Authorities in China have detained leaders of a prominent house church on charges of “illegally using information networks,” a move observers say is part of a broader effort by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress unregistered Christian communities.
The arrests took place at Zion Church in Beihai, Guangxi Province, where Senior Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri was among the 18 church members taken into custody.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, those arrested may face indefinite pre-trial detention or prison sentences of up to three years.
Zion Church is one of China’s largest unregistered congregations, with an estimated 5,000 worshipers. In 2018, the church’s main facility in Beijing was shut down by local authorities after leaders refused to install state-mandated CCTV surveillance cameras.
Scott Bower, CEO of CSW, condemned the detention of Pastor Jin and the other Zion Church leaders, asserting they were “targeted solely for the peaceful exercise of their religious beliefs.”
“We call on the Chinese Communist Party to release these individuals immediately and without condition, and to cease its harassment of churches and religious groups that choose not to register with the CCP in order to practice their religion or belief without undue interference and surveillance,” he said.
Open Doors, a watchdog organization that tracks global persecution of Christians, reports that China has recently escalated actions against unregistered churches. In September alone, as many as 70 Christians were reportedly detained, with some arrested during worship services.
Charges cited in these cases—including “fraud,” “running an illegal business,” and “organizing unlawful meetings”—have become common. Open Doors notes that in at least one congregation, those overseeing offerings were accused of financial misconduct by CCP even though no church members had filed complaints.
According to a local Open Doors partner, the sweeping crackdown has brought their church to a standstill, with more than 80 house-church groups ceasing to meet and only a few of the original 14 churches still operating.
