一月電子報（只有英文版）

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Human Rights Lawyers in China

The 29 Principles published a list concerning human rights lawyers in China subjected to oppression. As of January 2023, there are still more than 15 Chinese human rights lawyers who have lost personal freedoms as they experience enforced disappearance, imprisonment, and (prolonged) detention. Administrative measures are also widely deployed as a form of economic oppression against these human rights defenders. According to our record, there are nearly 50 lawyers who are disbarred after they contribute to the protection of human rights. Read the full list on The 29 Principle’s website: https://29principles.uk/en/contents/CHRL-updated

Chinese human rights lawyer Tang Jitian was released after experiencing incommunicado disappearance for nearly 400 days. The disbarred human rights defender, whose situation was of concern to UN human rights experts, was prevented from leaving the country to visit his daughter who fell ill in Japan. Tang was forcibly disappeared in December 2021 after he attempted to attend an event commemorating the International Human Rights Day organised by the European Union Delegation in Beijing. According to a report from Radio Free Asia, Tang was detained in a windowless room in absence of any criminal prosecution against him. His health condition is further cause for concern after reports indicating that Tang collapsed in June 2022 during detention.

Human Rights Lawyers in Hong Kong

Chow Hang-tung, barrister-at-law and the former vice-chairwoman of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, successfully appealed against her conviction and sentencing regarding inciting others to take part in an unauthorised assembly. In the judgment, the High Court held that the Hong Kong Police failed to fulfil the duty to consider feasible measures to facilitate the assembly. The human rights lawyer still remains in remand for trial as she and other members of the Hong Kong Alliance are to appear in trials for charges relating to the National Security Law.

Along with other civil society organisations, The 29 Principles published a joint statement, calling on the Hong Kong Government to respect international norms on judicial independence and legal representation. The statement was issued pursuant to the interference by the Hong Kong Government to restrain Jimmy Lai Chee-ying from appointing lawyers in the UK to represent him in upcoming criminal trial relating to his sedition and “collusion with foreign powers” charges, despite the ruling from the highest court in Hong Kong which justifies the appointment. See the full statement on The 29 Principle’s website: https://29principles.uk/en/contents/JointStatement-JimmyLai

Organisational Updates

The 29 Principles has submitted bulletins to the UN Committee of Economic, Social & Cultural Rights for the upcoming review session conducted by the Committee on China’s and Hong Kong’s enforcement of the International Covenant of Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, which is scheduled on 15 February 2023. The 29 Principles questions China’s and Hong Kong’s fulfilment of the Covenant as lawyers, especially human rights lawyers, have their right to work restrained in various ways. The submissions are available on The 29 Principle’s website (China and Hong Kong) or on the UN Treaty Body Database (China and Hong Kong).

The 29 Principles is aware of the harm that individuals may experience as they are adversely impacted by political violence. Forms of political violence can include detention, torture, or more intangible forms like stigmatisation and isolation. Trauma induced by political violence may cause insomnia, survival guilt, inability to establish trust and a severe sense of isolation. The 29 Principles offers confidential mental health support services to human rights lawyers and their family members. More details can be found on our website. We can be reached via [email protected].

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