Beijing justice bureau revokes Zion Church defence lawyer Zhang Kai's licence; six other lawyers reportedly suspended while detained church workers remain unindicted
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In October 2025 Chinese police detained 18 pastors and church workers of Zion Church in Beihai, Guangxi, on suspicion of illegally using information networks. According to China Change, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice notified defence lawyer Zhang Kai in December 2025 that it intended to revoke his licence for 'disrupting order in the court' while representing another case, and after a January 2026 hearing permanently revoked it. China Change also reports, citing statements from families that it could not independently verify, that six other lawyers on the case were given six-month licence suspensions. As of its March 2026 report, none of the detainees had been indicted and the police investigation phase had been extended more than once. Human Rights in China has documented further harassment of lawyers who took the case.
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- Human Rights in China
Zhang Kai's law license was revoked by judicial administrative authorities
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- China Change
six other lawyers faced six-month suspensions
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