The founder of a prominent Chinese underground church has been detained along with more than 20 of its members in a sweeping national crackdown, according to his daughter and one of its pastors. Police arrested Jin Mingri, who founded the unregistered Zion Church, at his home in the southern region of Guangxi on Oct. 10, along with several pastors in other cities, including Beijing, who were taken into custody overnight.
Jin was detained on “suspicion of the illegal use of information networks,” a detention notice stated. At least seven pastors, including Jin, who also goes by the name Ezra, may face criminal charges for “illegal dissemination of religious information via the internet,” according to a church statement.
Police searched their homes and confiscated their computers and cell phones. “It is just a blatant attack on religious freedom,” Jin’s daughter Grace said. Since Oct. 9, police have apprehended church leaders and members in Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, Guangxi, Shandong, Sichuan and Henan, according to a list compiled by church members.
Four people have since been released following interrogation. Police barred lawyers from meeting detained church members in the Guangxi city of Beihai on Oct. 13 morning, according to Grace.
It was not immediately clear if those detained have been able to speak with lawyers since then. “We are not criminals, we are just Christians,” said Sean Long, a Zion pastor based in the United States who has been in touch with family members of those detained in China. “We pray for the best, but we have to prepare for the worst.”
