October 2022 | Xi's rule of a decade | Hong Kong Rule of Law Education

 Human Rights Lawyers in China 

A glimpse of how lawyers resist in a difficult time

Xi Jinping confirmed his unprecedented third-term in the China Communist Party (CCP) congress last week, sparking fear that China will further tighten its control on human rights and personal freedom. Our executive director Chakra Ip wrote an article in Asia Democracy Chronicles (English) and in Radio Taiwan International (Chinese) to review how China’s human rights lawyers have resisted suppression relentlessly over the past decade after Xi took power. Their stories remind us they still remain steadfast in defending human rights, even though the situation has got worse in recent years.

China tightened surveillance as CCP Congress held in Beijing

During the CCP Congress held this month, China’s human rights lawyers, among other political dissidents, were placed under stricter surveillance. On 12 October, lawyer Yu Wensheng, who was released early this year after spending four years in jail, was barred from going out by security staff at his apartment. Lawyers Wang Quanzhang and his family were also stalked and warned by police when they went out. On 18 October, another lawyer Wang Yu was barred from leaving Tianjin West railway station after epidemic prevention staff required her to quarantine even though she had tested negative for COVID-19.

Lawyer Chen Jiahong detained since late September

Human rights lawyer Chen Jiahong has been detained by police in the southeastern province of Guangxi since 25 September for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” He was only just released in April after serving his three year prison sentence for “inciting subversion of the state.”

 Human Rights Lawyers in Hong Kong 

HK Government plans to promote “the rule of law education”

On 19 October, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee delivered his maiden policy address. In his policy address (which focused on national security) he proposed to strengthen “the rule of law education” by establishing the “Steering Committee on Rule of Law Education” and launching a new “Rule of Law Education Train-the-Trainers Programme”.

While no details have been given, it is believed that the new committee, which is chaired by the Secretary for Justice, will try to indoctrinate lawyers with the government’s view on rule of law and patriotism. In fact, as early as March, Xi Jinping emphasised that lawyers must uphold the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the rule of law from the perspective of Chinese socialism, urging the government to “guide lawyers to adhere to the correct political direction.”