HUBEI PROVINCE, China — A leader of a banned Chinese Christian sect was sentenced to life in prison in a second trial, after his previous death sentence was thrown out.
Gong Shengliang received the new sentence Oct. 10 after the Hubei Provincial High Court overturned a ruling by a municipal intermediate court, saying it lacked evidence for a conviction.
At least 12 others involved in the South China Church were convicted in a retrial after four other death sentences were thrown out, the Associated Press reported. Two people were given a life sentence for assault, two more were given 15-year terms for assault and eight others were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to 15 years.
Documents filed at the first trial stated that Gong was accused of raping several female sect members and ordering the beatings of followers who differed with church leaders on finances and doctrine. Gong denied the charges.
He was given a life sentence for rape and assault in the new trial.
The church was created in 1991 and now has about 50,000 members in 10 provinces in central and eastern China. Groups like these, known as “house churches,” thrive in many parts of China where worshipers meet secretly in private homes despite government harassment.
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