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Four Chinese rights lawyers allege torture by police Four Chinese rights lawyers allege torture by police
(35 minutes later)
Tang Jitian recalls being taken into a room, his head covered in a black hood, and hearing the sound of a rope being pulled. The handcuffs behind him were jerked upward and soon he was dangling in the air.Tang Jitian recalls being taken into a room, his head covered in a black hood, and hearing the sound of a rope being pulled. The handcuffs behind him were jerked upward and soon he was dangling in the air.
"I got hoisted with my head facing down, feet off the ground and butt in the air," Tang said. "Five or six people were hitting me and kicking me. All I heard was thud, thud, thud, throughout.""I got hoisted with my head facing down, feet off the ground and butt in the air," Tang said. "Five or six people were hitting me and kicking me. All I heard was thud, thud, thud, throughout."
Tang is among a group of four Chinese rights lawyers who say they were tortured by police when they were rounded up in late March after protesting outside a detention centre in Jiansanjiang, a farming community in north-east China. They had joined several people shouting to demand information about relatives believed to have been detained because they were members of Falun Gong – banned as a cult, though they claim to be a peaceful spiritual movement.Tang is among a group of four Chinese rights lawyers who say they were tortured by police when they were rounded up in late March after protesting outside a detention centre in Jiansanjiang, a farming community in north-east China. They had joined several people shouting to demand information about relatives believed to have been detained because they were members of Falun Gong – banned as a cult, though they claim to be a peaceful spiritual movement.
Three of the lawyers have spoken about the abuse, and one of them provided hospital records showing bone fractures after being in police custody.Three of the lawyers have spoken about the abuse, and one of them provided hospital records showing bone fractures after being in police custody.
Their accounts raise doubts about commitments by Chinese authorities to curb the use of torture and to establish rule of law and ensure due process for those accused of wrongdoing. Their experience is part of a broad crackdown over the past year on rights lawyers and other activists seeking to hold authorities accountable to the country's constitution and to their own stated goals of boosting fairness in Chinese society.Their accounts raise doubts about commitments by Chinese authorities to curb the use of torture and to establish rule of law and ensure due process for those accused of wrongdoing. Their experience is part of a broad crackdown over the past year on rights lawyers and other activists seeking to hold authorities accountable to the country's constitution and to their own stated goals of boosting fairness in Chinese society.
The detention centre the lawyers were investigating is one of many informal jails nationwide officially known as "legal education centres" where an unknown number of people are believed to be held without trial or access to lawyers. Activists say beatings and torture are common. They have existed since about 1999, first mainly to house and punish Falun Gong practitioners but over time also used for others deemed irritants by authorities. The detention centre the lawyers were investigating is one of many informal jails nationwide officially known as "legal education centres", where an unknown number of people are believed to be held without trial or access to lawyers. Activists say beatings and torture are common. They have existed since about 1999, first mainly to house and punish Falun Gong practitioners but over time also used for others deemed irritants by authorities.
A campaign by rights groups, including the four lawyers who say they were beaten, aims to pressuring the Communist party to eliminate all forms of arbitrary detention, or so-called "black jails", after it made a high-profile pronouncement in November that it would end its much-maligned labour camp system.A campaign by rights groups, including the four lawyers who say they were beaten, aims to pressuring the Communist party to eliminate all forms of arbitrary detention, or so-called "black jails", after it made a high-profile pronouncement in November that it would end its much-maligned labour camp system.
"China's legal system is regressing," said Wang Jianxun, a legal scholar at the China University of Political Science and Law. "I have seen no sign of progress, but rather that the overall conditions are deteriorating.""China's legal system is regressing," said Wang Jianxun, a legal scholar at the China University of Political Science and Law. "I have seen no sign of progress, but rather that the overall conditions are deteriorating."
Police declined to address the allegations of torture or field any questions about the Jiansanjiang detention centre. Regional police in Heilongjiang province said the lawyers had been disturbing public order and that three were operating without a licence.Police declined to address the allegations of torture or field any questions about the Jiansanjiang detention centre. Regional police in Heilongjiang province said the lawyers had been disturbing public order and that three were operating without a licence.
Chinese police routinely use torture to coerce confessions and statements. In a little-known aspect of the Chinese system, the ruling party uses physical and mental abuse in internal investigations to extract confessions from members suspected of corruption and other violations of party discipline.Chinese police routinely use torture to coerce confessions and statements. In a little-known aspect of the Chinese system, the ruling party uses physical and mental abuse in internal investigations to extract confessions from members suspected of corruption and other violations of party discipline.
Human Rights Watch has urged Beijing to investigate the latest claims by lawyers, calling the abuse an assault against the legal profession.Human Rights Watch has urged Beijing to investigate the latest claims by lawyers, calling the abuse an assault against the legal profession.
