In the Press - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

China led to ‘enforced disappearance’ of Liu Xiaobo’s widow; lawyer files complaint to UN

August 7, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by AFP on August 3, 2017 Beijing: China’s government is responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s widow, her US-based lawyer has said in a formal complaint filed to the United Nations. Beijing faced a global backlash for its treatment of Liu Xiaobo when he (read more…)

Sorrow, anger over death of jailed Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo

August 7, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by AP on July 14, 2017 World leaders and human rights advocates have expressed sorrow and anger over the death of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in police custody while being treated for advanced liver cancer in prison. They also condemned the Chinese government (read more…)

Chinese Court Sentences Activist Who Documented Protests to 4 Years in Prison

August 7, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by New York Times on August 4, 2017 HONG KONG — A court in southern China sentenced a blogger to four years in prison for his work documenting mass unrest around the country. The blogger, Lu Yuyu, was convicted Thursday of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” by a court in the city (read more…)

Global leaders urge China to release Liu Xiaobo’s wife

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on July 14, 2017 Dissident’s death brings wave of criticism of Beijing — and major democracies BANGKOK — Western leaders, human rights activists and Chinese survivors of the Tiananmen Square crackdown have called on Beijing to free Liu Xia, the wife of the late (read more…)

Calls Grow For Liu Xia, Widow of Late Dissident, to be Allowed to Leave China

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 14, 2017 China on Friday hit out at the international community for its support of late democracy activist and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died on Thursday in the northeastern province of Liaoning, as activists continued their calls for his wife Liu Xia to be allowed to leave China. (read more…)

Ailing Dissident’s Case Fits a Pattern in Chinese Prisons, Critics Say

August 7, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by New York Times on July 10, 2017 BEIJING — One Chinese activist died after the authorities ignored pleas to treat her liver disease while she was in detention. Another was left with years of chronic pain after prison doctors misdiagnosed a problem with his pancreas. Accusations that Liu Xiaobo, the (read more…)

Chinese human rights lawyers remain defiant despite crackdown

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Deutsche Welle on July 10, 2017 Two years after China’s unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers, criticism abounds that authorities appear resolute and relentless in their efforts to suppress civil society. But activists say they won’t give up. Chen Guiqiu hasn’t seen her husband, Xie Yang, for two (read more…)

China’s Crackdown on Lawyers Prompts Calls for Probe into Torture Allegations

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Voice of America on July 7, 2017 This Sunday marks two years since China began a sweeping crackdown on human rights lawyers, sparking an international outcry about the mistreatment of detainees in custody. The release two months ago of human rights lawyer Li Heping is one case (read more…)

China labor activist sentenced to 4 ½ years for subversion

August 7, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by AP on July 7, 2017 BEIJING – Veteran Chinese labor activist Liu Xiaoming has been sentenced to 4 ½ years in prison on the charge of inciting subversion of state power after he published his personal account of the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, rights groups reported (read more…)

China Jails Labor Activist for 4-1/2 Years

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Reuters on July 7, 2017 HONG KONG (Reuters) – A Chinese court on Friday jailed a labor activist for 4-1/2 years following more than two years in detention on a subversion charge over a published account of the Tiananmen crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989. Police in the (read more…)

US State Department downgrades China to lowest rating in human trafficking report

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by Jurist on June 29, 2017 [JURIST] In the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report[report, PDF] released on Tuesday, the US State Department [official website] downgraded China to Tier 3, which is the lowest tier for human trafficking. Tier 3 represents “countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards (read more…)

LU student testifies before congress on father’s plight in China

August 3, 2017 Comments Off

Originally published by The News & Advance on June 29, 2017 On Wednesday, Liberty University student Chongyu Xia took his fight for his father’s freedom to the United States government. The rising junior, fighting for the release of his father, Xia Lin, a human rights lawyer currently imprisoned in China, spoke (read more…)