US Pastor Freed After 18 Years in Chinese Prison, Reunites with Family
- David Lin, an American pastor imprisoned in China for nearly 20 years, has been released and reunited with his family in Texas
- His release follows a significant diplomatic meeting between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi
- Lin's return comes just days before a congressional hearing on US citizens detained in China
David Lin, an American pastor who had been detained in China for nearly two decades, has been released and reunited with his family in Texas.
Lin, 68, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006 on charges the US government has long denounced as unfounded.
Source: UGC
He was convicted of fraud for assisting an underground church in establishing a meeting centre in Beijing.
Lin's release comes just weeks after a significant diplomatic meeting between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
American Pastor returns home after 18 years
The timing suggests that Sullivan may have played a crucial role in the negotiations leading to Lin's freedom.
"No words can express the joy we have - we have a lot of time to make up for," Lin's daughter, Alice, told Politico. She revealed that the US State Department informed her on Saturday about her father's release and his imminent return to San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.
"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."
Alice Lin confirmed that Sullivan had raised her father's case during his discussions with Wang Yi. While incarcerated, David Lin missed significant family milestones, including his daughter's wedding and the birth of his grandson.
China's stance on dual nationality complicates matters for detainees like Lin, as Beijing does not recognise dual citizenship, treating individuals with both American and Chinese passports as Chinese citizens.
After 36 years in prison, man gets iPhone 15
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a man was released from prison after 36 years. He had been locked away since he was 17 years old.
Now, he’s out and has an iPhone 15, a type of technology that didn’t exist when he was sentenced.
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Source: Legit.ng
