Beijing: Twenty five members of a banned Christian group that China calls an “illegal cult” have been sent to prison terms of up to eight years for disturbing social order and violating local laws in the communist state. All the convicted were followers of Quannengshen, or The Church of Almighty God among several other names — a heretic sect with strong violent tendencies.
They were charged with spreading materials related to the cult in public places, disturbing social order and undermining national laws and regulations, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today citing a ruling by a Court in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The cult came into spotlight when six Quannengshen members beat a woman to death on May 28 at a fast food restaurant in Zhaoyuan City in the eastern province of Shandong for refusing to give her telephone number to them. The incident had sparked a huge public outrage on social media.
The suspects were allegedly trying to recruit members for their sect. (PTI)
