Arrr! A swashbucklin' lawyer, champion o' human rights, be sent packin' by them Laotian scalawags, straight to China!
2023-09-15
Arr, the scurvy dog Lu Siwei, a lawyer o' human rights, be nabbed in Laos! But alas, the knave be sent back to China, aye, despite the cries o' rights groups and them highfalutin' United Nations experts beggin' for his freedom. Walk the plank, they say!
A human rights lawyer named Lu Siwei, who had been arrested in Laos, has been deported back to China, despite pleas from rights groups and United Nations experts for his release. Lu had been stripped of his legal license for taking on sensitive cases and was fleeing China when he was arrested in Laos earlier in the summer. Chinese police reportedly took Lu and other Chinese citizens detained in Laos back to China. This action has been criticized as a violation of international law, as his family members and activists fear he may face imprisonment and torture in China.Lu had a history of taking on sensitive cases and defending people who were targeted by authorities. China's legal rights movement has been heavily targeted under the leadership of Xi Jinping, with hundreds of activists and rights lawyers arrested in 2015. Lu represented some of those detained, including rights lawyer Yu Wensheng. In 2021, Lu was barred from leaving China after representing a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. He attempted to flee to Taiwan but was later seized by Laotian police while boarding a train to Thailand.
Lu's attorney stated that he was charged with entering Laos on a fake visa, but this claim has been disputed. In August, 68 rights groups issued a joint statement expressing concern over Lu's arrest. They highlighted Beijing's increased pursuit of dissidents and vulnerable groups overseas. Despite calls from UN experts for Lu's release, Chinese police formally requested his return and he was subsequently taken back to China.
Lu's wife, Zhang Chunxiao, declined to comment on the situation. The Chinese foreign ministry and the Laotian embassy in Beijing have not responded to requests for comment. Dissidents fleeing China have reported harassment in other Southeast Asian countries. This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by human rights defenders and the risks they take in advocating for justice and freedom.