/ 6 May 2011

Another Chinese human rights lawyer disappears

Campaigners have warned that Chinese human rights lawyers remain under intense pressure, following the disappearance of another high-profile legal figure.

Li Fangping went missing on Friday after ringing his wife to say state security agents were waiting for him — just as lawyer Teng Biao returned home after a two-month disappearance.

The United States had singled out Teng’s treatment and that of other missing lawyers in human rights talks the previous day. “The Chinese authorities are resorting to an old trick, the revolving-door approach — one in, one out — to create the impression that things are improving,” said Renee Xia of the Chinese Human Rights’ Defenders network.

“The crackdown on lawyers has not stopped,” said Patrick Poon of the China Human Rights Lawyers’ Concern Group. He said he found this case particularly incomprehensible because while Li acted in high-profile cases he was careful not to discuss sensitive political issues.

Li’s clients have included Zhao Lianhai, who founded a website about tainted baby milk after his son became sick, and activist and dissident Hu Jia. Phelim Kine, Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said Li’s disappearance suggested “a calculated effort to eviscerate China’s besieged rights defence movement”.

Li’s wife told the South China Morning Post: “I believe [it] is related to his work. He has offended many people while helping the disadvantaged. I am not sure if state security officers are really the ones who have taken him away, or whether some gangsters are behind it.”

Staff at Yangfangdian police station, where Li’s wife has reported his disappearance, said the matter was confidential. A Beijing police employee said staff were not available to comment.

Asked about other missing lawyers last month, a foreign ministry spokesperson said China protected its citizens’ rights, including freedom of expression, but citizens had to obey the law and should not harm the public interest. —