Chinese Authorities Detain Zion Church Leaders in Crackdown

Amid ongoing efforts to suppress religious groups, Chinese authorities recently arrested Jin “Ezra” Mingri, a leader of the underground Zion Church, along with dozens of other pastors. Zion, established in 2007, has grown to become one of China’s largest unregistered churches, operating outside government oversight.

The authorities accuse Jin and his colleagues of “illegally disseminating religious information” online, under China’s strict Internet religious conduct laws. This crackdown is part of a nationwide campaign targeting religious organizations viewed as a threat to Communist Party control.

Preaching the Gospel online remains a criminal offense, with detained pastors often facing extended periods of detention without formal charges, and at risk of mistreatment or torture. This approach is an extension of Xi Jinping’s broader policy of “Sinicization,” which aims to bring all religious practice under state control. Recent arrests of clergy across the country signal a tightening grip on religious expression and threaten the fragile Vatican-China relations.

The crackdown extends beyond the mainland, affecting Christian communities in Hong Kong, where repression of clergy and believers is increasing. Efforts to embed CCP ideology in religious education further escalate the repression.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio condemned the situation, emphasizing that the aggressive actions against Zion Church showcase the authorities’ hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference. The repression exposes the weakness of China’s regime, which fears independent thought and aims to crush any signs of religious or political dissent. Such brutality damages China’s image and hampers its relations with the international community.