[CHRB] Authorities Delay Renewal of Licenses for Dozens of Rights Lawyers (5/31-6/6, 2013)

China Human Rights Briefing

May 31-June 6, 2013

Contents

Reprisals Against Human Rights Lawyers

• Dozens of Human Rights Lawyers Face Hurdles in Getting Licenses Renewed

Arbitrary Detention

• UN Right Experts Ruled Dissident Guo Quan’s Imprisonment “Arbitrary”

• Detained Jiangxi Activist Formally Arrested, Charged With “Unlawful Assembly” in Ongoing Crackdown

Reprisals Against Activists

• Police Impose More Restrictions Around June Fourth Anniversary

•  In Hunan Province, Zhu Chengzhi (朱承志) was beaten and put under house arrest.

Reprisals Against Human Rights Lawyers

Dozens of Human Rights Lawyers Face Hurdles in Getting Licenses Renewed

In possibly the largest-scale reprisal against Chinese human rights lawyers in years, authorities have not renewed licenses for dozens of lawyers and some law firms, according to information that CHRD has gathered from attorneys. Officials have provided no explanation for the delay, with the deadline for renewals from the annual review by government judiciary bureaus passing at the end of May. Lawyers known to be affected include Chen Jihu (陈继华), Dong Qianyong (董前勇), Guo Haiyu (郭海跃), Lan Zhixue (兰志学), Liang Xiaojun (梁小军), Li Baiguang (李柏光), Li Dunyong (李敦勇), Li Xiongbin (黎雄兵), Lin Qilei (蔺其磊), Liu Peifu (刘培福), Wang Quanzhang (王全章), Wang Yajin (王雅军), Wu Hongwei (邬宏威), Xie Yanyi (谢燕益), and Zhang Quanli (张全利). These lawyers have served as defense counsel for a wide range of human rights cases, including those involving Falun Gong practitioners. Lawyers Lin Qilei and Guo Haiyu are currently representing detainees caught up in the anti-corruption crackdown in Beijing.

In the past few years, Chinese authorities have punished several prominent human rights lawyers, such as Teng Biao (滕彪), Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Tang Jitian (唐吉田), Liu Wei (刘巍), Wen Haibo (温海波), Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康), and Tang Jingling (唐荆陵), whose licenses to practice law were revoked after annual reviews.

Arbitrary Detention

UN Right Experts Ruled Dissident Guo Quan’s Imprisonment “Arbitrary”

A UN human rights body, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), has found that the imprisonment of Jiangsu dissident Guo Quan (郭泉)on a “subversion of state power” charge is “arbitrary.” In an opinion issued by WGAD in November 2012, the group stated that “[t]he deprivation of liberty of Guo Quan has been arbitrary, being in contravention of articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” The WGAD also said the Chinese government should “release Guo Quan and accord him an enforceable right to compensation.” (See the full opinion in English and Chinese.) Detained in 2008 and convicted in 2009, Guo Quan is serving a 10-year prison term in Pukon Prison in Nanjing. CHRD submitted a communiqué on his case to the WGAD alleging arbitrary detention in September 2012.[1]

Detained Jiangxi Activist Formally Arrested, Charged With “Unlawful Assembly” in Ongoing Crackdown

Liu Ping (刘萍), an activist from Jiangxi Province, was formally arrested on June 4 on a charge of “unlawful assembly” in connection with the anti-corruption campaign that police have cracked down on since late March. Seized on April 28 along with several fellow activists from Xinyu City, Li was initially detained for “inciting subversion of state power.” At least two others taken into custody in Xinyu have also been criminally detained for “inciting subversion.” The activists were all seized after calling for officials to publicly disclose their financial wealth and for the government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In addition to Liu in Jiangxi, there have been seven known arrests of activists in Beijing due to the crackdown over the past month—six of them on “unlawful assembly” charges and one for “extortion.”[2]

Reprisals Against Activists

Police Impose More Restrictions Around June Fourth Anniversary

CHRD has gathered more information on police harassment, surveillance, and restrictions on movements of activists around the June Fourth anniversary. It is expected that many who have been put under stricter “soft detention” or forcibly taken away to “travel” will face restrictions until after the anniversary period.

