Lawyers' Database
Lu Siwei is a human rights lawyer based in Chengdu, Sichuan province. He has represented dissidents in China on multiple occasions and has been involved in many sensitive religious cases.
Xiamen Gathering; 12 Hong Kongers
2017: Lu Siwei initiated a 'public petition', urging the National People’s Congress of China to establish a special investigative committee to probe into forced medication and other forms of torture during the 709 Crackdown, and to publicise the findings.
2019: After representing Guangxi human rights lawyer Chen Jiahong, Lu Siwei faced disciplinary actions by the Chengdu City Law Society. Chen Jiahong, accused of inciting subversion of state power, allegedly dismissed Lu Siwei from his defence in 2020, under the influence of Chinese authorities. In addition, after the Xiamen assembly incident in December 2019, Lu Siwei was summoned, threatened, and barred from leaving the country.
October - December 2020: Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, another Chinese human rights lawyer, were appointed by the families of the defendants in the "12 Hong Kong residents Case." Despite the Chinese government's strict control over information dissemination, Lu Siwei conducted interviews with Hong Kong media to update the public on the case. Shortly after, both Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu received notifications from the Department of Justice stating that their practice licences were at risk of revocation. For Lu Siwei, the reason given was his repeated publication of "inappropriate comments online, which tarnished the reputation of the legal profession and had a negative societal impact."
January 2021: Lu Siwei's licence was revoked. In a subsequent interview with Radio Free Asia, he expressed no regrets over representing the defendant in the "12 Hong Kong residents Case". Since the revocation, he has been under strict surveillance.
May 2021: Lu Siwei was awarded a scholarship to attend the “Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program” in the US. However, he was barred from leaving China, with border officers citing potential national security risks. This restriction was applied despite no active criminal proceedings against him. He clarified that this scholarship was a regular academic exchange, with many Chinese officials having participated in the past.
May 2021, Lu Siwei attempted to appeal against the revocation of his licence online (due to COVID-related court disruptions), but the application was declined. He later visited a Chengdu court to lodge the appeal in person, but after a prolonged wait, his application remained unprocessed. As he tried to document his efforts using his mobile phone, he was accosted by police officers in the courtroom and asked to delete the footage. When he refused, he was physically restrained by four officers, with one using his leg to press down on Lu Siwei's neck.
July 2023: Lu Siwei attempted to reach the US via Thailand but was detained in Laos.
1 October 2023: Lu Siwei was deported from Laos to China and isdetained in Xindu Detention Center in Chengdu, located in Sichuan province. Lu has psoriasis which needs medication every day, but he has been denied this for the past two months. He is currently waiting to meet his appointed lawyer.
After being prevented from leaving China for his US scholarship in 2022, Lu Siwei tried to travel to the US via Thailand in July 2023. However, he was detained in Laos en route to Thailand.
The 29 Principles, in collaboration with other organisations, staged protest outside the Laos Embassy in London. Chakra Ip, the executive director of The 29 Principles, noted that Lu Siwei hasn't been charged with any crimes nor is he under any active criminal proceedings. With a valid passport and visa, there's no valid reason to detain him or accuse him of any wrongdoings.
According to Chakra Ip, “Several Southeast Asian nations have, under pressure, forcibly repatriated vulnerable individuals to China. These individuals then face the risk of arbitrary detention, unfair trials, and torture. Often, detainees experience prolonged enforced disappearances, with their kin and colleagues only getting wind of their situation months or even years later.”
An official from the Lao embassy in the UK accepted a letter, co-signed by 85 human rights organisations and presented by Chakra Ip. She emphasised the obligation of Laos, as a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, not to repatriate anyone to a country where they risk torture. She also called on third-party governments to exert diplomatic pressure on Laos.
Lu Siwei's wife, Zhang Chunxiao, asserted in a YouTube video that if Lu Siwei were repatriated to China, he would likely face imprisonment and torture. Under Lao extradition law, he should not be sent back to China. She demands a public trial, with lawyers representing him without governmental threats, and allowing the UN, diplomats, and international media to monitor and report.
She stated, "I implore the Lao government to uphold its domestic and international legal obligations and release Lu Siwei. I also urge governments, organisations, and all conscientious individuals globally to continue advocating for Siwei's freedom."
In recognition of his fearless activism, carried out at great personal risk and amid a renewed wave of repression in China, The 29 Principles, jointly with ISHR and Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), nominated human rights lawyer Lu Siwei for the 2024 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, in October.
On 29th October, Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei was released on bail after having been detained in Chengdu's Xindu Detention Centre following his deportation from Laos.
- Representation in the Chengdu Tiananmen Square Memorial Liquor Case
- Defence for Guangxi Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Jiahong
- Representation for renowned Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng
- Representation in the case of the 12 Hong Kong residents