In brief
After a month-long detainment amid a nationwide crackdown on unregistered churches, Jin Mingri was released from prison in Beijing. His freedom followed direct appeals by Donald Trump to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit. The Zion Church founder, who built a 10,000‑member network, expressed gratitude toward the U.S. administration as his family welcomed the news. The case underscores the fragile status of religious freedom in China and a potential change in diplomatic dynamics.
Jin Mingri freed from prison after a month‑long crackdown on the underground Zion Church
Jin Mingri, the head pastor of the Zion Church, was released from a Beijing prison following widespread overnight raids on unregistered churches.
The crackdown began in October 2025, when authorities swooped on more than 30 church leaders and shut down dozens of congregations across China, a move churches say is the tightest on religious activity in the country’s recent history.
Chi private appeals by the U.S. president, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit in May, are widely cited as having accelerated the release. Trump urged Xi to consider freeing Jin during the talks, saying he would “strongly consider” the pastor after his release.
Jin’s family thanked supporters and described the event as a miracle, saying they were “overwhelmed with joy.” They also added that they could only hope for a positive turn for faith people in China and for better bilateral ties.
U.S. rights group ChinaAid confirmed that Jin, also known as Ezra Jin, had arrived in Los Angeles after his release. Its founder Bob Fu welcomed his release but noted that many other religious people, including eight from the Zion Church, remain imprisoned in China.
The Inter‑Parliamentary Alliance on China – a coalition of Western lawmakers – welcomed the news, calling it an opportunity for a more open society in China.
The crackdown saddles the private underground church movement with increasing pressure, with thousands of Christians leaving the underground churches banding together only in secret. The Chinese government continues to mandate that worship happens in state-sanctioned churches led by government-approved pastors.
The January raids that followed the October crackdown detained nine people and further deepened the crackdown. 30 other leaders showed up in the October raids. The growing number of detentions fuels concerns that China may be widening its crackdown on dissident groups, human rights activists and independent media.
