Chinese pastor Ezra Jin Mingri has described the conditions he faced during his detention in China, saying fellow prisoners remain in cramped cells and urging continued support for those still behind bars.
Jin, 56, was released earlier this month after spending 266 days in detention. He had been arrested alongside 28 leaders and members of Beijing's Zion Church last October.
In an opinion article published by The Wall Street Journal, Jin said he hoped his release could signal a change for religious freedom in China.
“Such a future might seem impossibly remote, but so did my release,” the pastor said as he shared he thought he was being taken to trial when prison guards escorted him to a van. Instead, he was released and all charges were dropped.
“I couldn’t be more thankful, and pray that others still imprisoned will experience this same freedom soon. Mine is a God of miracles, and he constantly surprises me."
Jin said eight members of his church and several other Christian leaders remain imprisoned.
“[They] are confined in cramped cells and sleep on floor mats in blistering heat. Many leave behind young families. I won’t rest until they see freedom.”
He argued that China's authorities should not regard unregistered Christian congregations as a threat.
“These Christians love their nation. They only want to worship God peacefully according to the Bible and to serve others, especially the poor, the disabled and the elderly.”
Jin also called for greater religious freedom.
“Freedom of religion is a universal right promised in the Chinese Constitution. I hope that all our church members are freed and that China becomes a place where all people can freely worship. A first step would be to legalize house churches alongside state-run churches in the same way China has legalized private industry alongside state-owned enterprises.”
Jin founded Beijing's Zion Church in 2007 after converting to Christianity following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Authorities closed the church's Beijing premises in 2018 after it refused to install government surveillance equipment. The congregation later moved its services online.
Speaking to The New York Times, Jin described what he called a "harsh jail environment" and said he had expected to receive a prison sentence of around 15 years.
He said he shared a room of about 1,000 square feet with dozens of other prisoners. During the day, detainees were required to remain seated on benches and had to request permission to stand, which he said caused many to develop sores. At night, they slept together on a platform bed.
According to The New York Times, officials repeatedly encouraged Jin to plead guilty. He acknowledged organising a church and continuing to meet after authorities shut it down but maintained that doing so was lawful.
“[My release] may be because everybody knows President Xi personally made the decision. Otherwise, this wouldn’t be possible.”
Jin said attention should remain focused on those still detained.
“I hope people don’t think ‘We succeeded’ and forget the others. We must go all out and speak out. That’s what my family did, and look at the result.”