Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING24812
2006-12-27 09:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

HUMAN RIGHTS: EMBASSY RAISES CONCERNS OVER

Tags:  PHUM PREL PGOV CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4381
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #4812 3610935
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 270935Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3388
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 024812 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2031
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV CH
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS: EMBASSY RAISES CONCERNS OVER
ATTACKS ON CHEN GUANGCHENG LAWYERS

REF: BEIJING 24232 (AND PREVIOUS)

Classified By: Political Internal Unit Chief Susan
Thornton. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 024812

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2031
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV CH
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS: EMBASSY RAISES CONCERNS OVER
ATTACKS ON CHEN GUANGCHENG LAWYERS

REF: BEIJING 24232 (AND PREVIOUS)

Classified By: Political Internal Unit Chief Susan
Thornton. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Lawyers for jailed legal activist Chen
Guangcheng were beaten by thugs while traveling to
Shandong Province by bus on December 27 to try to meet
with their client, according to accounts given by
several Beijing-based rights lawyers involved with the
case. When the coach the lawyers were riding in
crossed the Linyi county line, it was forced over by
two cars without license plates. Eight thugs dressed
in plain clothes boarded the bus and beat the two
lawyers with iron rods. According to the reports,
Lawyer Li Jingsong's left eye and left hand were
injured, while Li Fangping sustained three gashes to
the head. The attackers wore civilian clothes and
their cars had no license plates. Calls to the local
Linyi police for assistance reportedly went
unanswered. Fellow lawyer in the case Teng Biao
(protect) said he had not been in direct contact with
the pair, who are recovering in a hospital in Linyi
county, but that they had been on their way to visit
Chen to check on the status of his appeal request.


2. (C) Two other defense lawyers in the case, Cheng
Hai and Huang Kaiguo, had been traveling to Shandong
at the same time to look into the case of Chen
Guanghe, who disappeared before he could testify on
Chen Guangcheng's behalf at his November 27 trial.
The planned investigation by Cheng and Huang into Chen
Guanghe's disappearance may have increased tensions
over the lawyers' activities, Teng speculated.


3. (C) Poloff expressed concern over the reported
beatings to MFA Human Rights Division Director Dong
Zhihua on December 28, noting that the case appears to
be one in a troubling series of cases of intimidation
of defense lawyers. Such intimidation calls into
question China's commitment to the rule of law. Dong
said she had not received any information about the
incident, but said that she would look into the case.

SEDNEY