Chinese authorities have released the Christian pastor Jin Mingri, known as Ezra Jin, arrested in October of last year as part of a broad police operation against underground churches operating in the country.
Ezra Jin is the founder of Zion Church, a congregation that has operated outside the strict requirements set by the Chinese Government, where Christianity is authorized but subject to strong limitations due to official fears that these communities could serve as a platform for "subversive activities" promoted by foreign powers such as the United States.
The NGO ChinaAid, dedicated to documenting the situation of religious freedom in China, has confirmed in a statement the pastor's release from prison, whose case was raised during the last summit held in Beijing between President Xi Jinping and the then-US President, Donald Trump, who pledged to use all means at his disposal to secure his release.
According to the organization, the pastor "arrived safely in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, after being released directly from his detention in China," a trip that ChinaAid highlighted in its statement, in which it also expressed its gratitude to Trump for the diplomatic efforts made. According to the NGO, anonymous Chinese government sources cited described the release of the religious leader as a gesture of goodwill coinciding with the celebration of Independence Day in the United States.
"The release of Pastor Jin is a tremendous victory," stated ChinaAid director Bob Fu, "but our work will not be over until all prisoners of faith are free."
The organization recalls that eight pastors and collaborators of Zion Church still remain in prison, "as well as priests, bishops, Christians from house churches, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and other prisoners of conscience" who remain incarcerated in different parts of the country.