{"id":58509,"date":"2026-04-07T09:53:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T00:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=58509"},"modified":"2026-04-07T12:02:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T03:02:11","slug":"vomk-report-392","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2026\/04\/07\/vomk-report-392\/","title":{"rendered":"CHINA: AUTHORITIES PRESSURING ATTORNEYS OF PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58511″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Eighteen Chinese Christians from Beijing\u2019s Zion Church have been held at the Beihai Detention Center in Guangxi Province since October 2025 while they await trial. Now the attorneys representing them are reportedly facing pressure from authorities as well.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58526″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]That\u2019s the word from Voice of the Martyrs Korea and its US-based partner China Aid, wh<\/span>o have\u00a0<\/span>been advocating for the detained\u00a0<\/span>Zion Church leaders\u00a0<\/span>since<\/span>\u00a0the church\u2019s senior pastor, the Korean-Chinese Ezra Jin, was arrested along with 29 other Zion Church leaders in the largest one-day crackdown in history on a single Chinese house church.\u00a0<\/span>Eighteen\u00a0<\/span>of those leaders, including Pastor Jin, remain in custody<\/span>\u00a0on charges of \u201cillegal use of information networks\u201d and possibly \u201cillegal business operations\u201d and \u201cfraud<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]A<\/span>ccording to the\u00a0<\/span>persecution<\/span>\u00a0watchdog groups, the attorneys are\u00a0<\/span>not only\u00a0<\/span>being\u00a0<\/span>prevented from defending their clients<\/span>. They are\u00a0<\/span>being prevented<\/span>\u00a0from practicing law at all.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>S<\/span>everal\u00a0<\/span>of the\u00a0<\/span>attorneys\u00a0<\/span>defending the Zion Church leaders\u00a0<\/span>have been summoned and warned by local judicial authorities<\/span>, and some have been forced to suspend their law practice,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says V<\/span>o<\/span>ice\u00a0<\/span>of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>S<\/span>ome\u00a0<\/span>of the attorneys\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>even\u00a0<\/span>had their licenses formally revoked<\/span>, which means they\u00a0<\/span>are no longer legally permitted to\u00a0<\/span>serve as attorneys.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58513″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo from the original location of Zion Church” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]F<\/span>amilies\u00a0<\/span>of the eighteen detainees and\u00a0<\/span>fellow\u00a0<\/span>Zion C<\/span>hurch members\u00a0<\/span>issued a statement through the church\u2019s social media channels protesting the authorities\u2019 treatment of the attorneys<\/span>\u00a0and demanding that the authorities\u00a0<\/span>permit<\/span>\u00a0fair legal representation for the Zion Church detainees<\/span>. The statement says in part:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cWe are deeply grieved to see that the legal team providing defense for our loved ones is facing extremely severe repression<\/span><\/span>\u2026<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0We strongly protest such despicable actions. Lawyers providing legal defense\u00a0<\/span>in accordance with<\/span>\u00a0the law is one of the most fundamental guarantees of every citizen\u2019s rights. To strip lawyers of their right to practice is to deprive our loved ones of their last opportunity for a fair trial.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58514″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo of Zion Church worship service.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The statement\u00a0<\/span>includes three demands<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span>1.The\u00a0immediate cessation of all threats, summons, warnings, and repression against the legal\u00a0team;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. The restoration of the practice rights of all lawyers who have been suspended or had their licenses revoked;<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3.The guarantee that lawyers can perform their duties normally and provide legal\u00a0assistance\u00a0to our loved ones without any external interference.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The statement concludes with a call\u00a0<\/span>for \u201call sectors of society, members of the legal community, and all who are concerned about justice\u201d to continue to\u00a0<\/span>monitor<\/span>\u00a0the case and advocate for the attorneys.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that d<\/span>espite the\u00a0<\/span>pressure, the attorneys\u00a0<\/span>representing<\/span>\u00a0the Zion Church detainees are committed to continuing their work. \u201cThere are other attorneys who are also quietly doing work on behalf of the Zion detainees and their attorneys,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0she says.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58516″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley and CEO Pastor Eric Foley hosting the two-hour East Asia segment of the 24-hour Zion Church global prayer relay.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley is a clinically trained counselor who teaches trauma recovery from a Christian perspective to persecuted Christians globally. She says she was asked to provide her materials to individuals connected with the attorneys defending the Zion detainees.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cTrauma is a real issue not only for persecuted Zion Christians and their families but also for the attorneys defending them,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cChristians around the world should be praying not only for the detainees but also<\/span>\u2014and especially now\u2014for\u00a0<\/span>their attorneys.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Beijing Zion Church was once one of the largest house churches in the capital. Since being banned in 2018, it has\u00a0<\/span>remained<\/span>\u00a0under intense surveillance by the authorities.\u00a0<\/span>An estimated 50,000 people\u00a0<\/span>participated<\/span>\u00a0in a 24-hour worldwide prayer relay for Zion Church on November 11, 2025, including more than ten thousand people inside China. Voice of the Martyrs Korea and its\u00a0<\/span>partner\u00a0<\/span>China Aid co-hosted the event on Zoom along with China\u2019s Early Rain Ministry and Mayflower Church, two other ministries who have faced significant persecution from the Chinese government.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The Beihai Municipal Public Security Bureau has not responded to the latest developments in the Zion Church case or to allegations that attorneys have been pressured.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Individuals interested in learning about or supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s work in partnership with persecuted Christians in China can visit www.vomkorea.com\/<\/a><\/span>en\/<\/span>china<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58511″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Eighteen Chinese Christians from Beijing\u2019s Zion Church have been held at the Beihai Detention Center in Guangxi Province since October 2025 while they await trial. …","protected":false},"author":1959,"featured_media":58516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1959"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58509"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58767,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58509\/revisions\/58767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}