A prominent Protestant pastor in eastern China has been formally arrested for distributing sermon recordings, in what religious rights groups call part of a broader effort to suppress Christian expression.
Pastor Huang Yizi, a well-known church leader in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, was officially arrested on July 30 on charges of “illegal business operations.” The charge, often used by authorities to target religious figures, stems from his alleged sale and distribution of audio sermons.
Huang was initially detained on June 26, along with four church members from cities across Zhejiang including Ningbo, Quzhou, and Taizhou. All were taken into custody by the Pingyang Public Security Bureau. Two detainees were later released on bail on July 25, while two others remain in custody with no clear charges. A sixth church member was detained on July 17 and is also still in detention.
According to Huang’s legal team, the arrest process moved unusually fast and lacked transparency. Authorities were required to obtain approval from the procuratorate within 30 days of the initial detention, but Huang’s arrest was quietly approved and listed on China’s legal platform the same day—July 25—without prior notice or legal documentation provided to his representatives.
This isn’t the first time Pastor Huang has been targeted. In 2014, he was sentenced to a year in prison for opposing the forced demolition of church crosses during a major government crackdown. He was detained again in 2015 under accusations of “endangering national security.”
His church was once affiliated with the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPPM), making his arrest even more troubling to observers.
Christian rights groups, including China Human Rights Lawyers Group, condemned the use of vague charges like “illegal business operations” against religious leaders. They assert that sharing sermons is protected by the Chinese Constitution under religious freedom provisions.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) President Mervyn Thomas strongly denounced the arrest, calling for Huang’s immediate and unconditional release and urging the Chinese government to uphold national and international legal standards in handling religious cases.
“Freedom of religion includes the right to record and share sermons,” Thomas stated. “The Chinese authorities must allow legal representation of the accused’s choosing and conduct all proceedings fairly.”
The case continues to draw international attention amid rising concerns over China’s tightening grip on religious expression.
