ICC Note: The trials of prominent human rights defenders in China this week have continued to be an absolute farce. No such thing as a “fair trial” has been granted to these brave men: since they were detained arbitrarily for a year before this week, trial surely hasn’t been “speedy;” since all “evidence” of wrongdoing has been negligible, the sentences being handed out are nothing close to “fair.” But the silliest aspect of the CCP’s corrupt judicial process has been the forced “confessions” by rights lawyers like Wang Yu, who went as far as to deny acceptance of an prestigious religious freedom award because of its Western affiliations. That of course was not the genuine wish of Yu but the coercion of her by the CCP, which continues to exacerbate religious persecution by denying citizens’ basic legal rights. 

8/4/2016 Tianjen, China (Human Rights Watch) – (New York) – The trials of Beijing Fengrui Law Firm director Zhou Shifeng and activists Hu Shigen, Zhai Yanmin, and Gou Hongguo, which are being held this week at Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court, are a miscarriage of justice, Human Rights Watch said today. Chinese authorities should immediately drop all charges against the lawyers, legal assistants, and rights activists detained in connection with the sweep of July 9, 2015. The trials, held between August 2 and 5, have not been open and public as claimed by Chinese authorities.

On August 1, state media and pro-Beijing press in Hong Kong reported that Tianjin authorities had also released on bail Wang Yu, one of the most prominent Fengrui lawyers, and broadcast a confession by her that appeared coerced. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

“These cases lay bare Chinese authorities’ shameless manipulation of the legal system to silence rule of law advocates and critics,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. “Authorities have lied about an open trial, and faked Wang Yu’s release. The only hard truth here is China’s appalling backsliding on rights.”

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