testifying party

Testimony 1: Official court document, as used in court proceedings in the People's Republic of China.

Testimony 2: CAP Freedom of Conscience, a secular European NGO with United Nations Consultative Status, created in 1995 and dedicated to protecting the right of freedom of religion and belief. Testimony 1: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 2: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 3: add father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband add add direct third-party

Update 

Name:    Description:    unverified verified    1 2 3 4 5    Add

about the victim

Xia Zhonglian (alias: Liu Yan) was born on March 21, 1967. She is ethnically Han, has a junior high school education, and worked in retail [apparently operating the "Xia Lian" Dry Cleaners in Ghulja].

Xia Zhonglian was allegedly a member of the Church of Almighty God, having joined in or after 2005.

Address (Household Registration): No. 19, Xisan Lane, Hongqi Road, 74th Regiment, Poma Town, Zhaosuken District, 4th Agricultural Division, former Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Address (Usual Residence): The "Xia Lian" Dry Cleaners in Renhe Yiju Residential Area (仁和宜居小区), Jiefang Road, Yining City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

current location

[Unclear, as sentenced.]

chronology of detention(s)

The victim was criminally detained on August 12, 2014. Authorities also seized a number of items belonging to the victim that were allegedly used for the activities of the Church of Almighty God.

The victim was initially held at the Yining Detention Center, and formally arrested on September 20, 2014.

On December 3, 2015, the victim was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment.

The victim appealed the December 2015 verdict on the grounds that the "Xia Lian" Dry Cleaners operated by her was not the contact point for the Church of Almighty God in Ili District [see reason(s) for detention], that she was a first-time offender, and occasional offender of minor subjective culpability, and that the original sentence was excessive. In August 2016, the original verdict was upheld by the XUAR High People's Court.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

The victim was convicted of "sabotaging the enforcement of laws by organizing and utilizing cult organizations".

Specifically, the allegations against her were that she actively participated in member gatherings for the Church of Almighty God (CAG), used the "Xia Lian" Dry Cleaners that she operated as a contact point for the CAG in Ili District to receive and transmit instructions, books, video materials, etc. to various CAG groups around Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. She was also alleged to have donated a sum of 1500RMB to CAG in 2013.

last reported status

[Presumably] in prison.

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

Testimony 1: This is an official document from the Xinjiang court system.

Testimony 2: Not stated.

additional information

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places of detention

Ghulja City Detention Center

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2021-12-13

entry last modified on: 2021-12-28

last update from testifier(s): 2018-05-01