US Senator Condemns China Over Religious Persecution, Demands Release of Allegedly Abducted Pastor
- US Senator Ted Cruz has condemned the Chinese Communist Party for the abduction of Pastor Ezra Jin, calling it a violation of religious freedom
- Cruz praised the US Senate’s unanimous resolution and urged global action against China’s crackdown on underground churches
- He also backed President Trump’s decision to label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over Christian persecution
United States Senator Ted Cruz has strongly criticised the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for what he described as a “grave violation of religious freedom and human dignity” following the abduction of Pastor Ezra Jin, a prominent leader in China’s underground Christian movement.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Cruz said he was “glad to see the U.S. Senate unanimously pass resolution condemning the abduction of Pastor Ezra Jin,” describing the incident as part of a “disturbing pattern of systematic persecution of Christians in China.”
Source: Twitter
Crackdown on Zion Church
Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, posted a video of his Senate floor speech alongside the statement. In the video, he accused the Chinese government of launching the “largest coordinated nationwide crackdown on Christians in more than four decades.”
“I rise today to speak about a grave matter and a clear violation of religious freedom, human dignity, and the rule of law,” Cruz declared.
He detailed that on 10 October 2025, the CCP carried out a sweeping operation against Zion Church, one of China’s largest unregistered congregations. According to Cruz, 23 pastors and church members were arrested and wrongfully detained during the raid.
“Pastor Jin and the members of the Zion Church were not engaged in violence. They were worshiping. They were serving God. And for that action, they are being treated as enemies of the communist state,” he said.
Cruz emphasised that the Zion Church, based in Beijing, has long resisted government oversight, making it a target for authorities. He urged the Biden administration and international partners to hold the CCP accountable for its escalating human rights abuses and its targeting of religious groups that operate outside state-sanctioned institutions.
“In China, Christians are fighting daily for their religious freedom against the Chinese Communist Party,” Cruz wrote.
Cruz supports Trump’s Nigeria decision
The senator’s remarks came just a week after he reaffirmed his commitment to advancing legislation aimed at countering religious persecution in Nigeria. This followed President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to claims of genocide against Christians.
In a statement published on his official website, Cruz expressed gratitude to Trump, saying, “I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination.”
He noted that the designation aligned with his long-standing efforts to protect persecuted Christians in Nigeria. “I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today,” he said.
Cruz explained that his proposed legislation includes measures to target those enforcing blasphemy and Sharia laws in Nigeria. “My legislation implements additional steps, including targeting those who implement blasphemy and sharia laws in Nigeria, and I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures,” he stated.
Trump calls for action on Nigeria
President Trump announced the redesignation on his Truth Social platform, citing ongoing violence against Christians. “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” he wrote. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — But that is the least of it.”
Trump added that he had directed Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, along with members of the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the situation and report back.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries,” Trump said. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”
Fresh demands, actions by Trump and ally on Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that Riley Moore, a US Congressman, revealed on 7 November 2025 that he had submitted a resolution to Congress at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Moore posted an image of the resolution on X, formerly known as Twitter, outlining a series of demands aimed at pressuring the Nigerian Government over its treatment of Christian communities.
The resolution demands call for the United States to take firm diplomatic, economic, and security measures to address religiously motivated violence in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
