Joint statement on Wang Quanzhang’s personal freedom after his release
17 april 2020

Joint statement on Wang Quanzhang’s personal freedom after his release

Lawyers for Lawyers, together with 36 other signatories including amongst others human rights organisations, bar associations and individual signatories, urged the Chinese authorities to ensure Wang Quanzhang’s personal freedom after his release and his right to reunite with his family in Beijing in a joint statement.

On 5 April 2020 Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang was released after completing his sentence of four and a half years of prison, but he has yet to reclaim his personal freedom. The Chinese authorities used the COVID-19 crisis as a pretext to restrict Wang Quanzhang’s right to reunite with his family in Beijing by sending him to Jinan instead, the location of his household registration, for 14 days of “quarantine”.

During the quarantine, his communication with the outside world has been unreasonably restricted. A community officer confiscated Wang’s phone and his family and acquaintances who were trying to reach him were brought to the police station, threatened and interrogated. The authorities’ actions to hinder Wang Quanzhang from interacting with the outside world appear suspiciously to be attempts to hide evidence of inhuman treatment towards him.

Evidently, Wang Quanzhang is still living under the constant surveillance of the authorities despite his release, and it is feared that he will continue to be placed under house arrest. Wang Quanzhang and his family’s experience of harassments and suppression upon his release at this time is a mere demonstration of how the Chinese authorities are using the pandemic to extend Wang’s imprisonment.

In a joint statement, the signatories call on the Chinese authorities to comply with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to respect the personal freedom of Wang Quangzhang after his release, and his family’s rights to privacy, home, family and movement, and to stop imposing any form of house arrest, surveillance or restriction on his personal freedom. The authorities were also urged to protect Wang Quanzhang and his family from any future harassment, surveillance or persecution.

 

 

 

 

 

Meer nieuws

21 maart 2024

Joint oral statement to Human Rights Council on Belarus

Belarus

On 19 March 2024, Lawyers for Lawyers, the Law Society of England and Wales, and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute delivered an oral statement during the interactive dialogue on the interim oral update of the High Commissioner on the situation of

Lees verder
5 maart 2024

Risks of impunity: hearing in Tahir Elçi case on 6 March

Türkiye

Lawyers for Lawyers expresses deep concern regarding the upcoming trial of the late human rights advocate Tahir Elçi, highlighting Turkey’s failure to ensure fair proceedings and the consequent risk of impunity. Mr. Elçi, a prominent Kurdish lawyer, was assassinated in

Lees verder
27 februari 2024

Statement on the arrest and detention of Palestinian human rights lawyer Diala Ayesh

Occupied Palestinian Territory

Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) expresses grave concern regarding the recent arrest and detention of Diala Ayesh following her arbitrary arrest on January 17 2024. Diala Ayesh is a dedicated Palestinian human rights lawyer known for her advocacy on behalf of

Lees verder
26 februari 2024

Joint statement calling for greater protection of human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

In a joint statement, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) have welcomed the decision of the Zimbabwean authorities to drop charges brought against two human rights lawyers, Douglas Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi. This

Lees verder