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Defenders & Civil Society
Supporting Forces for Change
HRIC supports defenders and civil society actors—lawyers, legal advocates, and rights activists, as well as their families—through work in two areas: (1) building international support for them by highlighting their cases and actions and amplifying their voices by statements, special campaigns, feature web sections, and translation; and (2) expanding their capacity for rights defense and promotion by providing knowledge and skills in international human rights advocacy, organizational development, and effective use of communications technology.
Building International Support for Defenders
HRIC Condemns the Criminalization of Free Speech and Urges Chinese Authorities to Release Guo Feixiong Immediately
HRIC Statement, May 11, 2023
On May 11, 2023, well-known Chinese human rights activist Guo Feixiong (also known as Yang Maodong) received an eight-year prison sentence and was deprived of his political rights for three years, on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” Guo would be appealing against his verdict.
ATTACHMENT: 2023.05.11_HRIC STMT_GFX
HRIC CONDEMNS CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S HEAVY SENTENCING OF XU ZHIYONG AND DING JIAXI, KEY FIGURES IN THE CHINESE NEW CITIZENS’ MOVEMENT
HRIC Statement, April 10, 2023
On April 10, 2023, Xu Zhiyong (许志永) and Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜), leaders of the Chinese New Citizens’ Movement, received heavy sentences on charges of “subversion of state power.” Linyi Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Xu to 14 years in prison, plus 4 years of deprivation of political rights, and Ding to 12 years in prison, plus 3 years of deprivation of political rights.
Prosecution of the Hong Kong 47: Rule of Law on Trial
HRIC Statement, April 22, 2022
The cases of the 47 individuals accused of “conspiracy to commit subversion”—known as the Hong Kong 47, or NSL 47, in reference to the National Security Law under which they are charged—have languished in Hong Kong’s court system for more than a year, while most of the detainees have been denied bail. HRIC has created a dedicated webpage—“The Hong Kong 47”—to provide updated information on their cases and their stories and words to highlight their prosecution for efforts to expand meaningful participation in the Hong Kong legislature and urge the international community to monitor their cases. (Photo: Hong Kong residents line up to cast their ballots in the unofficial primary in July 2020. Source: Studio Incendo.)
HRIC Urges Immediate Release of Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi
HRIC Bulletin, June 24, 2022
Xu and Ding were tried essentially for their efforts in engaging other citizens to promote an independent civil society, empowering participation in public affairs, and expressing their views on social justice and political reform. Their secret trials highlight the Chinese authorities’ absolute intolerance for the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights protected by international law and China’s international obligations to its citizens.
For Fairness and Justice, We Will Persevere: On the 33rd Anniversary of the June Fourth Massacre
HRIC Translation, June 1, 2022
The Tiananmen Mothers: “For 33 years, we have been pursuing the three demands of 'truth, compensation, and accountability' in a peaceful and rational manner, calling for a dialogue with the government through the legal process to resolve the issues related to the June Fourth massacre. We appeal to your conscience on behalf of the families of those killed. For fairness and justice, we will persevere.”
Expanding Advocacy Toolbox
FAQ ON FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY (HONG KONG)
What You Need to Know about the Hong Kong ICCPR Review July 2022
What You Need to Know about Article 23