Eighteen leaders of a major Chinese underground church were formally arrested on Tuesday, a Christian NGO advocate told Reuters, meaning they will eventually face trial and a potential prison sentence of up to three years.

Nearly 30 pastors and staff belonging to Zion Church, an unofficial "house church" not sanctioned by the government, were detained by police nationwide in mid-October, Reuters earlier reported, in the biggest crackdown on Chinese Christians since 2018. The group, which includes church founder Pastor Jin Mingri, is being held in detention centres in the southern city of Beihai.

Beihai police could not be reached by telephone for comment. China's ministry of public security did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment. Five people were released in October a

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