Ezra Jin, the founder of one of China’s most prominent underground churches, has been released from detention and has reunited with his family in the United States. His daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, confirmed the news, describing the release as a “tremendous miracle.”
Jin, who founded Beijing’s Zion Church in 2007, was among dozens of members detained during a broad crackdown by Chinese authorities late last year. The Chinese government, which maintains strict control over religious practice through state-sanctioned institutions, has long viewed independent Christian organizations as potential threats to state stability.
The release follows high-level diplomatic efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump personally raised the case of Jin with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in May. Drexel, who serves as a staffer in the U.S. Senate, had been publicly advocating for her father’s release since losing contact with him in October.
While rights groups have celebrated the development, they cautioned that the broader issue of religious freedom in China remains unresolved. Brian Tronic of Freedom House’s Free Them All program noted that many other leaders and members of the Zion Church remain in detention or face ongoing criminal charges. Advocates, including Rev. Dr. Bob Fu of ChinaAid, have urged the Trump administration to maintain pressure on Beijing to secure the release of other prisoners of faith.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the release. The case highlights the complex intersection of personal human rights advocacy and bilateral diplomacy between Washington and Beijing.