(Shenyang, Liaoning province) Reports recently surfaced regarding detained human rights lawyer Li Yuhan. She appeared frail and aged according to ChinaAid sources. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) detained her without a verdict.
Meeting with the presiding judges
He Wei, the defense lawyer for Li Yuhan, recently communicated with the Heping District People’s Court in Shenyang. On September 18th, lawyer He arrived in Shenyang as scheduled and had meetings with Judge Zhu and Chief Judge Ye from the district court. They discussed the case of Li Yuhan. The defense lawyer insisted that the charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and
“fraud” against his client were groundless. Furthermore, the proceedings in the case were seriously flawed. Li has been detained for six years without a verdict, and there have been no proper procedures or notifications regarding any extensions.
Unjust proceedings
Over the past few years, Li’s defense lawyers have been unable to communicate with the judges involved in the case in a normal manner. Judges haven’t even dared to answer phone calls, let alone meet in person. He Wei emphasized that they have continually crossed the boundaries of the law.
Forced confession
During their meeting, Judge Ye, the head of the court, once again brought up the conditions for a judgment: admitting guilt and accepting punishment. The representative from the defense side promptly rejected this proposal. After persistent questioning and strong demands from the lawyer, Judge Ye promised that there would be a result in this case by the end of the year.
Lawyer He Wei again went to the procuratorate to report the illegal procedures of the court and strongly demanded that the procuratorate fulfill its supervisory duties in this case. In the late afternoon, He met with Li Yuhan in the detention center.
Li Yuhan’s condition
After six years of prolonged detention, Li’s hair was white and thin. Her expression reflects a sense of despair, and her eyes reveal even more sorrow and helplessness. At first glance, her mental state seemed okay, but she cannot walk due to injuries to her knee cartilage and spine. Years of detention have also led to poor eyesight and hearing.
Human rights defender
Li Yuhan was originally a practicing lawyer at Dunxin Law Firm in Beijing City. She became a human rights defender who supported victims of human rights abuses. She is widely recognized as the “big sister” in China’s human rights community. This title reflects not only her age but also her compassion for others. Li represented clients in sensitive cases related to religious freedom. In 2015, during the Chinese government’s “709 crackdown” on human rights lawyers, Li Yuhan served as the defense attorney for human rights lawyer Wang Yu.
Her arrest
On October 9, 2017, police took Li Yuhan as she traveled to Shenyang, Liaoning province for a case. She was subsequently detained on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” In November of the same year, she was formally arrested on the same charge and has remained in detention ever since.
Illegally detained for six years
During her time in detention, Li Yuhan has endured inhuman abuse and severe psychological torment, and she suffers from multiple illnesses. Her defense team has repeatedly requested bail pending trial, but these requests have all been denied. Currently, she is held in the First Detention Center in Shenyang.
Li Yuhan has refused to cooperate with the court by pleading guilty. Human rights lawyer Wang Yu believes, “The delay in rendering a verdict is related to her refusal to plead guilty.”
Global Advocacy
Despite her difficulties, Li has conveyed her heartfelt thanks through her lawyer for the support, care, help, and love of the public. ChinaAid has been monitoring this case for many years and calls on the Chinese government authorities to release her without any guilt based on humanitarian and constitutional principles. Ye, the chief judge of the Heping District People’s Court in Shenyang, must uphold his commitment to ensure a fair release for this respected lawyer.
~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid