Pastor Ezra Jin Receives Human Rights Award Following Imprisonment in China

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice has announced that Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri will receive the 2026 Lantos Human Rights Prize. The award coincides with the one-year anniversary of a major crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on the Beijing Zion Church, an unregistered house church network founded by Jin in 2007. Jin was arrested in October 2025 and spent 266 days in detention before his release to the United States this past July.

Following the closure of the church’s physical facility in 2018 due to a refusal to install government-mandated surveillance cameras, the congregation continued to meet in homes and online. In October 2025, authorities detained nearly 30 pastors and members across multiple cities. While most were released, eight leaders from the Zion Church remain in custody. Jin stated that he intends to use the recognition to advocate for the release of his detained colleagues and to highlight the broader challenges regarding religious freedom in China.