Released Lawyer Under Surveillance

ChinaAid, South China Morning Post 22 September 2016

Zhang Kai
Photo: Zhang Kai via ChinaAid

Security officials have been noticed near the home of Christian lawyer Zhang Kai, and they appear determined to put him back behind bars. Zhang was released from detention this March after being held eight months for representing Zhejiang churches in opposition to the government's forceful removal of their crosses. More about the cross removal campaign can be found here.

In February, while still in detention, Zhang participated in a televised interview where he seemed to criticize fellow lawyers who had been arrested during China's recent crackdown on human rights activists. Then, on August 30th, a statement retracting that criticism appeared on Zhang's social media feed. It said he had been forced to smear his fellow lawyers, including Zhou Shifeng, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for "subversion." (A report on Zhang's arrest is available at this page.)

"It was a forced act out of fear and I'm retracting all of my comments," the statement said. Zhang's social media account has since been deleted. Now Public Security Bureau officials are monitoring his home.

Pray that Zhang Kai will know God as his "fortress, rock and deliverer" (Psalm 18:2). May he experience the Lord's perfect peace and protection. Please intercede for all who are affected by this crackdown on China's churches, including the lawyers trying to represent them. Ask God to touch the hearts of the governing officials involved so that they may also seek the truth of the Gospel and receive His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.