Lawyer Li Heping, along with his wife and daughter, was stopped by border inspection personnel at Chengdu Airport while preparing to board a flight to Thailand for vacation, on the grounds of possible national security threats.(Twitter image)
People News– On the afternoon of Saturday, October 26 (local time), Chinese dissidents in Los Angeles held a protest in front of the Chinese consulate, condemning the illegal arrest and detention of human rights lawyers Wang Yu, Jiang Tianyong, and others by the Weixian County police in Handan City, Hebei Province, China. Protesters stated, "Do not let the human rights lawyers who defend citizens' rights freeze in the wind and snow. Supporting and rescuing them is our responsibility." On Sunday, human rights advocates in California will also hold a protest in support of lawyer Xu Zhiyong, who is reportedly subjected to torture while detained by the CCP.
According to Voice of America, Saturday's protest stemmed from the embezzlement case involving Liu Meixiang, a Beijing Ping An Insurance Company employee. Chinese human rights lawyers Wang Yu, Bao Longjun, and Jiang Tianyong acted as Liu Meixiang’s defense and appeal attorneys. Some human rights activists and organizations believe that Liu Meixiang is being framed in a wrongful case. In 2015, Wang Yu, Bao Longjun, and Jiang Tianyong were all arrested and detained during the "709 crackdown" targeting human rights lawyers. Notably, the Weixian County court had previously illegally revoked Bao Longjun’s right to serve as a defense attorney, citing his prior detention as the reason.
On October 23, Liu Meixiang’s case was heard in court in Weixian, Hebei Province. During the hearing, Liu’s husband, Qiu Bin, was taking photographs outside the court, when court officers forcibly seized his camera and detained him. Subsequently, Wang Yu called the police but was detained for nine days on charges of filing a false report. Jiang Tianyong, who attended as an observer, was also detained for eight days by the police. As of the Voice of America report, Wang Yu, Jiang Tianyong, and Qiu Bin had not yet been released.
The theme of Saturday afternoon’s protest was “Do not let the human rights lawyers who defend citizens' rights freeze in the wind and snow. Supporting and rescuing them is our responsibility.” Chinese Democratic Party member Wu Fengjian read aloud an open letter of thanks from Liu Meixiang's defense lawyer, Bao Longjun. This was followed by a phone call campaign in which participants repeatedly called the Weicheng Town Police Station in Weixian County and the 110 emergency hotline, seeking responses about the arrests, but received none. Finally, all participants raised their flags and banners and collectively marched around the consulate.
Several Human Rights Lawyers Arrive on Site, Demanding the Release of the Detained
Liu Meixiang’s defense lawyer, Bao Longjun, reported that multiple Chinese human rights lawyers and family members have gathered outside the Weixian County Public Security Bureau, demanding the release of those detained.
In an open letter, Bao Longjun stated, "Firstly, we demand that the police fulfill their duty to notify, delivering detention notices for the three to their families; secondly, we accuse the detention center’s supervisory department of illegally setting restrictions and refusing to arrange visits, which is a violation of the law. This public security bureau is acting like a delinquent; to date, we haven’t seen a single person in a position of authority."
On October 20, in an interview with the American human rights organization China Aid Association, Bao Longjun said, "Weixian County Court judges Li Guihai and Li Hailing, without any legal basis, required me to provide a dismissal decision for a previous case. Otherwise, they would not recognize me as a defense attorney."
Bao Longjun asserted that he does not fall under any circumstances prohibiting him from serving as a defense attorney. "The two judges of Weixian County Court are abusing their authority, deliberately depriving the defendant Liu Meixiang of her right to defense, seriously infringing on her litigation rights," he said. Voice of America attempted to contact Bao Longjun on Saturday, but there was no response from him as of publication.
"On the evening of October 23, after Liu Meixiang’s husband was arrested, their 10-year-old son waited outside the Weixian Public Security Bureau for his parents to return."
Protesters Criticize CCP’s “Inconsistent” Policies
Event organizer and United Headquarters of the China Democracy Party chairman, Jie Lijian, urged the CCP to address the people’s demands. He emphasized that history repeatedly proves that water can carry a boat and overturn it, and that ultimate victory will belong to the people. He called on Weixian authorities to immediately release the detained family member, Qiu Bin, the family support group, as well as human rights lawyers Wang Yu and Jiang Tianyong.
"If the CCP government says you’re breaking the law, then you’re breaking the law. They won’t consider your basic demands or legal grounds. The CCP government, including the authorities in Weixian, Hebei, are violating laws they know well, and this is the theme of today’s protest," said Jie Lijian.
Wu Fengjian, 42, is from Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China. She explained that she worked as an electricity sales representative from 2019 to 2023 and is now employed as a sales clerk in a Los Angeles supermarket. During her time in China, she witnessed firsthand the government’s unpredictable changes in “electricity policy,” so she wasn’t surprised by the government’s behavior in detaining human rights lawyers without providing any formal notification.
"When human rights lawyers are detained, they don’t receive any legal ruling, and even after multiple visits to the public security bureau, they still can’t obtain any official notification. The CCP’s behavior is reprehensible. It’s just like my work; the Guangdong Electric Power Center can change its policy at any time, which is disgraceful."
She said she was concerned about the families of the detained human rights lawyers. “Because the CCP likes to impose collective punishment, meaning, ‘if one person is convicted, the whole family suffers,’ I hope everyone can pay more attention to the detained human rights lawyers and the ongoing developments in their cases,” Wu Fengjian told Voice of America.
Mr. Zhang, a graduate of Liaoning University’s law program who also studied law at Dalian Maritime University (who requested his full name be withheld), said he was there to support the human rights lawyers, hoping they would receive proper legal protection and be released soon. As a lawyer and legal professional, he believes legal workers should enjoy basic protections.
Mr. Zhang said, “As legal scholars and practitioners in a civilized society, we are guardians of social civilization and should be supported, not persecuted. I hope these lawyers are released soon, and I also hope those in power have enough confidence to listen to dissenting voices and make substantial changes.”
Phone Calls to Law Enforcement Go Unanswered or Refuse to Respond
During the phone support session, host Le Zailin and participants repeatedly called the Weixian Public Security Bureau, the Weicheng Town Police Station, and the phone number for Lian, the inspector at the Weixian Public Security Bureau, but no one answered. Even when calls were answered, once they understood the purpose, they immediately hung up.
"They are now so secretive about this issue that they refuse to answer phone calls. From the police station to the 110 hotline to the public security bureau, and even the police inspection department, they are all avoiding the issue. This shows how insecure they feel," said Le Zailin during his remarks at the event.
Voice of America also made multiple attempts to contact the Weicheng Town Police Station, but no one answered as of the publication deadline.
"Protest in Support of Chinese Conscience Prisoner Xu Zhiyong
On Sunday afternoon, the China Democracy Party and Chinese dissidents in Los Angeles will hold another protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, expressing support for human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong, who is reportedly suffering torture at the hands of the CCP while in detention.
In the protest statement, participants again emphasized, 'Those who gather firewood for the people should not be left to perish in the storm.'
Earlier reports indicated that Chinese conscience prisoner Xu Zhiyong’s health has rapidly deteriorated after a three-week hunger strike in prison.
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