Underground church leader released from Chinese prison after U.S. request

An underground church leader has been released from prison in China and has traveled to the United States, less than two months after the case was raised in direct talks between the two governments. The pastor founded an unregistered church that grew to include a network of some 10,000 people across 40 cities.

The group was banned in 2018 after refusing government demands to install security cameras at its Beijing property.

Background on the case Thirty church leaders were detained in overnight raids across China last October. A similar operation in January resulted in nine additional detentions. The Chinese government maintains tight control over religious activity and officially promotes atheism. Unregistered churches are not permitted to operate outside state-approved structures.

Reactions to the release The leader's family issued a statement thanking supporters and U.S. officials for their role in securing the release. The statement also credited direct intervention by Chinese authorities. A U.S.-based rights group confirmed the individual's arrival in Los Angeles.

Its founder noted that eight other members of the same church remain in detention. A group of Western lawmakers said it was overjoyed by the development. The Chinese foreign ministry has not issued an official comment on the case.