The United States State Department has confirmed the release of David Lin, a US pastor who had been imprisoned in China since 2006.
Lin, who was serving a life sentence for contract fraud, was deemed by Washington to have been wrongfully detained.
For years, US politicians had advocated for Lin’s release. A State Department spokesperson expressed relief at his return, stating, “We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in China. He has now returned to the US and will reunite with his family after nearly 20 years.”
Lin’s daughter, Alice, confirmed to Politico that her 68-year-old father is expected to arrive in San Antonio, Texas.
She expressed immense joy at his return, saying, “No words can express the joy we have – we have a lot of time to make up for.”
Last November, the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged President Joe Biden to press Chinese President Xi Jinping for the release of Lin and two other detainees, Kai Li and Mark Swidan.
Washington claims the three were wrongfully detained, while China maintains that such cases are handled according to its laws.
Next Wednesday, a congressional commission will hold a hearing focused on the cases of American citizens imprisoned in China, particularly Lin, Li, and Swidan, highlighting concerns over their health issues.
