Amnesty International called on the Chinese government to release human rights lawyers Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, who have been imprisoned for subversion over attending a social gathering on December 26, 2019.
In its statement, Amnesty International described their treatment as emblematic of the Chinese authorities’ brutal repression of civil society, further highlighting that Xu and Ding, along with several other activists, were subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, and unfair trials. The group noted their trials were closed to the public, raising concerns about transparency and justice.
The group underlined further that the crackdown began shortly after the Xiamen gathering, during which authorities forcibly disappeared several attendees. Those detained were held under “residential surveillance at a designated location,” a practice that increases the risk of torture and ill-treatment.
The Chinese authorities arrested Ding and several others on 26 December 2019 when they were discussing future prospects of democratic reforms and human rights advocacy in China. Following their arrests, they were subject to incommunicado detention and deprived of access to legal counsel for over 315 days. Ding’s wife Luo Shengchun also said that Ding was subject to enforced disappearance and torture while he was detained by the authorities. Five years after their arrest, Xu Zhiyong received a 14-year sentence, while Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to 12 years for “subverting state power.” Amnesty International considers both men prisoners of conscience and has urged the international community to pressure China for release.
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Amnesty International urges China to release human rights lawyers detained since 2019
