Research status: canonical baseline established; additional primary-source/media recovery continues.
Zhang Kai is a Chinese rights lawyer known for defending Christian churches and other vulnerable clients. After his 2015 detention and 2016 release, he resumed practice; 2026 Human Rights in China reporting states his license was permanently revoked in January 2026 after defense work connected to Beijing Zion Church.
709 / rights-defense reconciliation update — 2026-09-14
Current-status evidence: RIGHTS / RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM LAWYER; law license revoked in 2026 reporting
Zhang Kai is a Chinese rights lawyer known for defending Christian churches and other vulnerable clients. After his 2015 detention and 2016 release, he resumed practice; 2026 Human Rights in China reporting states his license was permanently revoked in January 2026 after defense work connected to Beijing Zion Church.
Source: verified/corroborating record.
Evidence rule: FreeChina.live does not infer present custody, release dates, or the end of post-release restrictions from sentence arithmetic. Where current status remains uncertain, the record remains open for source recovery.
709 Crackdown archive · Rights-Defense Lawyers hub · People Directory
Current-status update — September 14, 2026
Status: Not currently known imprisoned and publicly active in 2026. Human Rights in China, CHRD and New York City Bar sources independently document revocation of Zhang Kai’s law license in January 2026 following representation connected to Beijing Zion Church.
A reported exit restriction and the exact present scope of surveillance or travel restrictions remain under verification. Original Beijing justice-bureau revocation and firm records remain source-recovery targets.
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