China Frees US Pastor Detained for 18 Years

David Lin’s release also comes ahead of a congressional hearing scheduled later this week, which will address the issue of U.S. citizens imprisoned in China.

US – An American pastor, David Lin, who had been detained in China since 2006, has been released, the U.S. State Department announced on Sunday.

Lin, who had been imprisoned for nearly 20 years on charges the U.S. has long deemed spurious, has now returned to the United States and reunited with his family.

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

Lin, 68, was serving a life sentence for contract fraud, according to U.S. media reports. However, Washington has consistently maintained that he was wrongfully detained. Lin’s daughter, Alice Lin, told Politico that her father would be arriving in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.

Lin’s release follows advocacy efforts by several U.S. officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who pushed for Lin’s freedom during his visit to China last October. The visit included talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

David Lin’s release also comes ahead of a congressional hearing scheduled later this week, which will address the issue of U.S. citizens imprisoned in China. Among those still detained is Kai Li, a U.S. businessman who was accused of spying in 2016.