed by the court, an elderly Christian lady, reportedly said she had received Christian literature for free. That seemed to go against prosecution arguments that Cai was involved in "illegal business practices."
Lawyers defending Cai had earlier indicated they saw the trial as a test case for China’s announced commitment to religious freedom, at a time when the country prepares to host the 2008 Olympics. The Chinese government has strongly denied it is violating religious rights saying it only fights against "dangerous sects" and that Christians are welcome to pray in the state run churches.
Cai was arrested last September 11 at a bus stop, where he was allegedly dragged into a van by state security officers. His mother has reportedly taken care of his 6-year-old son following the arrest of the pastor, his wife and the two other relatives last September.
VERDICT TAKES TIME
CAA quoted Chinese sources as saying "it could be a week, or it could be a year," before the court will announce a verdict. Human rights watchers say the Communist Chinese government, which they say controls the judiciary, will try to find a moment when political fall out from such a decision would be less.
One of Cai’s lawyers Mr. Gao Zhisheng, chief attorney at Beijing Shenzhi Law Firm told the French News Agency (AFP) that "it is impossible for them to be found innocent, but I have confidence to strive for lighter sentences."
"Clearly the charges against pastor Cai are false," said CAA President Bob Fu, who himself was allegedly persecuted in China as a Christian before moving to the United States. "This is a clear violation of the religious freedom for this pastor and his family members," added Todd Nettleton, News Services Director for VOM USA.
NOT ECONOMICS
"This case is not about economics at all; it is simply another case of the Chinese government persecuting people of faith," he said. "We urge Christians around the world to pray and protest on behalf of these faithful Christians," Nettleton added.
News of the highly charged trial comes just a little more than a week after human rights activists reported from China "that a nationwide campaign against unregistered house churches is underway" and that "hundreds" of Christians have been detained," in recent weeks.
Some human rights activists believe tens of thousands of Christians are detained across China in prisons and working camps. Nettleton said letters of protest can be sent to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. Its address is: Ambassador Yang Jiechi, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, 2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008. (With BosNewsLife Research, BosNewsLife News Center and reports from China and the USA)
