Case Details and Biography of Detained Shandong Human Rights Lawyer Yu Kai

On April 8, 2026, this outlet learned the case details and biography of detained Shandong human rights lawyer Yu Kai, which are reported as follows:

Yu Kai: Born in 1970, a native of Weihai, Shandong Province, deputy director of the Criminal Legal Risk Prevention Professional Committee of the Shandong Lawyers Association, former part-time professor, master's supervisor and director of the Criminal Defense Research Center at the School of Law of Qingdao University of Science and Technology, director of Shandong Xiaolin Law Firm, and a human rights lawyer.

From 1994 to 2003, he worked as a police officer in the economic investigation and legal affairs departments of a public security organ; he later resolutely left the police force because he could not stand the various disgraceful practices within the system, and became a practicing lawyer in 2004. Since then, he has long been committed to developing the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of disadvantaged groups. Initially, he served as director of the Criminal Research Center at Beijing Dacheng (Qingdao) Law Firm, while also serving as a member of the Criminal Affairs Committee of the All China Lawyers Association and deputy director of the Criminal Legal Risk Prevention Professional Committee of the Shandong Lawyers Association; beginning in 2013, he was successively hired as a part-time professor, master's supervisor and director of the Research Center for Corporate Crime at the School of Law of Qingdao University of Science and Technology; in 2015, he was also invited to the University of Akron in the United States as a visiting scholar; in June 2019, as a senior legal practitioner, he co-authored and published the legal book Practical Analysis of Corporate Crime; in September 2021, he began operating Shandong Xiaolin Law Firm independently and served as its director, with its services covering criminal defense, representation in cross-over criminal and civil cases, and criminal risk prevention and control, among other areas;

In August 2023, because he and five lawyers/legal workers—Lan Qingzhou, Ma Xiaolin, Yu Zhaoyan and Zhang Wenpeng—jointly submitted relevant legislative recommendations to the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (principally recommending the abolition of the crime of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble"), and affixed the official seal of "Shandong Xiaolin Law Firm," they touched a sensitive nerve at the Qingdao Municipal Justice Bureau. They were consequently soon accused of "illegally hyping cases," and their law firm was ordered to suspend operations for rectification for six months, while he was personally suspended from practice for one year; it was not until January 2025 that his law firm completed the rectification period, and he did not resume practicing until July of that year;

On March 26, 2026, after reporting Qingdao Municipal Justice Bureau Director Deng Huanli by his real name, he publicly held up a placard in front of the gates of the Ministry of Justice in Beijing. The content of the placard directly accused Deng Huanli of multiple serious offenses, including "abuse of power," "dereliction of duty by failing to transfer criminal cases involving favoritism and fraud," and "having a huge amount of property of unknown origin." During the reporting process, he lawfully submitted the Statement of Circumstances Regarding the Illegal Establishment of a List of "Key-Control Lawyers" and put forward reasonable demands, including "lawyers' association autonomy and freedom from mandatory payment of fees" and "abolishing annual inspections of lawyers' licenses." However, instead of receiving a friendly and reasonable reply or response, he was inexplicably taken and detained by police from Beijing's Xicheng District at the local Fuxujing Police Station, and the following day was criminally detained on suspicion of the "crime of disrupting public order." After learning that he had suddenly lost contact, several lawyers in Beijing went to Fuxujing Police Station to inquire about the situation. Unexpectedly, the incident subsequently escalated, and several of the lawyers who went there, including Lu Siwei, Bao Longjun and Wang Yu, were also successively taken away or summoned by police for a time. The incident quickly drew considerable outside attention, with public opinion urging the authorities not to characterize people who report or lodge complaints as "disrupting public order" merely because their submissions touch on systemic issues, particularly topics involving management mechanisms. It called for his prompt release and restoration of his freedom. He is currently being held at the Xicheng District Detention Center in Beijing (Jia No. 3, Dougezhuang Village, Qiliqu Township, Changping District, Beijing; postal code: 102206).