Courageous Voices

Li Wenzu “Disappeared” on 6th Day of “March for Her Husband”

phb — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 19:12:48 +0000

April 9, 2018

Li Wenzu “Disappeared” on 6th Day of “March for Her Husband”

On April 4, 2018, the 999th day of her husband’s disappearance, Li Wenzu , wife of lawyer Wang Quanzhang who was arrested in the 709 Crackdown, started her march, from the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing to the Tianjin No.2 Intermediate People's Court to search for her husband. On April 9, 2018,...

Access to Justice

709 Families and Supporters

Letter Calling for Help from Wife of Lawyer Yu Wensheng (His “Personal Notice” Attached)

phb — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 21:41:41 +0000

October 12, 2017

Letter Calling for Help from Wife of Lawyer Yu Wensheng (His “Personal Notice” Attached)

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

Yu Wensheng, rights defense lawyer from Beijing, had his practicing license first confiscated in July 2017 for representing lawyer Wang Quanzhang, who has been in custody since July 2015 in the 709 Crackdown. Subsequently, his license, invalidated, was returned to him, which did not allow him to...

Yu Wensheng

Tianyong, My Door Is Always Open

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 20:27:26 +0000

August 23, 2017

Tianyong, My Door Is Always Open

Citizens' Square

Courageous Voices

Tianyong, It has been over two years since the beginning of the 709 Crackdown. Sometimes I think you are unlucky, as you were arrested just when everyone thought the crackdown was coming to an end. But you are also lucky, as you were the third to the last person to go to trial, before Wang...

Jiang Tianyong

Is the Supreme People’s Court the Highest Form of “Government Window Dressing”?

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 23:04:18 +0000

June 23, 2017

Is the Supreme People’s Court the Highest Form of “Government Window Dressing”?

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

Today we went to the entrance of the Supreme People’s Court. The bailiff was blocking the way of an elderly woman petitioner. But when he saw us, he let us through, and called on his mobile to inform the authorities inside: “They have arrived and are going in.” Wenzu and I exchanged a knowing smile...

709 Families and Supporters

Calling on NPC Deputies and CPPCC Committee Members to Submit Motions, Proposals, or Recommendations on the Prevention of Torture and Ill-treatment

tw — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:21:04 +0000

March 2, 2017

Calling on NPC Deputies and CPPCC Committee Members to Submit Motions, Proposals, or Recommendations on the Prevention of Torture and Ill-treatment

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

Dear NPC Deputies and CPPCC Committee Members: During the upcoming Two Congresses of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the relevant motions, proposals, and recommendations submitted by NPC Deputies and CPPCC Committee members will surely...

709 Families and Supporters

My "Feud" with Lawyer Jiang Tianyong

tw — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 21:03:11 +0000

November 30, 2016

My "Feud" with Lawyer Jiang Tianyong

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

When Jiang Tianyong first arrived in Beijing to work as a lawyer, he was in the same firm as Li Heping and Li Chunfu. Heping and Jiang Tianyong were from the same town, and had been classmates; Heping always called Jiang, “Old Jiang.” Sometimes when they disagreed they would argue; Heping would get...

709 Families and Supporters

Open Letter to Mr. Xi Jinping from Families of the 709 Crackdown

tw — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 21:13:35 +0000

October 24, 2016

Open Letter to Mr. Xi Jinping from Families of the 709 Crackdown

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

Dear General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the National Security Council Xi Jinping, Greetings! As the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is being convened, we are writing this letter in full respect, in hopes of...

709 Families and Supporters

Application to Observe Trial of Li Heping by Wang Qiaoling

tw — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 21:10:36 +0000

August 4, 2016

Application to Observe Trial of Li Heping by Wang Qiaoling

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

The honorable Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court: Over the past few days, I’ve seen news about the trials of the “709” cases, and was really shocked. In the verdicts released on three consecutive days, I saw a name I had not seen for a long time, that of Li Heping, my husband. I’m filled...

709 Families and Supporters

From a Group of Women, a Letter for One Woman—Happy Birthday Lawyer Wang Yu!

tw — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 21:16:03 +0000

April 29, 2016

From a Group of Women, a Letter for One Woman—Happy Birthday Lawyer Wang Yu!

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

Dear Lawyer Wang Yu: Hello! After July 9, 2015, when we saw that famous video of you on the Internet, our first feeling was: how were you able to point at the bailiff and reprimand him in court? We were really hoping the video would cut to where you were pointing, so that we could see exactly what...

709 Families and Supporters

Statement by Lawyer Tang Jingling on Why He Refuses to Appeal His Conviction

tw — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 22:00:15 +0000

January 29, 2016

Statement by Lawyer Tang Jingling on Why He Refuses to Appeal His Conviction

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

On January 29, 2016, lawyer Tang Jingling , an advocate of non-violent civil disobedience, was convicted of "inciting subversion of state power" and sentenced to five years in prison. Tang was first detained in May 2014 on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” during the pre-June...

709 Families and Supporters

To China's Human Rights Lawyers: The Elite of the Elite, Conscience of Lawyers

tw — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 21:06:53 +0000

December 10, 2015

To China's Human Rights Lawyers: The Elite of the Elite, Conscience of Lawyers

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

If it was said that previously I did my utmost to avoid the circle of human rights lawyers, it would be because of lawyer Li Heping. I really couldn’t stand the police watching the front door of my own home every day; I couldn’t stand my husband being thrown into various police substations when he...

709 Families and Supporters

Wang Yu and Bao Longjun in my eyes

tw — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 21:04:20 +0000

December 6, 2015

Wang Yu and Bao Longjun in my eyes

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

I met the beautiful and poised Wang Yu and the simple and honest Bao Longjun in June 2013. I hired lawyers Wang and Bao after receiving a call from Suzhou Huqiu People’s Court concerning the suit against Suzhou Jianxin Construction Group’s project manager, Ding Jianxin, who had destroyed Ge Jueping...

709 Families and Supporters

Winter has come, is spring far behind?

tw — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 20:59:49 +0000

November 9, 2015

Winter has come, is spring far behind?

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

In the Four Months Since My Uncle Went Missing Winter has arrived, it’s much colder now. November 10: it will have been four months since my uncle was forcibly disappeared. During this time, his lawyer went to Tianjin three times to apply to meet him but the public security departments twice made...

709 Families and Supporters

"To Advance Rule of Law, and Never Again Be Violated by the Powerful—Please Support Human Rights Lawyers!"

tw — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 21:09:31 +0000

October 27, 2015

"To Advance Rule of Law, and Never Again Be Violated by the Powerful—Please Support Human Rights Lawyers!"

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

He Fengzhu from Wuxi, six months pregnant, set off firecrackers at Tiananmen Square. She was later taken away by authorities from the Binhu District branch of the Wuxi Municipal Public Security Bureau, and finally released on bail. In the account below, which consists of information she provided...

709 Families and Supporters

China, what have we done actually?

tw — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 21:01:51 +0000

October 13, 2015

China, what have we done actually?

Citizens' Square

Access to Justice

China, what have we done actually? I don’t know lawyer Wang Yu’s son Bao Zhuoxuan personally, but my son has met him once. They went swimming together. When I heard from a lawyer friend on October 8 that Zhouxuan was taken away by police in Myanmar, I couldn't believe it. I tried to comfort this...

709 Families and Supporters