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41m ago

China Detains Zion Church Founder in Nationwide Sweep as U.S. Demands Release

The detentions target leaders of an unregistered network after new limits on online religious content.

FILE -In this photo taken Aug. 4, 2018, pastor Jin Minri leads a class on the basics of Christian beliefs at the Zion Church in Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan), File)
FILE -Police officers guard at the main entrance door to a building where Zion church is located after the church was shutdown by authorities in Beijing, Sept. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
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Overview

  • Pastor Ezra (Mingri) Jin, 56, was taken from his home in Beihai, Guangxi, according to his daughter and church sources, and authorities have not announced formal charges.
  • Nearly 30 Zion Church pastors and workers were reported detained or missing across cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Jiaxing, Huangdao and Beihai.
  • Church leaders say police cited alleged illegal dissemination of religious content online, a focus that follows September rules restricting digital religious activity to state-registered channels.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the roundup and called for the immediate release of Jin and other Zion Church leaders in an official statement.
  • Zion Church, one of China’s largest unregistered congregations, expanded via online services after its 2018 shutdown, while Jin has remained under surveillance and an exit ban, with children who are U.S. citizens.