CHINA: IMPRISONED FOR SELLING BIBLES

A believer who was imprisoned in China last year for ‘illegal business operations’ is due to be released at the end of this year. 

Ruojie*, a Sunday school teacher and businessman, was arrested for selling Bibles, Sunday school materials and other biblical resources in early 2023 and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. 

Government cracks down on sale of Bibles 

Li*, a local Open Doors partner, recently visited Ruojie’s mother, Chen*, who shared more about her son’s arrest. “My son’s book-selling business was across the country,” she says. “He discreetly sold books at different provinces.” 

But he was later discovered by the authorities when they traced one of his buyers through the courier company that delivers his products. “It was found that he owned more than 10,000 books in his house and another 10,000 in the warehouse,” shares Li. 

In China, it’s not illegal to possess a Bible or other Christian literary materials. However, the laws around selling and purchasing these resources have become much stricter in recent years. In 2018, the Chinese Government banned buying and selling Bibles online. They can only be sold legally in churches and bookstores affiliated with government-controlled churches and organisations. Although the implementation of these laws vary from province to province, it still makes it more difficult for believers to purchase Bibles and other Christian resources. 

Ruojie loses his freedom and his fiancée  

Ruojie’s imprisonment has taken its toll on Ruojie and his family. Although his mother and brother can now visit him, it wasn’t always that way. 

“For a time, the local authorities did not allow us – his family – to visit him,” says Chen. “They also searched his house multiple times, and they talked to people in his network, aiming to collect more evidence.”  

And Ruojie has not only lost his freedom. “He was engaged to his fiancée and planned to get married this year,” says Chen. “Unfortunately, when he was imprisoned, his fiancée decided to leave him. She broke up with him when she went to visit him. He was shocked and unprepared for it. Though he doubted why, there’s nothing else he could do.” Ruojie and his fiancée used to serve in the Sunday school together. 

After Ruojie’s arrest, his church withdrew their support and cut ties with the family, out of fear – and this is not uncommon. Li admits that he struggles when he encounters cases like Chen’s and Ruojie’s – but says that your prayers for the believers and for him go a long way. “I feel quite helpless sometimes that I don’t know what else I can do practically,” he says. “But what we do is bring comfort to them by visiting and praying with them.” 

*Name changed for security reasons