China Human Rights Briefings | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

[CHRB] Eleven Activists Remain Forcibly Disappeared in Shenzhen, at Risk of Torture in Police Custody (1/5-1/12/2017)

January 12, 2017 Comments Off

Eleven activists in the city of Shenzhen remain forcibly disappeared since police seized them between November 15 and December 8. Three of them are confirmed to be under “residential surveillance” and suspected of “subversion of state power.”

[CHRB] Wukan Protesters Imprisoned; Church Pastor Tried on “State Secrets” Charge (12/24/2016-1/4/2017)

January 5, 2017 Comments Off

On December 26, nine residents of Wukan Village in Guangdong were given prison sentences for protesting the persecution of a local leader, and a court in Guizhou secretly tried church pastor Yang Hua on a “state secrets” charge. Also, Hangzhou democracy activist Lü Gengsong is suffering from poor health in (read more…)

[CHRB] Candidates Obstructed in Violation of Chinese Election Law (10/21-11/3, 2016)

November 4, 2016 Comments Off

In several cites in China, authorities have intimidated, harassed, and detained citizens who have declared their “independent candidacy” in this year’s elections of delegates to local people’s congresses.

[CHRB] Anti-Corruption Activist Imprisoned, Police Put Down Mass Environmental Protests in Xi’an (10/14-20, 2016)

October 20, 2016 Comments Off

Activist Cheng Kangming was handed a 4½-year prison sentence on October 18, likely in retaliation for exposing official corruption in Zhejiang. Over one thousand armed police in Xi’an crushed a massive protest against a planned waste incinerator plant on October 16.

[CHRB] Young Activist Imprisoned for 5 Years for Political Crime, Guangdong Activist Detained for “Fraud” (10/7-13, 2016)

October 13, 2016 Comments Off

In cases of Guangdong activists, Huang Wenxun has been given a 5-year sentence for exercising his right to peaceful assembly, while Xiao Yuhui was criminally detained after assisting victims of family-planning policies.

[CHRB] Women’s Rights Activist Sentenced, New Cases of Disappearance & Torture (10/4-6, 2016)

October 7, 2016 Comments Off

A Chinese court has sentenced women’s rights activist Shan Lihua to 27 months in prison, while cases of deprived liberty have been reported or seen developments in Fujian, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang.

[CHRB] Revised Measures on Law Firms Further Curb Independence of Chinese Lawyers (9/21-10/3, 2016)

October 3, 2016 Comments Off

The newly amended “Administrative Measures for Law Firms” will further restrict lawyers from exercising their professional duties in defending clients’ rights involved in high-risk political cases.

[CHRB] Police Stamp Out Protests in Wukan Village; New Developments in “709 Crackdown” Cases (9/13-20, 2016)

September 21, 2016 Comments Off

Guangdong police violently put down months-long protests in Wukan Village, injuring many villagers and detaining at least a dozen. Elsewhere, “709 Crackdown” activist Yin Xu’an was tried behind closed doors by a Hubei court.

[CHRB] Chinese Police Seize Dozens of Activists, Petitioners Prior to G20 Summit in Hangzhou (8/19-9/2, 2016)

September 2, 2016 Comments Off

CHRD has documented dozens of cases of deprived liberty of activists and petitioners as part of the Chinese government’s “stability maintenance” measures before the G20 Summit of world leaders opening this Sunday in Hangzhou.

[CHRB] China’s Persecution of Online Speech Targets Lawyer, Migrant Worker; New UN Ruling on “Arbitrary” Detention Met With Defiance (7/1-13, 2016)

July 14, 2016 Comments Off

In recent cases of deprived free speech, Chinese authorities have criminally detained defense lawyer Ren Quanniu and rights defender Hu Changgen, the latter on a terror-related charge, in retaliation for their online expression. Also, activist Guo Feixiong remains imprisoned despite a UN ruling for him to be freed.

[CHRB] Activists Detained or Facing Trial for Exercising Free Expression (6/22-30, 2016)

June 30, 2016 Comments Off

Since mid-June, Chinese authorities have kept up persecution of activists who have exercised their free expression rights. Three such rights defenders have recently faced trial—and another is set to be tried on June 30—while two citizen journalists were criminally detained for sharing data online about public protests.

[CHRB] 2 Veteran Democracy Activists Get Long Sentences for “Subversion” (6/17-6/21, 2016)

June 21, 2016 Comments Off

A Chinese court handed two long-time democracy activists lengthy prison sentences on June 17 after convicting them of “subversion of state power,” adding to a string of harsh punishments for dissidents under the reign of President Xi Jinping. Lü Gengsong (吕耿松) was given 11 years’ imprisonment while activist Chen Shuqing (read more…)