(Beijing – June 24, 2026) After eight months in detention, An Mei, a lay leader of the Beijing-based house church network Beijing Zion Church, was released on bail pending trial on June 18, according to church sources and reporting from ChinaAid. Her release came alongside nine other church workers freed the same day, even as senior leaders remain under prosecution.
Her case is part of what observers describe as one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on an unregistered Christian congregation in recent years, targeting the network founded in 2007 and operating across multiple cities after its closure in Beijing.
Authorities have pursued charges including “fraud” and “illegal business operations” against church leaders, according to sources. They also allege investigators pressured An Mei after she refused to provide false testimony against senior pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, and that some evidence may have been fabricated.
Lawyer alleges interrogation, abuse
On October 9, 2025, authorities carried out coordinated raids on Zion Church gatherings in Beijing and affiliated fellowship groups in other cities. An Mei was later detained at the No. 1 Detention Center in Beihai, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, after her transfer from northern China.
Her defense attorney alleges that Beihai Public Security Bureau personnel repeatedly denied visitation requests, effectively cutting off access to legal counsel for extended periods during her detention.
According to the lawyer, investigators used threats, deception, and coercive interrogation tactics to obtain statements, resulting in serious physical harm. The lawyer further alleges these methods may have been used to conceal unlawful conduct and pressure detainees into compliance.
The attorney also reported that An Mei’s detention account showed no record of purchases, raising concerns she may have been denied basic necessities during confinement. Chinese authorities have not publicly responded to these allegations.
Sources familiar with the case say An Mei suffered significant physical and psychological harm during prolonged detention and repeated interrogations. Upon release, she was described as “like a completely different person,” underscoring concerns raised by church advocates about treatment in custody.
From Beijing to Beihai
An Mei, whose exact age has not been disclosed, was born in Inner Mongolia and converted to Christianity around 2009. After moving to Beijing, she joined a Zion Church fellowship group in 2018.
Beijing Zion Church was founded in 2007 and grew into one of the largest unregistered house churches in the capital. After refusing to join the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement, authorities shut down its formal operations in 2018. Members then continued meeting through smaller house fellowships and online gatherings.
In 2023, An Mei relocated to Beihai, where she served in ministry with the church’s local fellowship until her arrest in 2025.
Broader house church crackdown continues
Church sources say nine Zion Church workers, including An Mei, were granted bail pending trial on June 18 and have been temporarily released. The move marks a partial development in a broader case that continues to target senior leadership.
Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, along with pastors Wang Lin, Gao Yingjia, Yin Huibin, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng, Wang Cong, elder Wang Zhong, and member Wu Qiuyu, have either been transferred or are expected to be transferred to prosecutors for formal review and prosecution.
If convicted, they could face lengthy prison sentences. Observers say the case reflects an intensifying effort by Chinese authorities to bring unregistered religious groups under tighter state control.
Gao Zhensai is a special correspondent for ChinaAid News. Founded in 2002, ChinaAid is an international Christian human rights organization committed to promoting religious freedom and the rule of law in China through advocacy, legal support, and international awareness campaigns.