In brief
Jin Mingri, the founder and head pastor of Beijing’s underground Zion church, has been freed from a Chinese prison after a short‑tenured detention that began in October. The release follows direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on Chinese President Xi Jinping during a May state visit, prompting Xi to order Jin’s release. Jin’s family praised the intervention as a miracle and urged governments to protect faith communities in China. U.S. rights groups and an inter‑parliamentary alliance have hailed the move, while Chinese authorities have yet to comment formally.
Chinese underground church pastor Jin Mingri has been released from prison after a brief detention that began in October 2025.
The release follows pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to free Jin during a May state visit to Beijing. Xi reportedly acted on the request, ordering the e‑mergency release of the pastor.
Jin, founder of the Zion church—a network of about 10,000 members in 40 Chinese cities—was among 30 faith leaders detained in a nationwide crackdown that began with overnight raids in October. The church had been banned by the Communist Party in 2018 after refusing to install security cameras at its Beijing location.
Jin’s family expressed gratitude in a statement, describing the release as a miracle and praising U.S. leadership. They also noted that the outcome could not have occurred without Xi’s intervention.
The U.S. rights group ChinaAid, which monitors religious persecution, confirmed that Jin has arrived in Los Angeles following his release. The group warned that many other church members, including eight Zion church members, remain imprisoned in China.
European and Canadian lawmakers, part of the Inter‑Parliamentary Alliance on China, issued statements expressing relief at the release and calling for broader protection of faith communities in China.
The crackdown has seen 30 Christian leaders detained in October and another nine in January, signaling a sustained effort by Chinese authorities to suppress unregistered religious activities. This development may mark a turning point in the country’s treatment of underground churches, though many observers remain cautious.
