Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether and when they have raised (1) potential breaches of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief, and (2) the detention of Pastor Ezra Jin and seventeen other pastors of Zion Church, directly with the government of China or through the United Nations Human Rights Council; and what response they received.

The UK continues to stand firm on human rights in China. We continue to follow developments closely in relation to the detention of Zion Church members, and we regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. The UK remains committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally. To support our wider efforts, David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.