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Citizens' Square

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Citizens’ Square is a virtual Democracy Wall for individuals from China to share their stories online in personal narratives, open letters, statements, and case descriptions, and through photos, court documents, and videos. While most of the posted items are in Chinese, HRIC provides in English the title and a descriptive summary of each item. On occasion, HRIC also provides English translation of the contents of the item itself.

Launched in spring 2010, Citizens’ Square has served as an uncensored platform for petitioners, rights defenders, lawyers, and other citizens to expose corruption and official malfeasance, publicize cases of abuse ranging from illegal detention to kidnapping and torture, and issue public statements, including calls for official accountability and transparency and appeals for just compensation for forced evictions.

The expansion of this virtual Democracy Wall reflects the powerful desire among Chinese citizens to assert their rights and the growing citizen activism in China. Postings on Citizens’ Square have also helped individuals and groups bring international press attention to their cases.

In Citizens’ Square, journalists, researchers, and the general public can learn more about individual cases.

Items 401 - 450 of 629
“Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Group Strongly Condemns the Persecution of Lawyer Liu Shihui by Guangzhou Police” (Statement)
In this statement , the group condemns the detention of Liu Shihui on January 5 when he was inquiring at the Dadong Jie police substation in the Yuexiu District of Guangzhou about three individuals taken into custody the day before. The group calls Liu’s detention unlawful and demands his immediate...
January 6, 2014
Citizens' Square
Ding Jiaxi and Li Wei’s Indictment
In the indictment, the authorities use publicly calling for “equal education” and “disclosure of officials’ assets” as their main justification for charging Ding Jiaxi and Li Wei with “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place.” Translated by the people. Beijing Municipal Haidian...
December 13, 2013
Citizens' Square
Ding Jiaxi
Xu Zhiyong’s Indictment
In the indictment, the authorities use publicly calling for “equal education” and “disclosure of officials’ assets” as their main justification for charging Xu Zhiyong with “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place.” Translated by the people. Beijing Municipal People’s Procuratorate, No...
December 13, 2013
Citizens' Square
Zhang Baocheng
Defense Statement for Zhang Lin, Charged with Gathering Crowd to Disrupt Order in a Public Place
The defense statement argues that, not only were there procedural violations in the trial—witnesses were not being informed and the trial proceeded without jurors— but the prosecutor’s allegations were inconsistent with the facts, and there was a serious lack of evidence to support the charge of “...
December 18, 2013
Citizens' Square
“I’m Paralyzed from Persecution by Gangsters and Black Officials and Wonder: Where is the Justice?”
Sun Juchang, a Qingdao resident, worked for two years in Algeria as a laborer. The company that hired him had lured workers with promises of high wages but, once on the ground, paid them poorly, made them work 12 hours a day without days off, and did not provide medical care for sick workers. After...
December 17, 2013
Citizens' Square
  • Zhang Lin and Zhang Anni
Open Letter to Obama, Xi Jinping, and Other World Leaders from Daughters of Zhang Lin
In a letter that outlines the human rights abuses Anhui dissident Zhang Lin has suffered, Zhang’s two daughters urge the Chinese authorities to release their father and call on world leaders to pay attention to his and other political prisoners’ cases. Zhang will be tried on December 18 for “...
December 17, 2013
Citizens' Square
Lawyer’s briefing on Liu Jiacai's case
Liu Jiacai, a Hubei activist, was criminally detained on August 12, 2013 by the Yichang Municipal Public Security Bureau on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” The charge was subsequently changed twice, ending with “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” In addition, the district...
November 20, 2013
Citizens' Square
The World is Bright Only Because of the Sun and Moon
On November 13, 2013, the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court upheld the “embezzlement” conviction of Wang Dengchao and sentenced him to 11 years’ imprisonment. Today, a farewell letter written by Wang Dengchao in prison was published on Sina Weibo.
November 15, 2013
Citizens' Square
Explanation for the Dismissal of Six Defense Lawyers in the case of Liu Ping, Wei Zhongping, and Li Sihua
The daughter of Liu Ping, one of the three asset transparency advocates on trial in Jiangxi, said that, during the morning session of the first day of the trial on October 28 at the Yushui District Court in Xinyu, the six defense lawyers demonstrated a strong ability to defend their clients in...
October 30, 2013
Citizens' Square
Defense Lawyers’ Statement Regarding the Trial of Liu Ping, Wei Zhongping, and Li Sihua
In their statement , the six lawyers explained that the termination of their representation of their clients was based on the defendants’ belief that the court’s behavior so far indicates that it would not be possible for the lawyers to conduct a proper defense.
