CHINA-RIGHTS/HONG KONG PROTEST-FILE Hong Kong activists protest against China crackdown on lawyers

Record ID: 149375

  • Title: CHINA-RIGHTS/HONG KONG PROTEST-FILE Hong Kong activists protest against China crackdown on lawyers
  • Date: 23rd July 2015
  • Summary: **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER OF DETAINED LAWYER, TANG JINGLING
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA42JDI07V7F6CNYIODW3IOME0S
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong protested on Thursday (July 23) against a crackdown on human rights activist and lawyers in China.
    The protest was held on the same day as a trial of three Chinese rights activists -- Tang Jingling, Wang Qingying and Yuan Chaoyang -- resumed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.
    Some 249 people including rights lawyers have been detained or questioned since the crackdown began in July, according to the Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyer Concern Group.
    Hong Kong lawyer and lawmaker Albert Ho was among the protesters in Hong Kong. He said it was an embarrassing backdrop for Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned trip to the West in September and October.
    "This backdrop includes this massive arrest and detention of human rights lawyers. Showing how they disrespect the law and the constitution. And then, you know, recently, what they call the 'ruthless rescue of the financial markets'. And also the failure to deliver democratic reform to the Hong Kong people according to their promise," he said, referring to recent market turmoil in the Chinese stock exchange and ongoing political upheaval in Hong Kong.
    Last year a sit-in protest for democratic reform, nicknamed the 'Umbrella Movement', shut down parts of Hong Kong for almost three months.
    Sui Muqing was the lawyer for one of the activists. He has now also been detained in the ongoing crackdown.
    Prominent lawyer Wang Yu was also detained earlier in July, targeted in a nationwide police sweep along with many of her colleagues.
    Tang Jingling's wife, Wang Yanfang, is calling for his and other political prisoners release. Tang's wife wasn't immediately reachable for comment.
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