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A well-known Chinese Christian lawyer has been out of contact for almost two days after being taken away by government workers in an eastern province where local authorities are under a deadline to remove the Christian crosses from church roofs.
Yang Xingquan, a colleague of Zhang Kai, said on Thursday there has been no word on Zhang, who provided legal counsel for churches in Zhejiang in their resistance to the government order.
The government’s actions have been criticised as unconstitutional and infringing upon the right of religious freedom.
Yang said Zhang and his assistant were taken away on Tuesday night from a church in Wenzhou city, which is known as the Jerusalem of the East because of its many churches.
Calls to Wenzhou police were hung up upon the mention of the lawyer.
As of the end of June, more than 1,500 churches had their crosses demolished or removed in the province, according to ChinaAid, a Texas-based Christian advocacy group.
The state-run Global Times newspaper said in July that authorities in Zhejiang had denied demolishing crosses on churches, but had said some crosses had been “relocated” because of safety concerns.
Additional reporting by Reuters 


Authorities holding Chinese lawyer who helped Christians fight cross take-downs, friend says

Lawyer Zhang Kai has long been a staunch advocate for the Christian community on the mainland.  Photo Simon Song

Tears and hymns as crosses toppled in China's Christian heartland

Government workers use a jackhammer to cut down a cross at the Taitou Village Protestant church in Pingyang County. Photo: AP

Lay leader Tu Shouzhe stands on his Protestant church's roof hours after its cross was cut down in Muyang Village in Pingyang County. Photo: AP

Parishioners pray as security guards stand in the courtyard of the Lower Dafei Catholic Church in Lower Dafei Village in Yongjia County. Photo: AP

A parishioner of Lower Dafei Catholic Church holds rosary beads as she prays while waiting for authorities to arrive  to cut down their church's cross. Photo: AP 

China detains seven Christians opposed to removal of cross from church

The cross on top of Lingbo Church, in Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, is just one of many that the local government has asked to be removed. Photo: Simon Song

Christians in Zhejiang cross with authorities over church demolitions

Hekou Church in Aojiang, in the city Wenzhou. Photo: Simon Song

Lingbo Church in Pingyang county, Wenzhou, just one of the churches in Zhejiang the local government has asked to take down its cross. Photo: Simon Song

Trees planted where a church was torn down by authorities in Sanjiang, Wenzhou. Photo: Simon Song

Church-goers in Pingyang. Photo: Simon Song

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