October 28, 2013
Citizens' Square
Lawyers of Asset Transparency Advocates Reveal Details of Pre-Trial Meeting
Observations posted on Lawyer Pang Kun’s blog from the October 14 pre-trial meeting for his client, Li Sihua ( 李思华 ) , and two other asset transparency advocates, Liu Ping ( 刘萍 ) and Wei Zhongping ( 魏忠平 ) , which took place at No.
October 14, 2013
Citizens' Square
Appeal for Restoration of Practicing Privileges to Tang Jitian and Other Lawyers of Conscience
286 lawyers and other citizens have signed this appeal urging the Ministry of Justice and Bureaus of Justice nationwide to restore practicing privileges to 38 lawyers, and guarantee their rights to practice without obstructions.
October 22, 2013
Citizens' Square
Guo Feixiong’s Lawyers File Criminal Complaint against Directors of Public Security Bureau and Detention Center
Sui Muqing and Lin Qilei, the lawyers of detained activist Guo Feixiong (pen name of Yang Maodong), filed a complaint with the Tianhe Procuratorate (天河区检察院) in Guangzhou, against the Directors of the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Tianhe District Detention Center. The complaint...
October 14, 2013
Citizens' Square
Guo Feixiong
Joint Letter to the Mayor of Jixi Demanding Tang Jitian’s Release
Dozens of lawyers and other citizens signed a letter to the mayor of Jixi to urge him to order the release of Tang Jitian, undertake an investigation, and require those responsible to issue a public apology and compensation for Tang’s unlawful detention.
October 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
Tang Jitian’s Oral Account of Being Taken into Custody
[唐吉田口述•董前勇会见后整理]2013年10月16日，唐吉田受杨开成委托，为其妻子于金荣被鸡西市610强制非法拘禁在学习班提供法律帮助。
October 17, 2013
Citizens' Square
Overseas Chinese Requests Help for In-Laws Facing Forced Eviction and Demolition
Chinese Belgian Hu Yang says that Shanghai authorities posted an eviction notice on her in-laws’ home, giving them only five days to vacate the property with no consideration for their safety. Hu protests the conduct of the authorities and calls upon the international community to condemn the...
October 12, 2013
Citizens' Square
Blocked from Leaving the Country: an Activist’s Account and Supporting Documents
The Shanghai activist describes being prevented from boarding her flight to Geneva at the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport on Sep 14. On the same day, rights defender Cao Shunli (曹顺利)—a friend of hers—was also prevented from boarding a flight to Geneva at the Beijing Airport, and was disappeared. Both were...
October 11, 2013
Citizens' Square
Report submitted to the 17th session of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review
[English translation by Human Rights in China] Report submitted to the 17th session of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review Country: The People's Republic of China Submitter: Rights Campaign, a non-governmental organization in China Date of Submission: March 1...
March 1, 2013
Citizens' Square
Cao Shunli
Recruiting Rights Defense Lawyers: An Announcement
The group announces it will provide rights defense support to two lawyers, Sui Muqing and Lin Qilei, by soliciting an additional two rights defense lawyers to help defend Sui and Lin’s legal rights to meet their client, Guo Feixiong.
October 8, 2013
Citizens' Square
Cao Shunli Criminally Detained on September 28
The author cites Liu Xiaofang, a supporter of Cao, who received the information from Wei Shuying, a participant of the sit-in in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June and July 2013 requesting citizen participation in the drafting of the National Human Rights Report. According to Liu, Wei...
September 30, 2013
Citizens' Square
“A Formal Announcement on Cao Shunli’s Disappearance—Let’s Look for Cao Together”
Cao Shunli, a Beijing rights defender who had been actively calling for public participation in China’s international human rights reporting to the UN, has been missing since September 14. Cao’s younger brother has reported her disappearance at the local police sub-bureau. In this statement the...
September 26, 2013
Citizens' Square
Asset Transparency Advocate Calls for Help
The author of this appeal , Yan Bojun, has participated in many citizen actions calling for disclosure of official assets since the second half of 2012. As a result of the authorities’ widening crackdown on advocates of asset transparency and citizen activism, most of his friends have been...
September 16, 2013
Citizens' Square
Three Announce Founding of “Lawyers Group to Protect Human Rights” in China
In response to a widening crackdown on advocates of asset transparency and citizen activism and others for “rumor-mongering,” three rights defense lawyers launch a group to provide legal services to individuals detained or arrested simply for exercising their rights.
