Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who was detained in China in October, has been released from prison, according to rights advocates. Jin arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, reuniting with his family.
His release occurred less than two months after U.S. President Donald Trump brought up Jin's case during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. A statement from Jin's family indicated that the release happened suddenly and expressed gratitude to Trump, suggesting it would not have occurred without Xi's direct intervention. The family also voiced hope for a positive turn for people of faith in China and in bilateral relations.
Jin's case gained public attention in November when Trump stated he had raised the issue of the pastor's release with Xi during his state visit to Beijing. The Chinese leader reportedly agreed to give the matter serious consideration.
Jin was detained in October along with 17 other leaders from the Zion Church, an underground congregation. This action was part of one of the largest crackdowns on a single church in China in decades, raising concerns about the government's increasing restrictions on religious freedom. The Zion Church is one of the largest unregistered churches in China, defying regulations from the officially atheist Communist Party that mandate worship only within state-approved congregations.
Grace Jin Drexel, Jin's daughter who resides in the United States, testified before a congressional committee in November, stating that her father founded Zion Church to allow for free worship with God as the sole head, a practice common among Christians globally.