NEW YORK (July 7, 2026) — This weekend, Pastor Jin “Ezra” Mingri of Zion Church was released after nearly nine months of arbitrary detention in China. In May, HRF submitted a petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Pastor Jin, Pastor Gao Yingjia, and Pastor Wang Lin. HRF continues to pursue a formal opinion from the WGAD regarding these cases.
The arrest of Pastor Jin and leading figures of Zion Church last October marked the Chinese government’s most coordinated nationwide crackdown against an “unregistered” church in 40 years. Approximately 30 church leaders were initially arrested, 14 of whom have since been released, while at least eight remain in detention. Pastor Jin was initially charged with “illegally using information networks” for broadcasting sermons online after officials shut down Zion Church’s physical location in 2018. The charge was later amended to “illegal business operations,” though he was ultimately released without sentencing.
“We welcome Pastor Jin’s release and his reunion with his family, but this outcome remains incomplete,” said HRF Legal & Program Officer Claudia Bennett. “Eight members of Zion Church are still behind bars, and many others across China continue to face persecution for peacefully practicing their faith. We will continue to pursue accountability and justice for all those detained and hope to see additional releases in the near future.”
During his detention, Pastor Jin was held in overcrowded conditions, sharing a cell with more than 30 individuals. He was denied direct contact with his family and lacked adequate food and medical care. Lawyers representing him and other detainees were subjected to harassment and, in some cases, disbarment.
Words of thanks are endless, and sentiments of gratitude are immeasurable. I know there are countless acts of kindness that have gone unmentioned . . . I only pray that God, who sees all of this, will kiss and remember every tear, every effort! In this moment of reflecting on the past and looking toward the present, my heart remains heavy,” said Pastor Jin’s wife, Anna Chunli Liu. I ask everyone to continue to fervently advocate for the eight pastors and coworkers still in detention! They have never given up proving their innocence; they are my dear Zion Church family: Pastor Yin Huibin, Pastor Gao Yingjia, Pastor Wang Lin, Pastor Liu Zhenbin, Pastor Lin Shucheng, Pastor Wang Cong, Preacher Wu Qiuyu, [and] Elder Wang Zhong.
HRF reiterates its call for the immediate release of the remaining Zion Church detainees in China. HRF will continue to engage international mechanisms, including the WGAD, until those unjustly detained for advocating for human rights and democracy are freed.
HRF’s Impact Litigation Program is made possible through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation and the Rising Tide Foundation.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.
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