U.S. condemns detention of Chinese Zion Church leaders, urges immediate release

The U.S. State Department condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s recent detention of dozens of leaders of the unregistered house Zion Church in China, including prominent pastor Mingri 'Ezra' Jin," according to an official statement released on Sunday.

"This crackdown further demonstrates how the CCP exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches," the department said.

"We call on the CCP to immediately release the detained church leaders and to allow all people of faith, including members of house churches, to engage in religious activities without fear of retribution," the statement also read.