Beijing [China], October 30 : Chinese authorities on Tuesday sentenced human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng to three years in prison, while his wife, Xu Yan, received a one-year and nine-month sentence. The couple was detained while attempting to meet with European Union officials in Beijing.
According to Radio Free Asia, the Weiquangwang rights website reported, "We have learnt that [Yu and Xu] were sentenced this morning at the Suzhou Intermediate People's Court. Yu Wensheng was sentenced to three years imprisonment, and his wife, Xu Yan, received one year and nine months."
Yu and Xu were first detained in April 2023 on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a charge often employed against peaceful critics of the Communist Party, while they were heading to a meeting with European Union officials in Beijing. Brussels filed a formal complaint regarding the incident.
The court convicted the couple of "incitement to subvert state power" after their trial on August 28, which was attended by diplomats from over ten countries, Radio Free Asia reported. The charge was subsequently elevated to the more severe offence of "incitement to subvert state power."
Meanwhile, authorities in Hebei province have arrested prominent rights lawyers Wang Yu and Jiang Tianyong after they arrived at a local court to represent a client.
On the morning of October 23, Wang, Jiang, and several other lawyers arrived at the Wei County People's Court near Handan city in Hebei to defend their client, Liu Meixiang, against corruption charges. Tensions escalated when police confiscated a camera from a family member attempting to take photos, leading to a scuffle.
A lawyer present, who wished to remain anonymous due to concerns about reprisals, reported that Jiang, 53, intervened to protect the relative. However, he was later accused of assaulting an individual named Xiao Junfei, although details about this person were unclear, according to police documents.
The lawyer further stated, "Jiang Tianyong was involved in a scuffle while trying to stop them, but he didn't fight back. Police also shoved and hit Wang Yu after she told them they were breaking the law by taking the person's camera."
Jiang Tianyong is currently under an eight-day administrative detention after being apprehended by police outside the Wei County People's Court on October 23. A detention notice shared with RFA Mandarin alleges that he was involved in "beating" another individual outside the court.
According to the notice from the county police department, "Jiang Tianyong will face eight days of detention under the Public Security Administrative Punishment Law and will be fined 300 yuan (approximately USD 42)."
He will be held at the Wei County Detention Center near Handan city. Liu Meixiang's husband, Qiu Bin, was also placed in administrative detention, while a fourth individual was briefly detained and released the same day, Radio Free Asia reported.
On October 25, lawyers Peng Peng, Duan Hanjie, and Shi Yu attempted to meet the three detained lawyers at the Wei County Detention Center. However, they were denied access by the authorities and subsequently filed a complaint with the local police department regarding this denial.
Wang Yu's husband, Bao Longjun, informed RFA Mandarin that the three were finally allowed to meet with their lawyers on October 26. Bao told Radio Free Asia, "We met with Wang Yu, who was on hunger strike. The authorities are accusing Wang Yu of disrupting the work of the Weicheng police station, but she did no such thing."
He further stated, "In fact, Wang was assaulted and humiliated by the police. More than a dozen police officers came and forcibly restrained Wang Yu, pushing and shoving her into an iron-barred cell and stripping her top off."
Repeated calls to the Weicheng police station went unanswered during office hours on Tuesday. Wang informed Bao that she was having difficulty accessing drinking water in the detention centre, Radio Free Asia reported.