American pastor held in China for nearly 20 years released

A California pastor has returned home after spending nearly two decades in prison in China.

The State Department confirmed Monday that 68-year-old David Lin had been released and returned to his family in the United States.

Lin, who traveled frequently to China in the 1990s to spread the Christian gospel, was detained in 2006 while helping an underground church, according to China Aid, an organization that works on behalf of persecuted religious activists in China.

In 2009, Lin was formally arrested on charges of contract fraud, a crime he denied. After a judicial review, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Although he initially sought government permission to practice his craft, it is unlikely he ever received it.

“We welcome the release of David Lin from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and is now able to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” the State Department said in a statement.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and advocacy groups have long said the fraud allegations are politically motivated.

The accusations are often leveled at leaders of China’s house church movement, which operates outside state-sponsored religious organizations.

In China, all churches must be registered with the government and pledge loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

Any unregistered church is considered an underground church and its activities are illegal.

Rights groups say Beijing has stepped up its repression of unregistered churches and entire religious groups in recent years.

“Those participating in and leading house churches often face intimidation, harassment, arrest, and harsh sentences,” the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom noted.

CHM @RepMcCaul: “I am delighted to hear that David Lin has been freed from 17 years of false imprisonment by the Chinese Communist Party. His capture, like that of so many others, represents a growing trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarian leaders around the world. However, Kai Li and Texan Mark Swidan continue to…

— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) September 15, 2024

Although Lin’s original sentence was commuted, he was not expected to be released until 2030.

His health has deteriorated while behind bars, sources report, raising concerns about his safety.

The US non-profit Dui Hua Foundation has long been calling for his early release, citing poor prison conditions and Lin’s deteriorating health.

It is estimated that more than 200 Americans are under forced labor in China.

China’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Lin’s release, which followed a visit to China by U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Last month, Sullivan met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials in talks aimed at easing growing tensions between the two countries.

Lin’s release came after calls from U.S. lawmakers for the freedom of other Americans still detained in China.

Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed Lin’s release and called on the Chinese government to release Mark Swidan and Kai Li, two Americans still being held on disputed charges.

Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt were also jailed on drug possession charges and are believed to have been “wrongfully detained” by Dui Hua.

Lin’s detention, McCaul said, “marks a growing trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarian leaders around the world.”

The article uses information from the Associated Press.