Mon Oct 13 17:11:18 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Chinese authorities have detained dozens of pastors and church members from Zion Church, an unregistered “house church,” in a major crackdown. The detentions, the largest since 2018, have drawn international condemnation, particularly from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The crackdown follows new regulations restricting online religious activities and President Xi’s call for the “Sinicisation” of religion. Zion Church, which experienced rapid growth during the pandemic through online services, has been a target of government scrutiny for years. Pastor Jin Mingri, the church’s founder, is being held on charges of illegally using information networks.
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**News Article:**

**The Hindu: Religious Crackdown Intensifies in China, Dozens of Pastors Detained**

**Beijing – October 13, 2025** – A significant crackdown on religious freedom is underway in China, with authorities detaining dozens of pastors and church members from Zion Church, one of the country’s largest unregistered “house churches.” The arrests, which began over the weekend, mark the most extensive action against Christians since 2018 and have triggered international condemnation.

The crackdown occurs amidst heightened tensions between China and the U.S., following Beijing’s recent expansion of rare earth export controls. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for the immediate release of the detained pastors.

Pastor Jin Mingri, founder of Zion Church, was apprehended at his home in Beihai on Friday evening, according to his daughter and a church spokesperson. He is currently being held on suspicion of “illegal use of information networks,” a charge that carries a potential seven-year prison sentence. Lawyers are reportedly being barred from meeting the pastors, raising further concerns about their well-being.

“This is part of a new wave of religious persecution this year,” stated Sean Long, a Zion Church spokesperson based in the United States. He added that police have questioned over 150 worshippers and increased harassment at church services in recent months.

The detentions follow the implementation of new regulations from China’s top religion regulator, which ban unauthorized online preaching, religious training, and foreign collusion. President Xi Jinping has also recently emphasized the need to advance the “Sinicisation” of religion, signaling a stricter approach to religious expression.

China officially recognizes several state-sanctioned Christian churches, but tens of millions are estimated to worship in unregistered “house churches” outside the control of the Communist Party. Zion Church, known for its rapid growth during the pandemic through online sermons, has been a target of government scrutiny.

“The key underlying reason is that Zion Church has grown explosively into a well-organised network in recent years, which of course must scare the Communist Party leadership,” said Bob Fu, founder of Christian NGO ChinaAid.

The detentions are likely to further strain relations between China and the international community, raising concerns about religious freedom and human rights within the country.

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