Home

human rights lawyer

Gao Zhisheng - Currently missing in Chinaposted on: 2012/02/01

Human rights defender and self-taught lawyer Gao Zhisheng was named one of China's top ten lawyers by the Ministry of Justice in 2001. However, after beginning to investigate and draw attention to allegations of abuse against members of China’s religious minorities, he became subject to harassment, detentions and forced disappearances himself.

  • Read more
  • Share this

Iranian opposition lawyer Arrestedposted on: 2011/06/20

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer in Iran who has been given a prison sentence of eleven years and banned from working as a lawyer or leaving the country for twenty years. This sentence has been given to her, not for any criminal activity but as a result of her peaceful human rights work. She was accused of 'spreading propaganda' and 'conspiring to harm state security'. Nasrin has represented many defenders opposed to the current regime in Iran. She has also worked extensively with young prisoners who have been sentenced to death for crimes they committed when they were under 18.

On 4 September, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was summoned to appear in court at Evin prison on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “collusion and gathering with the aim of acting against national security”. She has been detained since. In protest at her detention Nasrin has undertaken several hunger strikes. Nasrin has recently come off her latest hunger strike which lasted 45 days.

Prior to her arrest, Nasrin had reported harassment on the part of the authorities. On 28 August 2010 her home and office were searched, and her assets were frozen.

Bahrain: UPDATE - Human rights lawyer Mohammed Al-Tajir is brought before a military court following five weeks of incommunicado detentionposted on: 2011/06/13

Front Line is concerned about the bringing to trial before a military court of a prominent Bahraini lawyer and human rights defender. On 12 June Mohammed Al-Tajir was brought before the Bahraini Lower National Safety Court in Manama to face a number of charges including publicly inciting hatred of the system of government in Bahrain; spreading malicious news and propaganda; and publicly inciting the abduction and harming of security men.

Further Information

The sudden appearance of Mohammed Al-Tajir before the military court came after more than five weeks of incommunicado detention in an unknown location. During this period Mohammed Al -Tajir had been held without access to his lawyers and family and it is feared that the charges brought against him may have been based on confessions extracted under duress. There are also fears that he may have been forced to incriminate himself. The military prosecution told the court that it had concluded that the statements obtained from the accused during the interrogations are sufficient as evidence to indict him, and that the prosecution shall reserve the right to present its closing remarks on the case.

China: UPDATE - Human rights lawyer Li Tiantian released following three months' enforced disappearanceposted on: 2011/05/26

Shanghai-based human rights defender and lawyer Ms Li Tiantian was released on 24 May 2011 following three months' enforced disappearance.

Further Information

In a posting on her Twitter account on 26 May, Li Tiantian wrote, "I was released on 24 May. Thank you everyone for your concern, and sorry that it has taken me two days to get online to let you all know. I am very touched to see everyone's concern."

Li Tiantian had last been seen on 19 February when she was taken from her home in Shanghai by police. In a longer blog posting on 26 May, Li Tiantian wrote that she had been in 'hospital' for the past three months with 'high blood pressure'.

Front Line notes with concern that at least two other human rights defenders, Mr Liu Shihui and Mr Yuan Xinting, are still missing following their disappearances in February.

See here the original appeal on this case

  • Share this

Azerbaijan: Rejection of appeal of human rights lawyer Mr Vidadi Isganderov against imprisonment and launch of criminal proceedings against himposted on: 2011/05/25

On 10 May 2011 the Baku Appeals Court in Azerbaijan rejected the appeal of human rights lawyer Mr Vidadi Isganderov against a judgment which had sentenced him to two months pre-trial imprisonment, and ordered that a criminal trial be launched against him. Vidadi Isganderov is the head of the NGO “Promotion of Democracy Defence” and a member of the Civil Movement for Democracy “Public Chamber”. On 17 April 2011, he was arrested on his way to observe a protest in Sahil Park in the centre of Baku which was organised by the Public Chamber. He has been detained since that date.

Syria: Search at the home of human rights lawyer Mrs Razan Zeitouneh and arrest of her husbandposted on: 2011/05/16

On 12 May the home of human rights lawyer Mrs Razan Zeitouneh in Damascus was searched by Syrian authorities and her husband Mr Wa'il Al-Hamada was arrested. The Syrian authorities are allegedly stepping up their threat and harassment of the prominent Syrian human rights defender and lawyer to force her to stop her human rights activism.

China: Human rights lawyer Li Xiongbing disappeared by policeposted on: 2011/05/04

Human rights defender Mr Li Xiongbing was disappeared by police in Beijing on 4 May 2011. Li Xiongbing is a lawyer who regularly takes on human rights cases. He also works for Aizhixing, a Beijing-based NGO which promotes the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. In the past number of years, Li Xiongbing has been subjected to various forms of harassment by police, including surveillance, house arrest and travel restrictions.

Further Information

At 9am on 4 May Li Xiongbing left his home in Beijing. Throughout the day, family members, colleagues and friends were unable to reach Li Xiongbing by telephone. At approximately 5pm, Li Xiongbing's wife, Ms Wu Haiying, received a call from her husband saying that he would not be back for a number of days. The line then went dead and Wu Haiying was unable to subsequently get through to her husband.

Iran: Ongoing detention and reported torture of human rights lawyer Dr Houtan Kianposted on: 2011/04/26

Since his arrest by Iranian security forces during a raid on his offices on 9 October 2010, human rights lawyer Dr Houtan Kian has reportedly been subjected to repeated tortured and ill-treatment while being held incommunicado and in solitary confinement.

Gao Zhisheng - Currently missing in Chinaposted on: 2010/12/07

Human rights defender and self-taught lawyer Gao Zhisheng was named one of China's top ten lawyers by the Ministry of Justice in 2001. However, after beginning to investigate and draw attention to allegations of abuse against members of China’s religious minorities, he became subject to harassment, detentions and forced disappearances himself. The whereabouts of Gao Zhisheng are currently unknown. He has not been heard from since 20 April 2010.

Further Information

In 2004 and 2005 Gao wrote three open letters to the Chinese leaders calling on the government to bring to a halt the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. As a result of this Gao’s license to practice law was revoked, his law firm shut down and his family began to face harassment from Chinese security forces. In February 2006 Gao organised a “Relay Hunger Strike for Human Rights,” which involved human rights defenders and citizens fasting for 24 hours in rotation. This was launched to protest against state harassment and abuse of human rights defenders and the lawyers who represented them.

Iranian opposition lawyer Arrestedposted on: 2010/10/14

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer in Iran who has been given a prison sentence of eleven years and banned from working as a lawyer or leaving the country for twenty years. This sentence has been given to her, not for any criminal activity but as a result of her peaceful human rights work. She was accused of 'spreading propaganda' and 'conspiring to harm state security'. Nasrin has represented many defenders opposed to the current regime in Iran. She has also worked extensively with young prisoners who have been sentenced to death for crimes they committed when they were under 18.

Further Information

On 4 September, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was summoned to appear in court at Evin prison on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “collusion and gathering with the aim of acting against national security”. She has been detained since. In protest at her detention Nasrin has undertaken several hunger strikes. Nasrin has recently come off her latest hunger strike which lasted 45 days.

Prior to her arrest, Nasrin had reported harassment on the part of the authorities. On 28 August 2010 her home and office were searched, and her assets were frozen.