The 709 Crackdown: The CCP's Repression of Human Rights Lawyers

Jul 09, 2024

July 9, 2015, marked a turning point for the lives of human rights lawyers and activists in China. On this day, the CCP launched a large-scale crackdown, known as the “709 Crackdown.” In the initial phase of the crackdown, over 300 lawyers, legal assistants, and activists were detained, interrogated, or disappeared. Many were accused of “subverting state power” or other charges related to their legal and human rights work.

Methods of Repression

1. Secret Detention and Disappearance

Many lawyers were detained without formal charges, and some were secretly held in unknown locations, isolated from the outside world for extended periods. These measures not only targeted the lawyers themselves but also placed immense psychological pressure on their families.

Detained lawyers often faced fabricated charges such as “subverting state power,” “inciting subversion of state power,” or “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” These accusations were often made without evidence, and secret trials were held to quickly convict them.

3. Torture and Abuse

During detention, many lawyers suffered severe physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, and forced administration of unknown drugs. These tortures were designed to coerce confessions and compel them to express “remorse” in public.

4. Forced Confessions and Public Humiliation

Some lawyers were forced to confess on state television, a public humiliation that not only destroyed their reputations but also intimidated other lawyers and activists who might challenge the government.

5. Surveillance and Harassment

Even after their release, many lawyers and their families remained under close surveillance. Their daily lives and professional activities were continuously harassed and interfered with, aiming to silence them.

6. Revocation of Licenses and Career Suppression

Many human rights lawyers had their licenses revoked, preventing them from continuing their legal work. At the same time, finding employment in other fields became increasingly difficult, further exacerbating their living conditions.

7. Pressure on Families

The CCP not only targeted the lawyers themselves but also exerted pressure on their families. Family members could face harassment, threats, and even detention, forcing the lawyers to submit.

Notable Cases

Wang Yu

Wang Yu is a human rights lawyer who has represented several well-known cases, including the Fan Mugen case, Cao Shunli case, Yin Xue’an case, Ilham Tohti case, and has defended many Falun Gong practitioners. She was detained on July 9, 2015, and was secretly held for over a year. During this time, she was tortured and forced to confess on television in August 2016.

Wang Quanzhang

Wang Quanzhang frequently represented sensitive cases, including many defending the religious beliefs of Falun Gong practitioners, land cases for farmers, and Christian cases, focusing on the rights of vulnerable groups and the rule of law. After disappearing during the 709 Crackdown, he was secretly detained for more than three years. In January 2019, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for “subverting state power” and was tortured during his detention.

Li Heping

Li Heping is a Beijing rights lawyer who often defended dissidents, victims of forced demolition, Falun Gong practitioners, and other vulnerable groups. He was detained in July 2015 and was not released until nearly two years later. During his detention, he was tortured. Although he was given a suspended sentence and released in April 2017, he remains under close surveillance.

Zhou Shifeng

Zhou Shifeng, director of the Fengrui Law Firm, frequently helped vulnerable groups in mainland China in lawsuits against government officials. He represented cases such as the 2001 Shijiazhuang bombing case and the 2008 melamine-tainted milk powder case. Several lawyers from Fengrui Law Firm were detained during the 709 Crackdown. He was arrested in July 2015 and was sentenced to seven years in prison for “subverting state power” in August 2016, after being forced to confess on state television, making him a typical case of the CCP’s crackdown on lawyers.

Xie Yang

Xie Yang, a lawyer who frequently represented citizens persecuted by the government, religious repression cases, and forced land acquisitions, participated in defending the detained lawyers in Heilongjiang’s Jiansanjiang and visited Chen Guangcheng, among other cases. He was detained in July 2015 and was severely tortured during his detention, including beatings and threats against his family. He was released on bail in May 2017 but remains under strict surveillance.

Impact and Harm

The 709 Crackdown was not just an attack on hundreds of lawyers and activists; its consequences spread throughout Chinese society, profoundly affecting the rule of law, human rights, and civil society. Here are some key impacts and harms:

1. Erosion of the Rule of Law

The 709 Crackdown severely undermined the foundation of the rule of law in China. Lawyers, as a vital component of the rule of law, require independence and authority to ensure judicial fairness. However, through intimidation and repression, the CCP has made it impossible for lawyers to practice freely, significantly weakening the independence of the judiciary. Courts and judges are increasingly controlled, unable to handle cases fairly, especially those involving politically sensitive issues. Ordinary citizens have lost faith in the judicial system, believing that the law cannot protect their rights, increasing the likelihood of resorting to extreme measures to protect their interests.

2. Deterioration of Human Rights

The 709 Crackdown demonstrated the Chinese government’s disregard for basic human rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and judicial fairness. The treatment of detainees, including reports of torture and forced confessions, highlighted severe human rights violations. Vulnerable groups and dissenters have found it increasingly difficult to find lawyers willing to defend them, making it even harder to protect their rights.

3. Weakening of Civil Society

The 709 Crackdown dealt a significant blow to China’s civil society. Many non-governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and activists were repressed, severely weakening the strength of civil society. Many active lawyers and activists were forced to leave China or were silenced, leading to a sharp decline in the voices of civil society. Many non-governmental organizations faced stricter scrutiny and management, making it impossible for them to operate normally, with some even being forced to disband.

4. Damage to International Reputation

The 709 Crackdown drew widespread condemnation from the international community, severely damaging China’s international reputation. Multiple international human rights organizations and foreign governments expressed concern over China’s human rights situation and exerted pressure on China in international forums, demanding improvements in human rights.

5. Potential Threat to Social Stability

While the CCP claims that the crackdown was aimed at maintaining social stability, such high-pressure policies may backfire, leading to greater social discontent and unrest. The closure of legal channels for resolving social conflicts increases the likelihood of protests and clashes. Long-term repression and unjust treatment may lead to a complete loss of faith in the government, exacerbating the crisis of social trust.

Conclusion

The 709 Crackdown was not just a persecution of individual lawyers and activists but a systematic attack on the entire rule of law and civil society in China. Through this repression, the CCP regime aimed not only to target individual lawyers but also to intimidate the entire legal community and civil society. This crackdown revealed the CCP’s intolerance of any form of dissent. As the repression continues, China’s human rights situation and the rule of law environment are deteriorating further.

– This text was translated by AI. –