The wrongful imprisonment of three Chinese human rights lawyers and an activist by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has attracted global attention.
Three Chinese human rights lawyers are drawing international attention over their wrongful incarceration at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has a history of subjecting prisoners to torture and other inhumane treatments.
Yu Wensheng, 56, an award-winning lawyer, and his wife, Xu Yan, an activist, were on their way to meet European Union diplomats in Beijing on April 14, 2023. Before they got to their destination, they were
detained by Chinese public security officers. Six months later, the couple was indicted on two charges: “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” and “inciting subversion of state power”—common catch-all charges that the CCP often uses against dissidents.
Human rights group Amnesty International
reported in December 2023 that Ms. Xu, who had been detained for several months, had lost 30 pounds partially because of malnutrition. She also endured beatings from fellow detainees and prolonged periods of sitting and was deprived of blankets to keep her warm on cold nights. The rights group argued that she was subjected to extensive torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Yu Wensheng
On April 13, which marked the first anniversary of the couple’s detention, U.S. and EU officials and more than 25 civil society groups issued statements calling for their unconditional release.
“One year ago, #YuWensheng and his wife #XuYan were detained for their rights advocacy. Since then, their son reportedly attempted suicide, demonstrating the human cost of standing up to a repressive regime. They should be unconditionally released,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), chair and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said in a joint
statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
According to rights groups, the couple’s teenage son, Yu Zhenyang, attempted suicide in November 2023 because he was distressed about his parents’ plight and being under police surveillance.
The EU’s diplomatic arm, the European External Action Service, asked for the couple’s immediate and unconditional release. It noted that the EU has repeatedly raised their case “up to the highest levels” of Chinese authorities this year.
“The EU also continues to call on China to respect all of Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan’s human rights, ensuring that they are not subjected to torture and ill-treatment while in detention, granting medical assistance when needed, as well as regular access to lawyers of their choice and regular contacts with their families,” the European External Action Service said in a
statement.
Amnesty International, Freedom House, PEN America, Safeguard Defenders, and Uyghur Human Rights Project were among the more than 25 organizations that issued a
joint statement calling on Beijing to release Mr. Yu and Ms. Xu “immediately and unconditionally.”
“Ensure their son’s enjoyment of the right to health is fully protected and that he and other members of their family are not subjected to threats, intimidation, and harassment,” the statement reads.
Mr. Yu won the
2021 Martin Ennals Award, an annual international human rights award; the recipient is selected by a jury of 10 global human rights organizations. In 2022, he received a
human rights award from the Stockholm-based Foundation of Anna Dahlback Memorial Fund.
Mr. Yu is known for defending activists and adherents of
Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practice that has been severely persecuted by the Chinese regime since 1999.
Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi
April 10 marked the first anniversary of the Chinese regime’s imprisonment of Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi. A year ago on that date, Mr. Xu and Mr. Ding were
sentenced to 14 years and 12 years, respectively, at a Chinese court after being convicted of “subversion of state power.”
The two were human rights lawyers and prominent figures in the New Citizens Movement. The group campaigns for greater transparency regarding the wealth of CCP officials, promotes civil rights, and seeks China’s peaceful transition toward constitutionalism.
In an
X post on April 10, Mr. Smith and Mr. Merkley called for the two to be “immediately released.”
In February, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
nominated Mr. Xu, Mr. Ding, Uyghur scholar
Ilham Tohti, and Hong Kong democracy activist
Jimmy Lai for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said in a
statement calling for Mr. Ding’s release that he was “honored to stand in solidarity with Ding Jiaxi’s pursuit of civil liberties and government accountability.”
“On the one-year anniversary of Ding Jiaxi’s wrongful imprisonment, we honor his relentless fight for freedom even in the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal oppression. Supporting courageous individuals such as Ding Jiaxi, who champion human rights and freedoms in the face of political violence from authoritarian regimes, is not just our moral duty—it’s a reflection of our unwavering commitment to these ideals globally,” Mr. Schiff wrote. “I am committed to advocating for his release and reunion with his family.”
