Beijing [China], October 13 (ANI): China's communist authorities have launched a sweeping campaign against one of the country's largest unregistered Christian congregations, Zion Church, detaining or disappearing more than 30 pastors and members across multiple provinces. The operation has sparked outrage among international human rights advocates and top US officials, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, a statement released by Zion Church and shared by the Texas-based human rights group ChinaAid, Chinese authorities carried out simultaneous raids across five provinces, as well as Beijing and Shanghai. The church stated that its worship halls were sealed, property seized, and families of members harassed.

'Our detained pastors and believers are innocent Christians whose only act is worshipping God, preaching the Gospel, and serving their communities,' the church said in its statement. The group condemned these arrests as blatant violations of both China's constitution and international human rights law.

Among those detained was Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, Zion's head pastor, who was taken from his home in Beihai, Guangxi Province, on October 10. His daughter, Grace Jin, from the United States, stated that her father's detention likely stemmed from the church's rapid growth after COVID-19 restrictions pushed many believers online. 'Zion expanded quickly after the pandemic, and that made the authorities nervous,' she said. 'He always knew this could happen but believed his duty was to stay with his congregation.'

Since the 2018 government crackdown that forced the closure of Zion Church's main sanctuary, its membership has grown from roughly 1,500 to more than 5,000 people across 40 cities, meeting in small venues such as homes and restaurants, as cited by The Epoch Times.

US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have condemned the CCP's repression of independent churches. Rubio called the arrests 'further evidence of Beijing's hostility toward Christians who reject Party control.'

Pence demanded the immediate release of Pastor Jin, while Pompeo called China 'the greatest threat to religious freedom worldwide.' The case highlights the CCP's continued campaign to suppress religious expression beyond state oversight, a war on faith that shows no sign of relenting, as reported by The Epoch Times. (ANI)