Early Release of Erza Jin
Ezra Jin (Jin Mingri, 金明日), founder and pastor of Beijing’s Zion Church, was unexpectedly released on July 3 after nearly nine months in detention following the October 2025 crackdown on the church. He arrived in Los Angeles on July 4 and reunited with his family after years of separation. His release followed high-level diplomatic engagement between the United States and China, during which his case was raised with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and was described by Chinese officials as a humanitarian gesture.
In November 2025, Dui Hua had included Ezra’s name on a prisoner list submitted to Chinese authorities, urging that his case be reviewed and that he be released. His subsequent release follows months of international advocacy, although several other Zion Church leaders remain in detention.
Partial Bail Releases and Charge Escalation in Zion Church Case
Sun Cong (孙聪), Liu Jiang (刘江), Li Shengjuan (李胜娟), Wei Yunfei (魏云飞), An Mei (安梅), Zhan Ge (战歌), Hu Yanzi (胡燕子), Mei Liming (梅丽明), and Zhu Mingli (朱明丽) were released on bail on June 18, after more than eight months in detention. Proceedings against the remaining eight church leaders continue. Charges against those still in custody have reportedly been escalated from earlier allegations such as “illegal use of information networks” to more serious offences including “illegal business operations” and “fraud,”
Those still detained include Wang Lin (王林), Gao Yingjia (高颖佳), Yin Huibin (尹会彬), Liu Zhenbin (刘桢彬), Lin Shucheng (林书铖), Wang Cong (王聪), Wang Zhong (汪中), and Wu Qiuyu (吴秋雨).
Sisters sentenced to Eight-and-a-Half Years for “Picking Quarrels and Provoking Trouble”
Sisters Jin Hanyan (金汉艳) and Jin Hanxin (金汉欣) were convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and sentenced to eight years and six months and seven years and six months of imprisonment, respectively. The sentences are exceptionally severe for this offence. Although Chinese law permits sentences of more than five years in particularly serious cases involving repeated conduct deemed to have seriously disrupted public order, such lengthy terms remain uncommon, especially in cases involving nonviolent activists and petitioners.
The sisters began petitioning after seeking accountability for the unresolved death of Jin Hanyan’s son and the authorities’ alleged failure to properly investigate the case. Over the years, they repeatedly petitioned higher-level authorities, publicly expressed their grievances, and joined collective petitioning activities. The prosecution alleged that their conduct constituted the offence of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” resulting in the unusually heavy prison sentences.
Among the Youngest Known Political Dissidents in China
Zhang Qiyuan (张琪沅), a 15-year-old from Baoding, Hebei, is among the youngest known political dissident in mainland China. At age 14, he attracted official attention after publicly questioning whether Xi Jinping was a “dictator” during a livestream in July 2025. Before being summoned by police, Zhang recorded a video declaring that he would “never compromise” and that any future televised confession should be regarded as coerced. Shortly afterward, he disappeared. In a newly released appeal video, Zhang says that during his disappearance he was involuntarily confined for several months in the Hebei Provincial Sixth People’s Hospital, a psychiatric institution, before being transferred to a behavioral correctional school, where he says he was subjected to intimidation and unlawful deprivation of liberty. Following the publication of the video in June 2026, Zhang has reportedly disappeared again, raising renewed concerns over his safety and whereabouts.
Sentence Completed, but No Clear Route Back to Taiwan
Li Yanhe (李延贺), a Taiwanese publisher and writer, has completed his prison sentence in mainland China following his conviction for inciting splittism, a charge linked to his work publishing and editing materials that authorities alleged promoted or supported Taiwan independence-related views. The case stems from his professional activities in the publishing sector, through which Chinese authorities alleged that he disseminated politically sensitive content.
Despite completing his custodial sentence, Li remains unable to return to Taiwan, partly because he is still subject to a supplemental one-year deprivation of political rights. He remains in mainland China while arrangements for his departure are unresolved, leaving him unable to exit freely despite having finished his prison term.
Appellate Sentence Update for Zhang Wenpeng
Zhang Wenpeng (张文鹏), a human rights lawyer, was detained on September 24, 2024, after representing the Haiyun Group and speaking out online on behalf of his client. He was subsequently charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Before his detention, Zhang had also become known for publicly criticizing the official lawyers’ association and exposing alleged corruption within the justice system. During his detention, reports alleged that he was subjected to torture.
On May 26, the Hainan appellate court rejected Zhang’s appeal and upheld his four-year-and-six-month prison sentence. He was transferred to Hainan Xincheng Prison on May 29 to serve his sentence, which is scheduled to end on March 22, 2028.
Relocation to Canada Following Escape from China
Dong Guangping (董广平), a Chinese democracy activist and former police officer, has arrived in Toronto, Canada, after completing a perilous escape from China that began with a journey across the Yellow Sea in an inflatable boat to South Korea in May 2026. After being detained by South Korean authorities for illegal entry, he was transferred to a refugee reception center, interviewed by the UN refugee agency, and subsequently allowed to travel to Canada with assistance from the Canadian officials. He landed in Toronto on June 26, reuniting with his wife and daughter, who had previously resettled there after his earlier failed escape attempts.
Dong’s arrival marks the culmination of more than a decade of repeated efforts to escape political persecution in China. Before his successful journey, he had been imprisoned multiple times for pro-democracy activism and had unsuccessfully sought refuge via Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with Thai and Vietnamese authorities returning him to China on previous occasions. Following his arrival in Canada, Dong expressed relief at finally regaining his freedom and said he intends to continue advocating for democracy and human rights in China while rebuilding his life with his family.