The incident in Jiansanjiang, near the Russian border, has received much attention on social media but little coverage in China's state media. The nationalist newspaper Global Times published an editorial about it, acknowledging the legal ambiguity of the detention centre while also criticising the rights lawyers for causing trouble.The incident in Jiansanjiang, near the Russian border, has received much attention on social media but little coverage in China's state media. The nationalist newspaper Global Times published an editorial about it, acknowledging the legal ambiguity of the detention centre while also criticising the rights lawyers for causing trouble.
"Instead of providing legal assistance through lawful means, they incite crowd gatherings and protests and thus become activists in illegal activities," the editorial said."Instead of providing legal assistance through lawful means, they incite crowd gatherings and protests and thus become activists in illegal activities," the editorial said.
Tang, whose law licence had been revoked previously because of his activism, said he wanted to call attention to what he said was an illegal detention centre.Tang, whose law licence had been revoked previously because of his activism, said he wanted to call attention to what he said was an illegal detention centre.
Zhang Junjie, a licensed lawyer, said he agreed to help Tang and was assigned to represent a woman who had been locked up in Jiansanjiang since last year without any legal due process. Two other lawyers, Wang Cheng and Jiang Tianyong, joined the team.Zhang Junjie, a licensed lawyer, said he agreed to help Tang and was assigned to represent a woman who had been locked up in Jiansanjiang since last year without any legal due process. Two other lawyers, Wang Cheng and Jiang Tianyong, joined the team.
The lawyers asked the local police to provide legal paperwork about people inside the facility on 20 March, when about two dozen family members and friends showed up to demand the detainees be released. "We were shouting 'stop the crime and release the people'," Tang recalled.The lawyers asked the local police to provide legal paperwork about people inside the facility on 20 March, when about two dozen family members and friends showed up to demand the detainees be released. "We were shouting 'stop the crime and release the people'," Tang recalled.
The lawyers returned to their hotel that evening to prepare papers for the local prosecuting office. The next morning, men knocked open their hotel room doors and took them away, they said. "Several men in plain clothes and two men in the uniform of police assistants dragged me out of the bathroom and demanded that I follow them with my luggage," Zhang said.The lawyers returned to their hotel that evening to prepare papers for the local prosecuting office. The next morning, men knocked open their hotel room doors and took them away, they said. "Several men in plain clothes and two men in the uniform of police assistants dragged me out of the bathroom and demanded that I follow them with my luggage," Zhang said.
Zhang said he asked the men to identify themselves and protested at the use of force, but he was pushed into a lift and then into a white car with no police emblem.Zhang said he asked the men to identify themselves and protested at the use of force, but he was pushed into a lift and then into a white car with no police emblem.
Once inside a police station, a state security officer slapped him in the face several times and hit him in the head with a bottle of water, Zhang recalled. Then the officer and another man "kicked me on to the ground and beat me viciously for at least three hours", he said.Once inside a police station, a state security officer slapped him in the face several times and hit him in the head with a bottle of water, Zhang recalled. Then the officer and another man "kicked me on to the ground and beat me viciously for at least three hours", he said.
Wang said he also was hooded, hung up and beaten. "I felt like I was beaten by a rod covered with some soft material, but I still feel the pain and have trouble sleeping at night."Wang said he also was hooded, hung up and beaten. "I felt like I was beaten by a rod covered with some soft material, but I still feel the pain and have trouble sleeping at night."
Zhang was released first. Ten days later, Wang and Tang were freed. The fourth lawyer, Jiang, could not be reached for comment but suffered a similar experience, according to Tang and a joint statement by the four lawyers.Zhang was released first. Ten days later, Wang and Tang were freed. The fourth lawyer, Jiang, could not be reached for comment but suffered a similar experience, according to Tang and a joint statement by the four lawyers.
A hospital diagnosis seen by the Associated Press said Tang had suffered multiple bone fractures.A hospital diagnosis seen by the Associated Press said Tang had suffered multiple bone fractures.
When Wang returned to Hangzhou, where he lived and worked, local authorities turned off his power and water and demanded that he leave the city. He has since returned to his home town in central Hubei province.When Wang returned to Hangzhou, where he lived and worked, local authorities turned off his power and water and demanded that he leave the city. He has since returned to his home town in central Hubei province.
He Bing, a Beijing-based legal professor, said the concerted actions targeting the lawyers suggested the campaign against them had tacit approval from high-ranking officials. "It will be very dangerous if lawyers cannot properly practise their profession," he said.He Bing, a Beijing-based legal professor, said the concerted actions targeting the lawyers suggested the campaign against them had tacit approval from high-ranking officials. "It will be very dangerous if lawyers cannot properly practise their profession," he said.
Another rights lawyer, Chen Jiangang, said the incident in Jiansanjiang showed that Beijing's pledge to respect the rule of law was "all lies". "This shows China still lives in the darkness of medieval times when there is no human rights, no rule of law and no democracy," Chen said.Another rights lawyer, Chen Jiangang, said the incident in Jiansanjiang showed that Beijing's pledge to respect the rule of law was "all lies". "This shows China still lives in the darkness of medieval times when there is no human rights, no rule of law and no democracy," Chen said.