In the Press - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

China Jails Ethnic Miao Leader’s Relatives, Supporters For ‘Triad’ Activities

February 17, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 13, 2015 Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hunan have handed down jail terms of up to 25 years to the relatives and friends of a former ethnic minority official after he criticized corruption in his local government, an overseas rights group (read more…)

27 Affiliated With Former Official Given Prison Terms in Southern China

February 16, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by New York Times on February 12, 2015 BEIJING — A court in southern China has sentenced to prison 27 family members and supporters of a former official, now dead, who had sought to expose local corruption, a lawyer for one of them said Thursday. The large number (read more…)

At Least 955 Human Rights Activists Detained in 2014

February 10, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by China Digital Times on February 5, 2015 Chinese Human Rights Defenders has published partial data on detentions of rights activists in China over the past three years. The figures indicate that there were at least 955 detentions of five days or longer last year, almost as many as (read more…)

China, Asian Authoritarian States Score Poorly in Rights Report

February 10, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Quartz on February 4, 2015 Last year, China detained at least 940 Chinese citizens working on human and civil rights—a 72% increase from the year before, according to new data from the advocacy group Chinese Human Rights Defenders. The figure demonstrates what critics say is a worsening government crackdown on the country’s civil (read more…)

Top Beijing Rights Lawyer’s License Seized in Detention Center

February 10, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 30, 2015 Authorities in the northern Chinese province of Hebei have confiscated the business license of a prominent human rights lawyer after she tried to visit a client in a police-run detention center. Beijing-based attorney Wang Yu’s license allowing her access to judicial (read more…)

Chinese Activist Held Over Support For Occupy Movement in Hong Kong

February 2, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 29, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have formally arrested an online activist for subversion after he publicly supported Hong Kong’s Occupy Central pro-democracy movement, his wife and lawyer said. Huizhou-based Ye Xiaozheng, known online by his nickname Humian Yizhou (read more…)

Chinese Activist Denied Lawyer, Family Visits, Health Status Unknown

January 23, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 22, 2015 The husband of women’s rights activist Su Changlan, held on subversion charges after she supported Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, says he will sue the authorities over their refusal to allow her a meeting with a defense lawyer, and over a total (read more…)

China’s Legal Profession Had ‘Worst Year Ever’ in 2014

January 23, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 20, 2015 China’s embattled legal profession ended last year with at least seven prominent rights attorneys behind bars, in one of its worst years since its renaissance in the 1980s, an overseas rights group said in a recent article. The Chinese Human Rights (read more…)

German Newspaper Details Detention of Its Researcher in Beijing

January 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by The New York Times on January 14, 2015 A correspondent for the German newspaper Die Zeit who left China after her Chinese researcher was detained in October, and security agents said they thought she herself might be a spy, has now published the harrowing details of the ordeal. (read more…)

Report: Human rights violations on the rise in China

January 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Big News Network on January 13, 2015 WASHINGTON — China’s rulers continue to oppress personal freedoms using harsh tactics that include obstructing activism and shutting down public protest even as they declare their commitment to human rights, an independent watchdog group said. Freedom House, a Washington D.C.-based watchdog (read more…)

Freedom on the decline in China: report

January 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by UCA News on January 13, 2015 Repression in China has worsened since Xi Jinping became president in 2013, according to a report published by Freedom House on Tuesday, a sign that the Communist Party is struggling to maintain legitimacy and control despite China’s rise. In a study examining (read more…)

‘Political Crimes’ Make a Comeback in China

January 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on January 15, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping has revived the prosecution of dissidents for political crimes, according to a human rights group. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) says at least 22 political activists have beencharged with “inciting subversion of state power” and “subversion of (read more…)