Xu Zhiyong, a 41 year old law lecturer at Peking University was arrested by the Chinese police in July 2013. His crime? He believed a rule of law existed in China, and fought for this ideal.
For several years, Xu Zhiyong has been condemning the contradictions of the Chinese regime. Thus he became a target of the authorities. In addition, he recently reiterated his defence of people sentenced to death and condemned the violations of children’s rights in the country.
In July 2013, his arrest incited the mobilisation of international NGOs, particularly when a lawyer, Mr Liu Weiguo, was arrested for wanting to visit him at detention centre number 3 in Beijing. After several months of arbitrary detention, the Intermediate People’s Court gave its verdict on January 26, 2014. The human rights defender was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment for having “committed public disorder offences”.
No information has been published in the Chinese press about this trial, which lawyers consider unfair. We agree with the NGOs who fear for his life as well as for his physical and mental integrity, particularly in view of the many torture victims in detention centres around the country.
