China Releases House Church Pastor After Nine Months in Detention
Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing's Zion Church, arrived in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, after Chinese authorities released him from nine months of detention. His release followed direct diplomatic intervention by President Trump, who raised the case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a May summit in Beijing.
Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri stepped off a plane in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, reuniting with his family after nine months in a Chinese detention center. The 57-year-old founder of Beijing's Zion Church had been held since October 10, 2025, when authorities arrested him and other church leaders for refusing to install government surveillance cameras and submit to state oversight.
Chinese officials charged Jin with "illegally using information networks" after the church continued holding online worship services. He was one of several Zion Church leaders detained in what became known as the "10.9 Church Case."
His release came after sustained diplomatic pressure. During a state visit to Beijing in May 2026, President Donald Trump raised Jin's case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump later said Xi was "seriously considering" the matter. On July 3, Chinese authorities removed Jin from his detention center. He was not told his destination until he reached the airport, where officials issued him a new passport and put him on a flight to the United States.
ChinaAid and Jin's family expressed gratitude for the Trump administration's intervention. The advocacy group noted that at least eight other Zion Church leaders remain in custody, including Pastors Yin Huibin, Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, and Liu Zhenbin. They face charges of fraud and illegal business operations.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom called for the release of the remaining detainees and other prisoners of conscience in China. Human rights groups noted that despite Jin's release, China's broader crackdown on unregistered churches continues under its "Sinicization" policy, which requires religious institutions to demonstrate loyalty to the Communist Party.
Zion Church had been a prominent congregation in Beijing, drawing hundreds of worshippers before authorities shut it down. The church's refusal to comply with government surveillance requirements made it a target.
