Lawyer Meets with Xu Zhiyong

Xu Zhiyong in detention, July 24, 2013

Sources told Human Rights in China that a lawyer met with detained rights activist and advocate for the New Citizens’ Movement Xu Zhiyong (许志永) in the afternoon of July 24. The lawyer was retained by Xu’s family, following the authorities’ harassment of his original lawyer Liu Weiguo (刘卫国). The new lawyer is not identified at this time.

The one-and-one-half hour meeting took place at the Beijing No. 3 Detention Center, where Xu has been held since July 16 on suspicion of “assembling a crowed to disrupt order in a public place.”

Sources provided the following additional information:

• Xu has been treated well in detention with adequate food and rest. He shares a cell with 11 theft suspects, and there have been no incidents between them.
• Lawyer and client were able to communicate without interference from the authorities.
• Xu Zhiyong said that as an advocate for the New Citizen’s Movement, and with abiding faith in freedom, justice, and love, he is willing to pay any price to promote the realization of citizens’ constitutional rights.
• Xu said that the New Citizens’ Movement is not an organization, but a group, formed by numerous free individuals of their own volition. Though an advocate for the Movement, he has no affiliation with other participants, but he should bear moral responsibility for all the consequences of the New Citizens’ Movement. In addition, if any participant in the Movement accuses him of the crime of organizing and planning intentional disruption of the social order, he would be willing to accept the criminal responsibility without defense.
• He appreciates all the support and concerns from friends in the New Citizens’ Movement and hopes to live up to their trust and expectation.

For more information on Xu Zhiyong, see:

• Joint Appeal for Unconditional Release of Xu Zhiyong and Other Asset Transparency Advocates, July 25, 2013
• Xu Zhiyong’s Lawyer Accuses Police and Detention Center of Rights Violations, July 22, 2013
• Xu Zhiyong’s Lawyer Liu Weiguo in Custody, Rights Group is Shut Down, July 18, 2013
• Xu Zhiyong, Advocate of Disclosure of Official Assets, Criminally Detained, July 16, 2013
• Criminally Detained: Zhao Changqing and Six Other Advocates of Public Disclosure of Officials’ Assets, April 19, 2013
• Activists Call for the Immediate Release of Advocates for Public Disclosure of Officials' Assets, April 18, 2013
• Police End Protest in Support of 10-Year-Old’s Right to Attend School, April 17, 2013
• “Fighting Corruption is Not a Crime: Please Support the Anti-Corruption Warriors”, April 3, 2013
• Gongmeng Officially Shut Down, Founder Formally Arrested, August 18, 2009
• Xu Zhiyong in Custody Seven Days; Still No Official Explanation, August 4, 2009
• “Law Research Center Is Shut Down as Authorities Tighten Control on Civil Society Groups,” July 17, 2009