September 2022 | Latest News of China and HK Human Rights Lawyers

 Human Rights Lawyers in China 

Lawyer Li Guisheng summoned to Police Station

On 6 September, human rights lawyer Li Guisheng was taken away by police in the south-west province of Guizhou after he had a conflict with a volunteer who prohibited him from leaving his home as part of strict COVID regulations. Afterwards, he was sentenced to nine days’ administrative detention but the sentence was suspended.

Li has been taking on a case involving the chairman of a rural credit cooperative who has been charged with bribery. There has been growing concern that the police may retaliate against him. During the case, he revealed that some witnesses were subjected to intimidation, had their personal freedoms restricted and were forced to perjure during the investigation.

Li also represents another human rights lawyer, Qin Yongpei, in his case of “inciting subversion of state power.”

Restriction on freedom of movement against Wang Quanzhang

Lawyer Wang Quanzhang and his wife Li Wenzu were taken away at a subway station in Beijing and escorted home on 15 September. According to Wang, the police said it was because the US Constitution Day was approaching.

Wang was one of the lawyers arrested in “709 Crackdown”. After being detained for over 1,000 days, he was convicted of “subversion of state” and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in January 2019. He was released in April 2020 but still placed under surveillance.

There are concerns that the Chinese government will further limit the freedom of movement of political dissidents, including human rights lawyers, around the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on the 16th October, a historic event to confirm Xi Jinping's lifelong presidency.

Growing Concern for Tang Jitian’s health

There is still no news about the disappeared human rights lawyer Tang Jitian. His supporters group released a statement early this month calling for the attention of the United Nations and the international community. Tang has been held incommunicado since last December when he was about to attend a Human Rights Day event hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to China.

 Human Rights Lawyers in Hong Kong 

Chow Hang-tung pleaded Not Guilty to “Inciting Subversion”

“It is impossible to plead guilty. It is not a sin to pursue democracy. I plead not guilty,” Chow Hang-tung answered to the magistrate during her national security case’s preliminary inquiry on 8 September. She was charged with “inciting subversion” along with another human rights lawyer Albert Ho Chun-yan and former legislator Lee Cheuk-yan for leading the alliance hosting the annual Tiananmen Square vigil in Hong Kong. After two days of hearings, the court decided to transfer the case to the High Court for further trial.