Human rights campaigners have accused Chinese authorities of an “all-out attack” on lawyers who take on sensitive cases, using methods ranging from the non-renewal of their licenses to harassment, detention and house arrest.
The lawyers concerned have handled clients that included dissidents, members of the banned Falun Gong, farmers who have lost their land and Tibetans charged after last spring’s unrest. They have warned that the increasing pressure could leave some of the most vulnerable groups in society without representation.
At least 17 rights lawyers did not receive the new licenses they needed at the end of last month, in effect disbarring them. Three firms were also denied approval, affecting more lawyers.
In a joint statement, several of the advocates warned: “As the Chinese government bears down heavy-handedly to rein in petitioning citizens, free intellectuals, rights defenders and religious figures, it has ... intensified its full-scale repression of rights defense lawyers to an unprecedented degree. The process of building a country ruled by law has suffered a serious setback.”
The measures follow the recent disappearance of Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), a high-profile, self-taught advocate who once said that every human rights lawyer ended up as a human rights case. No one has been able to contact the Nobel Peace Prize nominee since police took him from his home in February. Tang Jitian (唐吉田), a Beijing lawyer, was released on Sunday night after being held at a hotel for three days by public security officials over an alleged theft at an educational institution.
“It was just an excuse. It is a violation of the law ... Even some of the police I spoke to in private said they were not proud of what they were doing and were just following orders,” Tang said.
“Some authorities don’t like those lawyers who speak for the people. They think we are enemies,” Tang said.
Asked about Tang’s case, the local public security department said it was not authorized to talk to the media. The public information office of the Beijing public security bureau said it would only reply to a faxed request.
Several other lawyers were put under house arrest or heavy surveillance last week. They believe the measures were connected to the 20th anniversary of the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, as well as a broader attempt to clamp down on dissidents, religious advocates and human rights lawyers in a sensitive year marking the 60th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party rule.
Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), who has not received a new license and spoke from under house arrest, said: “What police and the authorities are doing is destroying Chinese law. China evolving into a country with the rule of law would totally benefit China itself — it’s part of a world trend. All these things I have done have completely obeyed Chinese law and benefited the people. The illegal treatment I have received is to China’s shame.”
He said that on June 3 he was barred from leaving his home by officers who warned him: “Think about your wife and child.”
The US-based group Human Rights in China accused the authorities of “an all-out attack” on rights lawyers.
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