(Shandong, China – November 25, 2023) Dr. Xu Zhiyong, the initiator of the New Citizens’ Movement, and human rights lawyer Mr. Ding Jiaxi were sentenced to 14 years and 12 years respectively, charged with subversion of state power in the trial of the first instance. They appealed the verdict, and on November 24th, coinciding with Thanksgiving Day in the United States, the Linshu County People’s Court in Shandong province upheld the original sentences in the second instance.
The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe decided to grant the Human Rights Award 2023 to Chinese Lawyers Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, Xu Zhiyong, and Ding Jiaxi for their courage, determination, and commitment to defending human rights and the rule of law in China. Ms. Sophie Luo Shengchun, the wife of Ding Jiaxi, accepted this honor on behalf of her husband in Athens, Greece. She expressed heartfelt joy for Mr. Ding’s courage and perseverance but conveyed deep sorrow and anger for outstanding legal professionals like Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong being sentenced to imprisonment.
She told reporters, “Today, it is as if I am in this beautiful birthplace of democracy, experiencing a time travel between civilization and barbarism. It has strengthened my belief even more – tyranny will perish, civilization will triumph, and the confidence that democracy and freedom will surely be realized!”
Ms. Shengchun stated on X (formerly called Twitter) that November 24 is a day of mixed emotions, as it marks the time for the verdict of the second instance for Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong. She referred to it as a “ridiculous and shameless closed-door trial.”
She directly criticized the absurdity of the second hearing held in the court in Shandong, China. Their cases did not receive the required second instance verdict at the Shandong High People’s Court. The local court was closely monitored inside and out, and their defense lawyers were denied once from entering the courtroom. During the hearing, the defendants and lawyers were not allowed to speak to each other. Attempts to bid farewell to each other were immediately stopped by the court guards. The result of the appeal was subject to a confidentiality agreement, and the defense lawyers were not allowed to disclose the contents of the verdict to the families.
In the appeal document disclosed in August, Xu Zhiyong conducted a profound reflection on various issues such as finance, the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent three-year comprehensive lockdown, employment, the market, the future of China, prospects for democracy, cultural society, and more. He expressed gratitude to pro-democracy individuals for their perseverance in freedom and democracy, showed appreciation to Christians for spreading the love of Christ, and sympathized with the hardships endured by Falun Gong practitioners.
He did not conceal his slightly pessimistic tone, stating, “This absurd country, this shameful country, this land where tyranny prevails, this country that erases humanity, this country where the dictator is high above and the people are as insignificant as ants, this sorrowful, numb, despairing, and sinking-into-the-abyss country, is my homeland. With all my life, I strive to save her, to rescue my Chinese nation, and to welcome the glorious rebirth of Chinese civilization.”
In conclusion, Xu Zhiyong, filled with hope, stated, “In the darkest hours, dawn is imminent.”
In the increasingly deteriorating situation for human rights lawyers in China, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), based in Belgium with a 63-year-long history, granted this year’s Human Rights Award to honor three imprisoned Chinese human rights lawyers, including Xu Zhiyong, Ding Jiaxi, and Tonyee Chow Hang-tung. The award is a recognition of their long-standing commitment, outstanding determination, and sacrifice in upholding the fundamental values of the legal profession and in defending and advocating for human rights and their respect for the rule of law.
The President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, Panagiotis Perakis, presented the Human Rights Award at the CCBE Plenary Session held in Athens on the evening of November 24. President Perakis declared “Hang Tung Chow, Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi deserve the respect and recognition of the entire legal profession for their outstanding courage and commitment in support of human rights in China despite the judicial harassment they have endured. The CCBE is concerned that the situation of lawyers in China who advocate for human rights and the rule of law has still not improved, and has even worsened in some cases, which is even more worrying in a country considered to be one of the world’s largest powers and economy. Through the CCBE, European lawyers will continue to closely monitor the situation and support their Chinese colleagues who need help. We will never accept that lawyers are targeted because of their legitimate activities as lawyers.”
