China jails Protestant pastor for 9 years for 'inciting' subversionChina's officially atheist government is wary of any organised movements outside its own control, including religious ones. Wang was detained in December 2018 in a raid by authorities in which dozens of members of his "underground church" disappeared. Catholics are similarly divided between unofficial churches led by bishops recognised by the Vatican and those who follow official prelates. The charge of inciting subversion has often been used against dissidents as a way to silence criticism of the government and the Communist Party. Beijing-based Zion Church, one of China's largest "underground" Protestant churches, was banned by city authorities in September 2018 for operating without a licence after dozens of officials stormed its premises.

Source: Standard Digital December 30, 2019 08:03 UTC