In Beijing, many human rights defenders, including Deng Zhibo (邓志波), Zhao Guangjun (赵广军), and Lü Dongli (吕动力), have been criminally detained. Also in the capital, Zhang Zuhua (张祖桦), Xu Zhiyong (许志永), and Hu Jia (胡佳) have been held under tight residential surveillance.

On June 3, Tianjin activist Zhang Jianzhong (张建中) was seized by police and kept in custody for 17 hours. Jiangsu dissident Gu Yimin (顾义民) was criminally detained on a charge of “inciting subversion of state power” on June 2 after he had refused to withdraw an application to hold a demonstration on June 4. Guangdong activist Chen Qitang (陈启棠) was taken by national security police to “travel” on June 1.

In Hunan Province, Zhu Chengzhi (朱承志) was beaten and put under house arrest. Anhui activist Chai Baowen (柴宝文) was seized by police in Hunan after taking part in an activity memorializing Li Wangyang (李旺阳), a 1989 labor leader who died under suspicious circumstances around June Fourth last year; Chai is being held incommunicado at the time of writing. Many Anhui-based activists, including Ma Nianggang (马粮钢), Wang Yixiang (王翼翔), Li Wenge (李文革), and Zhou Weilin (周维林), have been under police surveillance. In Hubei, Liu Feiyue (刘飞跃), founder of the rights group Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch, was taken away from home for several days.

In Shaanxi, activists Ma Xiaoming (马晓明) and Yang Hai (杨海) as well as human rights lawyer Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康) were all forced to “travel” with police escort. Members of the Zhejiang Democratic Party were summoned and have been strictly monitored by police, including Lou Baosheng (楼宝生), who police took away to “travel.” On May 31, police in Guangxi summoned activists in Nanning City, including Zhang Wei (张维), Huang Yuzhang (黄雨章), and Duan Qixian (端启宪), and warned them not to take part during this time in any events related to June Fourth.[3]

Learn more about the Tiananmen Massacre, including a map of the area and a list of victims and a report on the massacre’s legacy on CHRD website.

[1] Prisoner of Conscience – Guo Quan, CHRD; Submission to UN on Guo Quan – September 26, 2012, CHRD

[2] “Xinyu, Jiangxi Activist Liu Ping Arrested for ‘Unlawful Assembly’” (江西新余维权人士刘萍被以“非法集会罪”逮捕), June 5, 2013, WQW；“Police Send ’Inciting Subversion’ Case of Liu Ping to Procuratorate for Approval, Authorities Reject Lawyer’s Application to Meet Her” (刘萍“煽动颠覆案”警方报请检察院批捕，律师申请会见遭拒), May 30, 2013, WQW;“Beijing Rights Activist Zhao Changqing Arrested for ‘Unlawful Assembly’” (北京维权人士赵常青被以“非法集会罪”逮捕), May 24, 2013, WQW; “Lawyer Applies to Meet With Li Sihua, Criminally Detained for ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (律师申请会见被以 “涉嫌煽动颠覆罪”刑事拘留的李思华), May 16, 2013, WQW; “Human Rights Defense Network Solemnly Protest Citizens Detained by Authorities in Beijing and Jiangxi for ‘Demanding Officials Disclose Assets’” (“维权网”严正抗议北京和江西当局拘捕“要求官员公布财产”的公民), May 8, 2013, WQW; “Jiangxi Human Rights Activist Liu Ping Criminally Detained on Charge of ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (江西维权人士刘萍因“涉嫌煽动颠覆罪”被刑事拘留), May 8, 2013, WQW; “News Flash: Well-known Rights Activist Liu Ping Criminally Detained on Charge of ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (快讯：著名维权人士刘萍因涉嫌煽动颠覆国家政权罪被刑事拘留), May 7, 2013, WQW; “Human Rights Activists in Xinyu, Jiangxi Province Tortured in Custody, Many Still Detained, Including Liu Ping” (江西新余被拘押维权人士遭酷刑，刘萍等多人仍未获释), April 29, 2013, WQW; “Human Rights Activists in Xinyu, Jiangxi Province Tortured in Custody, Many Still Detained, Including Liu Ping” (江西新余被拘押维权人士遭酷刑，刘萍等多人仍未获释), April 29, 2013, WQW; Chinese Authorities Must Release Activists, End Escalating Crackdown on Free Expression, April 19, 2013, CHRD; “Urgent Attention: Beijing Lawyer Ding Jiaxi Taken Away By Police, Hefei Doctor Yin Chunsheng Also Seized” (紧急关注：北京律师丁家喜被警察带走，合肥尹春生博士也被抓), April 18, 2013, WQW; “Special Attention: Beijing Rights Activists Zhao Changqing, Ding Jiaxi Taken Away By Police” (特别关注：北京维权人士赵常青、律师丁家喜同时被警方带走), April 18, 2013, WQW

