This story makes me feel so sad. Please keep this dear brother in your prayers.
Shi Weihan also fined nearly $22,000; ‘illegal business’ printed Bibles for free distribution.
LOS ANGELES, June 10 (Compass
Direct News) – A Beijing court today found Christian bookstore owner
Shi Weihan guilty of “illegal business operation” and sentenced him to
three years in prison and a 150,000 yuan (US$21,975) fine. Sources said
Shi’s store operated legally, sold only books for which he had obtained
government permission, and that his Holy Spirit Trading Co. printed
Bibles and Christian literature without authorization but only for free
distribution to local house churches. The 38-year-old Shi had been
released on Jan. 4, 2008 due to insufficient evidence for the same
vague charge of “illegal business operation,” but he was arrested again
two month later, on March 19, and held virtually incommunicado. The
court ruling appears to have allowed time that Shi has spent in jail to
count toward his sentence, a source said, as his prison term was
described as running from Nov. 28, 2007, when he was initially
arrested, to Nov. 27, 2010. Others in a printing company who stood
trial with Shi appeared to have received similar sentences. A written
judgment is expected within 15 days to allow time for an appeal to be
filed, said Ray Sharpe, a friend of Shi. “Absent an appeal, it is also
possible that Shi could be allowed a sort of medical parole, due to his
diabetic condition,” Sharpe said. “Hopefully, he could then be allowed
to stay in a hospital under a sort of house arrest.” Full story