IndiaIsrael
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2011
- Messages
- 109
- Reaction score
- 0
The campaign group
Amnesty International
has accused China of
suppressing lawyers who
become involved in
politically-sensitive cases. It says many have been
threatened with suspension or
criminal charges. If these measures fail, the
lawyers can face detention -
or even just disappear, it says. Amnesty says the treatment
of lawyers has worsened in
recent months, after calls in
China for Middle East-style
protests. The BBC's Martin Patience in
Beijing says Chinese
authorities have yet to
respond to the allegations in
the report, entitled " Against the Law - Crackdown on
China's Human Rights
Lawyers Deepens ". It highlights the case of one
prominent human rights
lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, who
has been missing for more
than a year. Legal fears "Human rights lawyers are
subject to escalating silencing
tactics - from suspension or
revoking of licences to
harassment, enforced
disappearance or even torture," said Catherine Baber,
Amnesty International's Asia
Pacific Deputy Director. She said the government's
fears of a "Jasmine
Revolution" inspired by the
Arab Spring have led to the
detention of scores of
government critics and activists since February. Amnesty alleges that the
Chinese government is
rounding up lawyers
associated with issues such as
freedom of religion, freedom
of expression and land rights. "The Chinese state is
attempting to wield and
manipulate the law to crush
those it perceives as a threat,"
Ms Baber said. "Human rights lawyers are
being targeted as they try to
use the law to protect citizens
against the excesses of the
state." Amnesty has called for the
release of all those detained
for exercising or protecting
fundamental rights. China has said in the past that
it is committed to the rule of
law. In recent days it has released
two high-profile figures from
detention. Hu Jia was freed from jail on
Sunday but is being held
under conditions akin to
house arrest, his wife has
reported. Artist Ai Wei Wei has been
freed from detention but
faces a gagging order and
huge fines for tax evasion.
Amnesty International
has accused China of
suppressing lawyers who
become involved in
politically-sensitive cases. It says many have been
threatened with suspension or
criminal charges. If these measures fail, the
lawyers can face detention -
or even just disappear, it says. Amnesty says the treatment
of lawyers has worsened in
recent months, after calls in
China for Middle East-style
protests. The BBC's Martin Patience in
Beijing says Chinese
authorities have yet to
respond to the allegations in
the report, entitled " Against the Law - Crackdown on
China's Human Rights
Lawyers Deepens ". It highlights the case of one
prominent human rights
lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, who
has been missing for more
than a year. Legal fears "Human rights lawyers are
subject to escalating silencing
tactics - from suspension or
revoking of licences to
harassment, enforced
disappearance or even torture," said Catherine Baber,
Amnesty International's Asia
Pacific Deputy Director. She said the government's
fears of a "Jasmine
Revolution" inspired by the
Arab Spring have led to the
detention of scores of
government critics and activists since February. Amnesty alleges that the
Chinese government is
rounding up lawyers
associated with issues such as
freedom of religion, freedom
of expression and land rights. "The Chinese state is
attempting to wield and
manipulate the law to crush
those it perceives as a threat,"
Ms Baber said. "Human rights lawyers are
being targeted as they try to
use the law to protect citizens
against the excesses of the
state." Amnesty has called for the
release of all those detained
for exercising or protecting
fundamental rights. China has said in the past that
it is committed to the rule of
law. In recent days it has released
two high-profile figures from
detention. Hu Jia was freed from jail on
Sunday but is being held
under conditions akin to
house arrest, his wife has
reported. Artist Ai Wei Wei has been
freed from detention but
faces a gagging order and
huge fines for tax evasion.
