In China, they argued before the court, regime critics, civil rights activists, and were themselves in danger. Four years ago in a wave of more than 300 people were arrested, lawyers feast. Ex-lawyer Teng Biao recalls.
(Archive) activists called for 2018, the Hong Kong release from the attorney Wang Quanzhang
Four years ago, on 09.07.2015 began in China the wave of arrests of over 300 lawyers, their assistants, and other activists. The affected lawyers had not broken the law, but uncomfortable clients in court: critics of the regime, human rights activists, supporters of the freedom of religion, simple citizens. Hence the term “human rights lawyers”. The campaign was later called in the circles concerned “709-RAID”.
Deutsche Welle: How has the role of human rights lawyers in China?
Teng Biao: The manageable group of human rights lawyers fought prior to the 709-RAID legally for the rule of law and for the protection of citizens ‘ rights. Through the reporting of the international press, the world learned, how we engaged and how China, the human rights and the rule of law injured.
Ex-Lawyer Teng Biao
After the coming to power of Xi Jinping in 2013/2014 has been to promote the active civil society in the crosshairs: lawyers, journalists, academics, and religious groups. With modern monitoring methods of the police state, the activists could be monitored better, so that many of the activities were prematurely discovered and terminated.
What room had and have human rights lawyers in China?
The judiciary is-and always has been under the control of the Communist party of China, be it police, prosecutors or lawyers. Our commitment was not first of all, because the power saw of the commander-in directly challenged. Now it is different. All have become more cautious. The lawyers reject clients most of the time, if they are involved in critical cases that have to do with civil rights. But a handful of lawyers can not fight for the independence of the judiciary also. Because the entire political System would have to be changed in order to protect the human rights in a systematic way.
(Archive) demonstrations in Hong Kong against the arrest of human rights lawyers
Do you remember the reactions of other lawyers in China to the mass arrest of their colleagues?
At the beginning of the recent wave of arrests of many lawyers solidarity and legal assistance. But the scope and speed of the intimidation actions were faster than expected. The lawyers of the lawyers and civil society activists were charged either by the police or administrative detention. Finally, each locked, the still dared to speak, was almost.
Teng: “the judiciary has always been under the control of the KP”
How are the human rights lawyers now?
After the 709-RAID, we counted around 50 lawyers that lost the authorisation, or which have not passed the annual examination. Many of them had been on these critical cases specialized. After the loss of admission to the bar of your life was threatened existence. Some of us had to find other Jobs to keep afloat. Some of the Ex-lawyers who came after the sentence on, received after the release of no proper medical care, your health condition is bad.
The Interview was conducted by William Yang in Taiwan.
Dr. Teng Biao (46) was an activist, a human right lawyer. He is represented before the court critics of the regime and called for the abolition of the death penalty, before he lost his admission to the bar. Prior to the 709-RAID, he fled with family to the US-American exile. He is currently a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School.