China has released Protestant pastor Ezra Jin, the founder of one of the country's largest unregistered evangelical churches who has been detained since last October, his church said Sunday. Meanwhile, ChinaAid, a human rights organization, welcomed the release of the priest who was detained in detention centers in the city of Beihai in southern China.

Published on: 05/07/2026 - 08:11 Last updated: 05/07/2026 - 10:32

The Chinese authorities decided to release Protestant pastor Ezra Jin, who has been detained since last October, according to what his church reported on Sunday.

Jin is the founder of the Independent Zion Church in China, which has attracted thousands of followers, where many Christians choose

Praying in them instead of in churches approved by the state and subject to government control.

Masses on Zoom platform

The church caught the attention of the Chinese authorities after its remarkable expansion, until it was dissolved in 2018, but it continued its growth by holding masses on the Zoom platform, in addition to small meetings in about 40 Chinese cities.

Jin, also known by his Chinese name "Mingri", and other pastors and church members were arrested on October 10, on charges of "suspicion of illegal use of information networks."

For his part, US President Donald Trump raised Jin's issue during his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last May.

ChinaAid welcomes you

In a statement, the China Aid human rights organization welcomed and said that Jin, who was detained in detention centers in the city of Beihai in southern China, arrived in Los Angeles after his release.

The statement explained that Chinese officials informed the priest that this release “came as a result of discussions between US President Donald J. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and was presented as a goodwill gesture that coincided with American Independence Day.”

“We thank God for this great miracle,” Jane’s daughter, Grace, said in a statement shared by a church member with Agence France-Presse.

She added: "We hope that this step indicates a positive transformation for people of religious belief in China and for relations between our two countries."

France 24/AFP

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