Chinese pastor Jin Mingri released from prison, reaches US
Chinese pastor Jin Mingri, founder of the unregistered Zion Church, has been released from prison and has travelled to the United States, his family confirmed. His incarceration had been raised by former US President Donald Trump during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.
Jin was detained in October 2023 during a series of raids that Christian groups described as a crackdown on unregistered religious activities. The Chinese government regulates religious activities under national laws, requiring groups to register with state-sanctioned bodies.
In a statement, Jin's family thanked supporters and expressed joy at his release. They also expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the Trump administration, saying they believed his release was a result of their intervention. The Chinese foreign ministry has not officially commented on the case.
Jin, also known as Ezra Jin, arrived in Los Angeles, according to ChinaAid, a US-based group that monitors religious issues. Its founder Bob Fu welcomed the release but noted that others, including eight members of Zion Church, remain imprisoned.
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of Western lawmakers, also expressed relief at the news. Trump had urged Xi to release Jin during a state visit to Beijing in May. Trump later said Xi agreed to consider the case.
Jin founded Zion Church in 2007 with 20 members. It grew into one of China's largest unregistered churches, with networks in 40 cities. The church was officially banned in 2018 after refusing to install security cameras at its Beijing property. Since then, many branches have been closed under Chinese regulations that require churches to be registered with state authorities.
The case highlights the tensions between China's legal framework for religion and international concerns over religious freedom. Under Chinese law, all religious activities must be conducted within state-sanctioned institutions. Unregistered churches operate outside this system and are subject to legal action.
