Underground church founder Ezra Jin released from China, arrives in US

Ezra Jin, the founder of the underground Zion Church in China, has been released from detention and reunited with his family in the United States. The Guardian reported that Jin landed in the US on Friday evening, ending his detention that began during a sweeping crackdown on Christians in October.

The GuardianFounder of prominent underground church released from prison in China

According to AP News, his release came less than two months after President Donald Trump raised his case during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Rights advocates and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China confirmed the release, AP added.

The Guardian described Jin as the founder of one of China's most prominent underground churches. The October crackdown saw dozens of church members detained, with Jin among those taken into custody.

Jin's return to the US marks a rare instance of a high-profile Christian leader being freed after detention in China. The timing of his release, following Trump's intervention, underscores the diplomatic dimension of the case, though neither outlet provided details on the exact terms of his departure from China.