Five cult members charged with murder after beating a woman to death in the Shandong province in May faced their first day of open trial Thursday morning, reports state.

Zhang Hang, Zhang Qiaolian, Zhang Lidong, Zhang Fan, and Lyu Yingchun stand trial as they face murder charges for the death of a Chinese woman on May 28 at a McDonald's outlet in Zhaoyuan City.

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The last three suspects were also charged with violating the Chinese law which prohibits the organization of cults believed to be masquerading as a religious sect to convince people to join via false creeds.

They have also been known to engage in wrong-doings and activities that have negative effects on society.

Earlier this year, five Almighty God cult members were reported to have killed the 35-year-old woman after she refused to give her phone number to them.

Now, they face trial in Yantai Intermediate People's Court where the three indicted for violation of the anti-cult law could be facing a combined punishment for their two offenses.

The cult had been in question for years since its establishment during the 1990s as they allegedly coerce people into joining their group.

In October and November 1998, a series of crimes including robberies and assaults were connected to the cult, known in China as 'Quannengshen' or 'All-powerful Spirit.'

Some of the cult's victims in Tanghe County, Henan Province were found with mutilated ears and broken limbs.

Members of the sect believe that Jesus has been resurrected as Yang Xiangbin, the wife of the cult's founder.

Also known as Xu Wenshan, Almighty God's founder and his wife escaped to the United States in September 2000.

As of this year, China has listed 14 illegal cults in the country which includes Quannengshen and the Falungong, which was subdued by the government in 1999.

TagsMcdonalds, cult, Quannengshen, China Cult