At the IWOC award ceremony, State Secretary Blinken announced each “Woman of Courage,” for China—Wang Yu:
Wang Yu was one of the country’s most prominent human rights lawyers until her arrest and imprisonment following China’s nationwide persecution of lawyers and rights advocates during the “709 crackdown.” She had taken on multiple politically sensitive cases, representing activists, scholars, Falun Gong practitioners, farmers, and petitioners in cases involving a wide array of issues, including women’s and children’s rights, and the rights to religion, freedom of expression, assembly, and association. She is now under an exit ban and has been harassed, threatened, searched, and physically assaulted by police since she began to take on rights abuse cases in 2011.
Radio Free Asia (FRA) published “US Concerned as Persecuted Chinese Rights Lawyer Wang Yu Misses ‘Woman of Courage’ Video Award Ceremony,” sharing concerns.
Secretary of State Blinken stated:
She [Ms. Wang] has represented cases involving abused children, ethnic minorities, women, and religious adherents, and her work has brought government pressure on her through today….
We have not been in regular communication over the past two days. We’re concerned because we know that she wanted to attend today’s ceremony. We’ll be following up and, if necessary, speaking out on her case.
An activist friend of Ms. Wang confirmed that she knew about the State Department ceremony and wanted to attend. Ms. Wang had tweeted plans to leave Guangzhou on Saturday, but officials held her up for a COVID-19 check. On Sunday, police apprehended her and her husband and transported them from Tianjin. At this time, neither State Secretary Blinken nor Ms. Wang’s friend knows their whereabouts.
China Aid exposes abuses in order to stand in solidarity with the persecuted and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law. If you wish to partner with us in helping those persecuted by the Chinese government, please click the button below to make a charitable donation.
ChinaAid Media Team
Cell: +1 (432) 553-1080 | Office: +1 (432) 689-6985 | Other: +1 (888) 889-7757
Email: [email protected]
For more information, click here