Nine years have passed since the mass arrest of hundreds of lawyers and human rights activists by the Chinese Communist Party on July 9, 2015. Exiled individuals who have experienced persecution by the Chinese judiciary have spoken out in support of the 709 lawyers.
Over the past nine years, the Chinese authorities have continued to aggressively suppress human rights lawyers. Xie Yang and Yu Wensheng are still imprisoned; Wang Quanzhang, Li Heping, Xie Yan Yi, and others have been forced to relocate multiple times, with their children’s right to education also being violated.
In a show of support for the 709 lawyers and to protest against the Chinese government’s tyranny, exiled pro-democracy activist Zhou Feng shaved his head and discarded his hair in front of the Chinese embassy, declaring, “We can be hairless, but the Chinese Communist Party cannot be lawless!”
Zhou Feng, who fled to Iceland due to persecution by the Chinese Communist Party for his differing political views, stated to Epoch Times, “I have personally experienced the Chinese Communist Party’s indifference to human rights, and my family has also been persecuted because of my political stance. The 709 incident holds great significance for me. It is not just a heavy blow to China’s judicial system but also a trampling of human rights.”
He further expressed, “Supporting the 709 lawyers is to commemorate those brave individuals who stood up to defend the law and human rights. Their courage and sacrifices must not be overlooked. I hope to raise awareness about the truth of the 709 incident and shed light on the atrocities of the Chinese government to the world. Every voice, every protest is essential to drive social progress and justice. Through this activity, I also aim to call on the international community to pay attention to and support China’s human rights defenders in the quest for a fairer and more just future.”
Henan human rights activist Xing Jian, now living in New Zealand, was critically injured in a car accident at the age of seven. Local authorities mishandled the case and embezzled compensation funds, leading his family onto the path of defending their rights. Due to frequent petitions, several family members have been unlawfully detained, subjected to re-education through labor, and sentenced, totaling 13 years of unjust treatment. Xing Jian was also beaten in prison, forced to labor over ten hours daily, and at one point attempted suicide by swallowing eight beads out of despair.
In 2021, Xing Jian’s father, Xing Wangli, was sentenced to 2 years and 11 months in prison for visiting 709 lawyer Jiang Tianyong under surveillance, and he was released in April this year after serving his term.
On the ninth anniversary of the 709 incident, Xing Jian remarked, “The 709 case is a political crackdown, a illegal arrest by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress conscience and disregard the rule of law. The detained lawyers and rights activists are all warriors defending human rights and the rule of law. Under the high-pressure political environment in mainland China, these lawyers fearlessly confront tyranny and evil, which those in power do not want to see. While this crackdown seems to target lawyers on the surface, in essence, it conveys the message that ‘rule by man overrides the rule of law.'”
He emphasized, “In a democratic, law-abiding country, a lawyer can seek justice for victims. However, in a one-party dictatorship, lawyers are just a facade for the authorities; those who truly uphold justice and conscience for the people will face ruthless suppression of power, as evidenced in the 709 case. This case epitomizes the flaws in China’s legal system, and ruling by law in China is merely an empty promise.”
Jiangsu rights activist Ni Jinfang, another victim of the Chinese judiciary, shared with Epoch Times that the 709 incident fully exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s typical method of governing with party supremacy, casting off any pretense of rule of law. Describing his own case, he pointed out the violation of due process in handling criminal cases and the destruction of evidence.
During the G20 summit on September 8, 2016, a group of rights activists were arrested for posting sensitive comments online, including Ni Jinfang. On November 8, 2016, he was put under residential surveillance by the Suzhou Public Security Bureau for “disrupting courtroom order” and was subjected to torture during that period. In August 2020, the Suzhou court further sentenced him on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” sentencing him to two months of detention.
He stated, “The Chinese Communist Party is devoid of law.”