Contact: ChinaAid Media Team, 432-553-1080 cell, 888-889-7757, 432-689-6985, media@chinaaid.org

GUIYANG, Guizhou, China, Jan. 6, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yang Hua, a house church pastor who has been detained since Dec. 9, 2015, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison by a court in China's central Guizhou province yesterday.

Photo: Yang Hua

Yang Hua, the common pseudonym of Li Guozhi, was accused of "divulging state secrets." He was originally detained during a raid on his church, Huoshi Church, when he tried to stop police from confiscating a hard drive. The prosecution appointed by the government reportedly tortured him in prison, but were not removed from his case, despite Yang's lawyers filing a lawsuit against them.

"This is nothing but purely barbaric religious persecution," said Bob Fu, president and founder of China Aid. "We urge President Obama and President-Elect Trump to unequivocally condemn this brutal act."

China Aid reports on cases of religious persecution and human rights abuse, such as the detention and trial of Yang Hua, in order to expose the Chinese government's mistreatment of Christians and other Chinese citizens.