BBC Chinese recently reported that the United States confirmed that the Chinese police arrested human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, along with two of his assistants, just before he was to meet with David Saperstein, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. The U.S. government asked the Chinese authorities to release Zhang. Ambassador Saperstein described the arrest as “outrageous” since the Chinese government had encouraged his visit to China, suggesting to him that he “hear from people with different opinions.” Zhang Kai served as the lawyer representing Christians in Zhejiang Province, where crosses atop Christian churches were being removed. Zhang Kai also organized a lawyers’ group named “Defend the Cross.” The Police refused to allow the lawyers who support Zhang to meet with and to represent him, citing the sensitivity of the charge of “endangering national security.”
Source: BBC Chinese, September 2, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/09/150902_us_china_church_lawyer