This statement, in the form of a letter to the Beijing Public Security Bureau, is signed by 10 defense counsels representing Zhao Changqing, Ding Jiaxi, Yuan Dong, Ma Xinli, and Zhang Baocheng, who are criminally detained on “illegal assembly.” Another two activists, Sun Hanhui and Hou Xin, were also recently detained for the same reason (see HRIC’s Press Release: Criminally Detained: Zhao Changqing and Six Other Advocates of Public Disclosure of Officials’ Assets). In the statement, the lawyers include articles of relevant laws to prove their clients’ innocence, and point out that advocating for public disclosure of official assets is well within the scope of freedom of expression protected by the Chinese Constitution. They conclude by saying that Ding, Zhao, and the five other individuals are all not guilty; therefore, the authorities should revoke the cases in accordance with the law and release the detainees.