Shaanxi Pastor Chang Yuchun, Sentenced to 7 Years for Printing and Selling Christian Books, Seriously Ill in Prison and in Worrying Condition
(Rights Defense Network Information Center report)On May 4, 2026, this outlet learned:according to a statement issued today by Chang Shengyi, the son of Pastor Chang Yuchun:“My father Chang Yuchun and my mother Li Chenhui were detained on July 21, 2020 for selling Christian books, and were sentenced to seven years for the crime of illegal business operations, with both sentences running until September 1, 2027。I received a call from my father on May 3, and his voice sounded extremely weak, he said that his physical condition had deteriorated sharply, and that the problem of his joints being unable to be reset was becoming increasingly serious。The medication is no longer having much effect, he often cannot eat or sleep, and is suffering and enduring hardship every day。We are preparing to set out to visit my father。”Pastor Chang Yuchun is currently serving his sentence at Fuping Prison in Shaanxi Province(No. 1 Jiancai Road, Zhuangli Town, Fuping County, Shaanxi Province, postal code:711711).
Biography of Chang Yuchun:Male、born on February 21, 1968,formerly known as Chang Yuguang,a native of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province,a resident of Room 10, 3rd Floor, Unit 1, Building 41, Jingwei Shangcheng residential compound, Gaoling District, Xi’an,a Christian,legal representative of Shaanxi Guangyi Aisheng Printing Company,and a Chinese prisoner of conscience。
Since June 2015,because the printing company he was affiliated with printed large quantities of materials and books related to the Christian faith,it consequently attracted a high level of attention and vigilance from the local authorities;
On July 21, 2020,the cultural law-enforcement authorities and state security authorities of Xi’an jointly sealed his company and conducted an appraisal,seizing more than 210,000 religious books of various kinds on the premises,after which the Shaanxi News Publishing and Film Quality Testing Center appraised 24 types of books, including Reformed Faith,among them and determined that the 24 types of books were illegal publications “printed without authorization and without approval”,consequently, on the following day (July 22), he and his wife Li Chenhui were immediately taken away together by police from Gaoling District, Xi’an,and were later placed under residential surveillance at a designated location on suspicion of the crime of “subversion of state power”;
On October 12 of the same year,the charge was changed, and he was criminally detained on suspicion of “illegal business operations”;
On October 22 of the same year,the Gaoling District Procuratorate of Xi’an approved his arrest on the same charge,accusing him of operating a printing business without a printing license,printing illegal publications,and disrupting market order,with these acts all constituting the crime of illegal business operations,and therefore warranting his arrest;
On August 19, 2021,the Gaoling District Court of Xi’an sentenced him at first instance to seven years in prison for “illegal business operations”,and imposed a fine of 250,000 yuan;he appealed the ruling;
On November 15, 2021,the Xi’an Intermediate People’s Court of Shaanxi Province ruled at second instance to ultimately reject the appeal and uphold the original judgment,with the sentence running until September 1, 2027。
This outlet will continue to follow Pastor Chang Yuchun’s medical condition in prison。
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