China Sentences Cult Leader to 12 Years in Prison for Raping Women

Inside China Today/March 6, 2001

Beijing, -- A court in northern China has sentenced a religious cult leader who claimed special healing powers to 12 years in prison for raping his female followers, local reports said Tuesday.

Li Shuhua was recently convicted of raping women during his "healing" sessions by a court in Chaoyang county of Liaoning province, according to Health News.

Li set set up a cult called "White Sun Religion," and convinced his female adherents that if they had sex with him, they would be healed of their ailments.

One woman was so convinced that she would regularly visit Li's home on the first and 15th of each month on the lunar calendar to have sexual intercourse with Li, the report said.

China is on a crusade to wipe out superstition, cults and even some legitimate but unregistered religious groups for fear they would turn into the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Falun Gong claims 70 million members in China and its members have repeatedly challenged state authority by protesting on Tiananmen Square despite a ban against the group.

China considers Falun Gong the biggest threat to social stability since the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations, outlawing the group in July 1999.