Mr. Cheng called the police, but when they arrived, the attackers said they were public officials from a district general management office that acts as a “guarantee of social order.” Police left the scene without taking a report of the beating.
On the same day that Mr. Cheng was beaten by public officials, China released “The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010).” The document is an attempt to respond to criticism by the world human rights community and to show that China’s communist leaders are now serious about taking action to improve human and civil rights.
What does China’s plan for human rights improvement entail? It says: “In the period 2009 to 2010, China will continue to strengthen work to improve democracy and the rule of law … strengthening the protection of civil rights in the execution of administrative laws and in judicial practices, and raising the level of ensuring people’s civil and political rights … China will improve its preventative and relief measures to protect citizens’ personal rights in every process of law enforcement and judicial work.”
Chinese rulers would have hard time convincing Mr. Cheng that they are sincere with these words. What happened to Mr. Cheng’s civil rights? Mr. Cheng and some of his colleagues at the Yitong law firm in Beijing were dismissed a few months ago for defending human rights and asking for the direct election of the heads of the Beijing Lawyers Association. They are currently appointed by the Communist Party, according to AsianNews.
Beating up attorneys and jailing them is not unusual police conduct in China. The AsianNews report notes that there has been an increase in intimidation and violence against the brave lawyers who defend human rights.
