China Frees House Church Pastor After Nine Months in Detention

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri walked off a plane in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, reuniting with his family after nine months in a Chinese detention facility. Chinese authorities released him on July 3, one day before his arrival in the United States.

Jin founded the Zion Church, one of China's largest underground congregations, before authorities shut it down and arrested him in October 2025. He and 17 other church leaders faced charges of "illegally using information networks," with prosecutors later adding allegations of illegal business operations and fraud.

President Donald Trump raised Jin's case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing in May 2026. Trump told reporters at the time that Xi was "seriously considering" the request. The release came roughly six weeks after that conversation.

Advocacy group ChinaAid confirmed Jin's safe arrival and thanked both governments for the outcome. Family members expressed relief after months of uncertainty about his condition and legal status.

Rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Freedom House, welcomed the news but cautioned against reading it as a broader shift in China's treatment of religious minorities. At least eight other Zion Church members and leaders remain in custody. Advocates are calling for their immediate release along with other prisoners of conscience held on religious grounds.

The Zion Church had operated openly in Beijing for years before the 2025 crackdown, drawing thousands of worshippers each week. Its closure was part of a wider government campaign targeting unregistered Protestant congregations across several provinces.