Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer, Mr Yu Wensheng, was sentenced on 17 June 2020 to 4 years’ imprisonment, after more than 900 days of detention. His trial was held behind closed doors.
Under China’s Criminal Procedure Law and international law obligations, defendants have the right to a fair trial, held without undue delay, to proper defence and to access to a lawyer of their choosing. Yu Wensheng’s rights were not respected.
The European Union expects China to ensure full respect of the rule of law, to establish fair trial guarantees and to investigate thoroughly all reported cases of arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment and torture of human rights defenders and their families.
We call for the immediate release of Yu Wensheng, as well as other detained and convicted human rights lawyers and other human rights defenders including Huang Qi, Li Yuhan, Ge Jueping, Qin Yongmin, Gao Zhisheng, Ilham Tohti, Tashi Wangchuk, Wu Gan and Liu Feiyue.