Sens. Cruz, Merkley, Colleagues Send Letter Calling For Pressure on China to Release Zion Church Members

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) led a bipartisan letter urging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to increase pressure on Chinese authorities to immediately release Pastor “Ezra” Jin Mingri and dozens of other Zion Church leaders who were wrongfully detained for their beliefs.

Excerpts and highlights from the letter:

“Pastor Jin, the 56-year-old founder and senior pastor of Beijing’s Zion Church, was detained on October 10, 2025, along with nearly thirty other church leaders, on allegations of ‘illegal dissemination of information online.

“Public reports indicate that formal indictments may soon follow, making this a critical moment for U.S. engagement on their cases. Strong and visible advocacy from the United States can help sustain international pressure, support efforts to secure their release, and show Chinese authorities that the world is watching. We urge you to seize this moment.

“The October 10 detentions represent the largest coordinated crackdown on an urban house church in four decades and underscore a troubling reality: the Chinese government is targeting people of faith simply for worshiping freely.

“We commend your statement in support of Pastor Jin and the other detained Zion Church leaders on October 12. We urge you to follow up that statement with continued diplomatic engagement, to press your PRC counterparts to release Pastor Jin and the other detained church leaders, and to make clear that the United States will continue to speak out for freedom of belief and worship.”

The letter is co-signed by Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).

Click here to read the full letter.

BACKGROUND

On October 10, 2025, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) conducted the largest coordinated, nationwide crackdown against a Christian urban house church in over four decades. At least 22 pastors and church members from Zion Church, one of China’s largest underground congregations, were arrested, including a prominent pastor and the founder of Zion Church, Pastor “Ezra” Jin Mingri.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution by Sens. Cruz and Chris Coons (D-Del.) condemning the CCP for the abduction of Pastor Ezra Jin and other leaders of the Zion Church and calling for their release.