In January, we asked you to pray and campaign for Zhang Kai, a Chinese human rights lawyer who was being detained in an unknown location. Over 1,300 of you signed letters to your local Chinese embassy asking for his freedom, and we’re pleased to report that he has been released, but at the time of writing the conditions of his release are unknown.

Many of Zhang Kai’s colleagues and fellow human rights defenders remain in detention, some of them with serious convictions that mean they’ll spend years in prison. The impact of the Chinese government’s crackdown on human rights defenders is still being deeply felt, and they urgently need your prayers.

This week please pray:

• Thanking God for Zhang Kai’s release;
• That any conditions on Zhang Kai’s release would be dropped and he wouldn’t face any charges;
• That Zhang Kai would recover physically, emotionally and spiritually from his time in detention;
• For the release of Zhang Kai’s colleagues who remain in prison: particularly Li Heping, Tang Jingling, and Wang Yu, who featured in our #300toomany campaign;
• For courage and protection for human rights lawyers who still operate in China despite government harassment;
• For a change in the government’s attitude to human rights, particularly freedom of religion or belief;
• For safety for China’s religious minorities, especially in light of the crackdown on human rights lawyers.