ICC Note

In China, Christian human rights lawyer, Jiang Tianyong faces a possible life sentence and is being held at the Changsga No. 1 Detention Center, where he has not been allowed to meet with lawyers. Jiang was arrested on May 31st and was first charged for “subversion of state power,” which is reserved for those planning to take over the regime. However, on June 5th, the charge was changed to “subversion of state power.” Jiang has representing people of all faiths, including, Christians, Tibet Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, and various other minority groups.

06/07/2017 China (UCA News) – Authorities in China’s southern Hunan province have arrested a Christian human rights and religious freedom defender on charges of attempting to overthrow the state, his father learned June 5.

The father of imprisoned human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong received a statement from a sub-bureau of the Changsha Municipal Public Security Bureau notifying him that officials arrested his son on May 31 for “subversion of state power,” a charge reserved for those who plan to overturn the regime.

The charge is commonly used to persecute human rights lawyers and carries a maximum life sentence, ChinaAid reported.

Jiang has represented individuals persecuted by the Communist Party for their faith, including Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners as well as other minority groups and petitioners.

He has testified in front of the US Congress twice, spotlighting China’s forced abortion and sterilization practices as well as their continued abuse of rule of law.

Jiang disappeared on Nov. 21, 2016, as he was returning to Beijing from a visit to the family of Xie Yang, a human rights lawyer imprisoned on July 9, 2015.

Shortly after being taken into police custody, a Chinese propaganda source alleged he illegally possessed state secrets and leaked such information to foreign entities.

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