September 13, 2013
Citizens' Square
Urgent Statement on the Criminal Detention of Wang Gongquan
Wang Gongquan, a venture capitalist, supporter of the New Citizens’ Movement, and vocal critic of the criminal detention of Xu Zhiyong, was criminally detained on suspicion of “disrupting order in a public place.”
September 13, 2013
Citizens' Square
“Global Times” Editor-in-chief Publicly Spreads Rumor
Peking University professor Xia Yeliang issues an urgent statement to refute an assertion by Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times writing under the penname Shan Renping. In a September 9, 2013 article titled “One needs to pass the internal review before becoming a Peking University...
September 9, 2013
Citizens' Square
“Public Security Bureau in collusion with the courts have bullied and gravely harmed Li Wenhai’s family members!”
A family member writes of a series of injustices that the Li Wenhai family, in Beijing, has suffered: Li Wenhai himself was forcibly incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital for three-and-a-half years. After his release, his wife Li Guian, was beaten and seriously wounded by a thug in the community...
August 29, 2013
Citizens' Square
“Why is the judge afraid of audio recording?”
Gansu dissident Li Dawei (李大伟) was released last year after serving ten years in prison on the charge of subversion of state power. Li has been petitioning the government to overturn his conviction. In this piece , he describes he was recently granted a meeting with a judge in the Gansu Provincial...
August 25, 2013
Citizens' Square
A Lawyer’s Letter to Xu Zhiyong
In a letter that the sender knew will not reach the recipient, defense lawyer Liu Weiguo told his client Xu Zhiyong, founder of the New Citizens’ Movement, that on the day he tried to visit Xu in detention, not only was his request denied but he himself was also taken away. He wrote that the...
August 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
Citizen’s Article Expresses Respect for Xu Zhiyong
This article , written by an “ordinary citizen,” expresses praise and respect for Xu Zhiyong. The author says Xu’s arrest was foolish because it has made many more people know about Xu and the New Citizens’ Movement.
August 14, 2013
Citizens' Square
To Xi Jinping: Open Letter by Guo Feixiong’s Wife
In her letter , Zhang Qing protests the latest detention of Guo Feixiong and details the persecution her husband has suffered since 2003, the year he began rights defense activities. She calls for his immediate and unconditional release without criminal charge. Zhang says Guo’s release will help...
August 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
Guo Feixiong
Criminal Detention Notice of Guo Feixiong
The notice says Guo Feixiong (real name Yang Maodong) was criminally detained on August 8, 2013 on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place,” according to Article 80 of the PRC’s Criminal Procedure Law. He has been detained in the Tianhe District Detention Center in...
August 8, 2013
Citizens' Square
Guo Feixiong
The New Citizens' Movement: Situation and Mission
This article says that one can wait for the collapse of the Communist regime, since its resources are already exhausted, but one should not wait for civil society in China to come—one must begin building it now. Li says that the criminal detention of Xu Zhiyong and some 40 other citizens marks a...
August 9, 2013
Citizens' Square
The New Citizens' Movement: Situation and Mission
This article says that one can wait for the collapse of the Communist regime, since its resources are already exhausted, but one should not wait for civil society in China to come—one must begin building it now. Li says that the criminal detention of Xu Zhiyong and some 40 other citizens marks a...
August 9, 2013
Citizens' Square
Open Letter to Hines in U.S. from a Victimized Resident of the Dongbakuai Development in Shanghai
In this open letter , a representative of the evictees from the Dongbakuai neighborhood in Shanghai makes the following requests to the Hines Interests Limited Partnership, which recently won a bid to develop the controversial site: urge the Shanghai government to provide proper housing to resettle...
August 7, 2013
Citizens' Square
Interview with Four Elderly Women Protesting at the Foreign Affairs Ministry (video)
Sun Lin, activist and freelance journalist, interviews four elderly women, average age 72.5 years old, who have been staging a sit-in in front of the Foreign Affairs Ministry for more than 40 days to call for open government information and citizen participation in drafting China’s human rights...
July 31, 2013
Citizens' Square
“Citizen Watch Project”
Li Huaping provides an update to a recently launched campaign to channel relief, through a watch group, to detained citizens, including money to be used for improving detainees’ food in detention centers and to assist family members to pay for detainees’ legal defense.
