Chinese court sentences Early Rain Church pastor to nine years for subversion

A Chinese court has sentenced the pastor of the Early Rain Covenant Church, Wang Yi, to nine years in prison on charges of inciting subversion of state power.

He has also been deprived of his political rights for three years, and 50,000 yuan of his personal property was confiscated as part of his sentencing, according to a statement on the website of the Chengdu court in the western province of Sichuan.

Wang was among dozens of churchgoers and leaders of the Early Rain Covenant Church detained by police in December a year ago. The church is one of China's best known unregistered "house" churches.