[3] “Several People Restricted of Freedoms, Have House Searched During June Fourth Period” (广西多人“六四”期间被限制自由并抄家), June 5, 2013, WQW; “During June Fourth Period, Dissidents Controlled All Around Country” (“六四”敏感期间，各地异见人士遭维稳控制), June 5, 2013, WQW; “Tianjin Rights Activist Zhang Jianzhong Kidnapped Before June Fourth” (天津维权人士张建中“六四”被绑架), June 4, 2013, WQW; “June Fourth Around the Corner, Many Petitioners in Chengdu Controlled, Sent to ‘Travel’” (六四来临，成都访民被大规模控制、旅游), June 4, 2013, WQW; “Anhui Police Strengthened Control on Rights Activists During June Fourth” (安徽警方在六四期间加大对维权人士的控制力度), June 4, 2013, WQW; “Hefei Rights Activist Chai Baowen Controlled When Travelling in Hunan” (合肥维权人士柴宝文赴湖南旅游时被控制), June 4, 2013, WQW; “Jiangsu Dissident Gu Yimin Criminally Detained For ‘Inciting Subversion’” (江苏异议人士顾义民被以“涉嫌煽动颠覆罪”刑事拘留), June 3, 2013, WQW; “Guangxi Rights Activists Duan Qiian, Zhang Wei, Others Go on Hunger Strike in Police Station to Memorialize June Fourth” (广西维权人士端启宪、张维等在派出所绝食纪念“六四”), June 3, 2013, WQW; “Foshan, Guangdong Rights Defender Chen Qitang Sent to ‘Travel’ Around June Fourth” (广东佛山维权人士陈启棠因六四来临被旅游), June 3, 2013, WQW; “June Fourth Nears, Chengdu Petitioner Wang Rongwen Taken Away” (六四临近，成都访民王蓉文被带走), June 3, 2013, WQW; “WQW Statement: Stop Lasting Suppression on ‘Tiananmen Massacre Generation’ And Their Relatives as Soon as Possible” (维权网声明：尽早结束对“八九”一代及其亲属的持续打压), June 2, 2013, WQW; “Collection of Nationwide Suppression on Dissidents During June Fourth” (六四期间各地异见人士被严控情况汇编), June 2, 2013, WQW; “Anhui Dissident Wang Yixiang’s Freedom Restricted for June Fourth Nears” (安徽异议人士王翼翔因六四临近被限制人身自由), June 2, 2013, WQW; “June Fourth Nears, Hefei Dissident Ma Lianggang Harassed by Police” (临近六四，合肥异议人士马粮钢受警方骚扰), June 1, 2013, WQW; “June Fourth Nears, Zhejiang Democratic Party Members Strictly Controlled” (六四临近，浙江民主党人受严控), June 1, 2013, WQW; “June Fourth Nears, Guangxi Nanning Rights Activists Duan Qixian, Zhang Wei Summoned” (临近“六四”广西南宁民主维权人士端启宪、张维被传唤), May 31, 2013, WQW; “News Flash: June Fourth Nears, Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch Founder Liu Feiyue Taken Away by Security Police” (快讯：六四临近，民生观察网负责人刘飞跃被国保带走), May 31, 2013, WQW; “Many Rights Activists in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province Forced To ‘Go Travel’ on Eve of June Fourth” (陕西西安多名民主维权人士“六四”前被“旅游”), May 31, 2013, WQW