July 30, 2013
Citizens' Square
Open Letter to the Department of Education of Guangdong Province Regarding the Rights of People with HIV/AIDs to Teach in China
This open letter , circulated by AIBO AIDS Relief Law Network, thanks the Guangdong government for abolishing provisions in the Standards for Physical Examinations of Applicants for Teacher Credentials in Guangdong Province [广东省教师资格申请人员体格检查标准], which prevented people living with HIV/AIDs from...
July 25, 2013
Citizens' Square
Liu Weiguo’s Applications for Open Government Information (8 in total)
Liu Weiguo, lawyer of detained rights activist Xu Zhiyong, submitted eight applications for open government information, seven to the Daxing branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, and one to the Daxing Finance Bureau of Beijing. The information requested includes: the legal basis...
July 24, 2013
Citizens' Square
“Don’t Continue Producing Cases of Injustice”—an open letter by the wife of detained lawyer Ding Jiaxi to relevant government organs
Luo Shengchun, wife of detained rights defense lawyer Ding Jiaxi ( 丁家喜 ), said in an open letter to the Beijing Public Security Bureau and the Beijing Procuratorate that her husband was criminally detained because he advocated for public disclosure of officials’ assets. Although the authorities...
July 23, 2013
Citizens' Square
Ding Jiaxi
“A Statement Regarding the Xu Zhiyong Incident”
As participants of the New Citizens’ Movement, the co-authors of this statement protest the authorities’ house arrest and detention of Xu Zhiyong ( 许志永) , stating that it undermines the legal system and is a violation of his rights. The authors say they will stand together with Xu and continue...
July 22, 2013
Citizens' Square
Petitioner (Female) Talks About Xu Zhiyong (video)
A video interview of a petitioner in front of the Beijing No. 3 Detention Center, hoping to be able to visit Xu Zhiyong (许志永) , the rights advocate who has been criminally detained since July 16 on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place.” The petitioner said Xu has been...
July 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
Petitioner (Male) Talks About Xu Zhiyong (video)
A video interview of a petitioner in front of the Beijing No. 3 Detention Center, hoping to be able to visit Xu Zhiyong(许志永) , the rights advocate who has been criminally detained since July 16 on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place.” The petitioner talked about the...
July 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
A Personal Account of Being Kidnapped, Detained, and Tortured
After two years, rights defender Liu Dejun ( 刘德军) recently publicized his personal account about his 40-day ordeal in April-August 2011 of being secretly locked up and interrogated, then criminally detained, and finally released on bail after the Jasmine Rallies. He describes being covered with a...
July 19, 2013
Citizens' Square
Liu Dejun
Zhou Xiaowei and Elderly Mother Forcibly Evicted, Nantong Home Demolished
This account describes the forced eviction of Zhou Xiaowei and his elderly mother from their Nantong home in the early morning of July 16, 2013. They now have nowhere to live after their home was forcibly demolished.
July 18, 2013
Citizens' Square
An Administrative Complaint against Illegal Detention
An administrative complaint submitted by anti-nuclear test activist Yuan Bing (袁兵) to Guangzhou's Nansha District Court against officers at the Nansha District Public Security Bureau. Yuan alleges that the police officers wrongly administratively detained him after he staged a peaceful protest...
July 9, 2013
Citizens' Square
Statement by Lawyer of Street Vendors Suing Officials for Abuse of Power
This document was submitted by Sui Muqing to Haizhu District People’s Court of Guangzhou on behalf of his clients, two street vendors, who are suing local government officials and police in Haizhu, Guangzhou Province for abuse of powers, use of violence, and arbitrary detention and interrogation...
May 24, 2013
Citizens' Square
Account of Irregularities in Trial of Three Rights-Defender Farmers
This account explains the proceedings and irregularities of a court hearing of a case involving three farmers being charged with "assembling a crowd to disrupt traffic" and "assembling a crowd to assault State organs."
June 6, 2013
Citizens' Square
Account of Visiting Five Activists in Chibi Detention Center
On the afternoon of June 19, Lawyer Sui and three other lawyers went to the Chibi Detention Center in Xianning City, Hubei Province, to visit five activists detained in May. The activists were first placed under administrative detention, and then criminal detention, after unfolding a banner which...
July 6, 2013
Citizens' Square
Yao Cheng detained following a trip with Zhang Lin and his daughter
Anhui activist Yao Cheng was detained for 10 days following a trip to Putian, Fujian Province, with Zhang Lin and his daughter, Zhan Anni, in June this year. In this statement , Yao said that he has had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the Zhangs since he parted with them on June 15.
June 28, 2013
Citizens' Square

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