China detains Zion Church pastor Jin Mingri in crackdown
China has detained Ezra Jin (also known as Jin Mingri), the founder of the Zion Church, along with dozens of other pastors and church workers in a sweeping crackdown on underground Christian congregations. This move marks one of the toughest actions against unregistered house churches in China in recent years.
According to his daughter and church sources, Jin was arrested at his home in Beihai, Guangxi Province. Authorities are holding him under suspicion of “illegal use of information networks,” a charge that could lead to a prison term of up to seven years. Alongside Jin, more than 20 church leaders from Zion Church have been detained across multiple provinces including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong, Sichuan, and Henan.
Zion Church is an influential unregistered Protestant house church. It has seen significant growth especially during the COVID-19 period by using online sermons and small gatherings. It operates across about 40 cities in China, holding worship services both in-person and online. The increased visibility and organizational strength of the church appear to have drawn more scrutiny from the Chinese government.
Family and church representatives expressed concern for Jin’s health, noting that he has diabetes and needs medication. They have also reported that lawyers are being denied access to the detained pastors and church leaders, raising fears about due process and the conditions of detention.
International reactions have been strong. Human rights groups, religious freedom organisations, and foreign political leaders have condemned the detentions as violations of constitutional protections for religious freedom in China. Some U.S. officials have called for the immediate release of Jin and the others.
