In the Press - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

Human rights lawyer among four detained over Tiananmen commemoration event

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by SCMP on May 6, 2014 At least four prominent participants at a low-key event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen pro-democracy movement have been placed under criminal detention, their lawyers and families said yesterday. One thing that is certain is that it was (read more…)

Chinese Teen’s Death on ‘Forced’ Factory Work Experience Sparks Outrage

October 15, 2013 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 9, 2013 The relatives of a high-school student from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong who died last month after being forced to work 12-hour shifts at an electronic appliance factory on a work experience program has hit out at local authorities for “passing (read more…)

U.S. calls on China to free Tiananmen anniversary activists

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by Reuters on May 7, 2014 (Reuters) – The United States urged China to release rights activist Pu Zhiqiang and other rights campaigners detained this week after attending a meeting that called for a probe into the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. “The United States is (read more…)

Chinese Activist Paralyzed by Torture Is Released

October 15, 2013 Comments Off

Originally published by Epoch Times on October 6, 2013 Ni Yulan, a well-known property rights activist who was tortured and beaten so badly by police that she now gets around in a wheelchair, has been released after two years in prison. After being greeted by family, friends, and journalists from abroad on (read more…)

China detains five activists before 25th anniversary of Tiananmen crackdown

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by Reuters on May 6, 2014 BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Tuesday detained five rights activists, three lawyers and a rights group said, after they attended a weekend meeting that called for a probe into the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Among those held (read more…)

Chinese Human Rights Defenders: “None of us is safe, and any one of us could be next”

October 15, 2013 Comments Off

Originally published by Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders (blog) on October 4, 2013 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are continuing to hold human rights lawyer Yang Maodong, better known as Guo Feixiong, without criminal activists said on 3 October. He was criminally detained on 8 August on charges of “incitement to disturb public (read more…)

Dubious shrinks, political prisoners inside China’s mental health care system

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by CNN on May 6, 2014 Editor’s note: Johan Nylander is a freelance journalist who has lived in Hong Kong since 2011. He reports mainly on the politics, business, and culture of China. (CNN) — Wu Yuanhong, a man suffering from schizophrenia in China’s southeastern Jiangxi Province, was forced by (read more…)

Calls Grow For Chinese Lawyer’s Release As Crackdown Continues

October 15, 2013 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 3, 2013 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are continuing to hold a top human rights lawyer with no announcement of criminal charges against him, in spite of a vocal campaign for his release, activists said Thursday. Yang Maodong, better known as (read more…)

China Detains Rights Lawyer

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by Wall Street Journal on May 6, 2014 By Josh CHINE BEIJING—Chinese authorities have detained a prominent rights lawyer on charges of creating a disturbance, according to lawyers and his family, in a sign of increased government scrutiny of activists ahead of the 25th anniversary of the crackdown (read more…)

Ales Byalyatski wins Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize

October 15, 2013 Comments Off

Originally published by Charter97 on September 30, 2013 Imprisoned human rights defender Ales Byalyatski has been awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. “In his daily struggle against violations of human rights, injustice, arbitrariness and authoritarianism, Ales Bialiatski [Byalyatski] has worked ceaselessly so that the citizens of Belarus may one day aspire (read more…)

How China is using criminal detention in place of re-education through labour

May 13, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by SCMP on April 21, 2014 Keen to learn about the United Nations’ review of human rights in China, Cao Shunli planned to travel to Geneva last September. She never made her flight. Beijing police barred her from boarding her plane on September 14. Then the human rights (read more…)

China is refusing to give a dozen political prisoners life-saving medical treatment

June 29, 2014 Comments Off

Originally published by Quartz on June 26, 2014 Chinese activist Liu Ping, connected with the loosely organized New Citizens Movement, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison last week. Human rights groups and Liu’s lawyer argue she should be given medical parole: They claim that over the course of the past year she has (read more…)