Joint letter on actions taken against several Chinese human rights lawyers

China

In a joint letter the Law Society of England and Wales and Lawyers for Lawyers expressed concerns about the recent actions that were taken against several Chinese human rights lawyers in December 2019 and January 2020 that could be construed as harassment. 

Various Chinese lawyers were targeted between December 2019 and the beginning of January 2020, including: Ding Jaixi, Chang Weiping, Huang Zhiqiang, Lu Tingge, Liu Shuqing, and Zhuang Daohe. It has been alleged that this harassment is connected to a small private gathering in Fujian on 13 December 2019 attended by lawyers and human rights defenders.

Lawyers for Lawyers has been continously monitoring the situation of human rights lawyers in China. In December 2019, Lawyers for Lawyers together with several other organisations expressed concern about the deteriorating situation of human rights lawyers in China and called on the Chinese authorities to respect their human rights obligations under international law

In the joint letter the Law Society of England and Wales and Lawyers for Lawyers highlighted the actions that were taken against several Chinese lawyers in December 2019 and January 2020 and called upon the Chinese authorities to:

• immediately release Ding Jiaxi and Chang Weiping, drop all charges against them and put an end to all acts of harassment – including judicial harassment – against them;
• put an end to all acts of harassment – including judicial harassment – against Huang Zhiqiang, Lu Tingge, Liu Shuqing, Zhuang Daohe;
• guarantee in all circumstances that all lawyers, including human rights lawyers, in China are able to carry out their legitimate professional duties without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.

The full letter can be read here.