Although it is too early to assess the progress made in the just-concluded U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue, Human Rights in China (HRIC) is encouraged by Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner’s comments that a range of specific cases, including those of Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) and Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), were raised with the Chinese delegation, and that difficult broader human rights issues, such as freedom of religion and expression and independence of the judiciary and the bar, were discussed in the context of an international human rights framework.
Describing the two-day meeting as respectful, frank, and constructive, and laying a foundation for regular, ongoing discussion and cooperation, Assistant Secretary Posner identified at least one concrete benchmark – a legal experts dialogue that will be conducted in the next few months.
“In light of recent legal developments in China, such as the revised Law on Guarding State Secrets,” said Sharon Hom, Executive Director of HRIC, “the potential agenda could include many issues upon which both sides will have clear differences and could benefit from constructive discussion.”
HRIC urges both the U.S. and Chinese governments, as the process goes forward, to draw upon the diverse expertise and experiences of civil society groups and other non-government participants to enrich the dialogue process.
For more information on civil society organizations, see:
- Women’s Rights NGO Responds to Cancellation by Peking University,” April 7, 2010
- “Gongmeng Officially Shut Down, Founder Formally Arrested, August 18, 2009
- Xu Zhiyong in Custody Seven Days; Still No Official Explanation August 4, 2009
- Law Research Center Is Shut Down as Authorities Tighten Control on Civil Society Groups,” July 17, 2009
- Raid of Public Interest Group Reveals Degree of Information Control,”July 29, 2009
For more information on lawyers and rights defenders, see:
- Disbarred Lawyers File Criminal Complaint Against Judicial Bureau Official,” May 12, 2010
- Beijing Judicial Bureau Revokes Licenses of Two Rights Defense Lawyers,” May 7, 2010
- “Judicial Authorities Target Lawyers, Eroding Rule of Law” April 22, 2010
- “Lawyers Challenge License Revocation Decision; Judicial Bureau Balks,” April 21, 2010
- “Lawyers Facing License Revocation Detail Irregular Courtroom Activities Permitted by Judge,” April 20, 2010
- “Democracy Activist Gets Ten Years for ‘Subversion of State Power,’” October 16, 2009
- “Chinese Rights Defense Lawyers Under All-out Attack by the Authorities,” June 4, 2009
- Jerome A. Cohen, “The Struggle for Autonomy of Beijing’s Public Interest Lawyers,” China Rights Forum, 2009, no. 1
- “Lawyers Are Dismissed by Firms for Supporting Beijing Lawyers Association Direct Election, Law Firms Are Threatened,” October 31, 2008
- “Beijing Lawyers’ Appeal for Direct Elections,” October 31, 2008
For more information on Gao Zhisheng, see:
- “Chinese Government Should Respect Gao Zhisheng’s Rights,” April 8, 2010
- “Statement by Geng He, Wife of Gao Zhisheng,” February 17, 2010
- “Top EU Official Asks China to Account for Missing Chinese Lawyer Gao Zhisheng,” February 10, 2010
- “Wife of Disappeared Lawyer Says to Chinese Government: Give Back My Husband,” February 4, 2010
- “Wife of Abducted Rights Defense Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Requests Urgent Help From U.S. Congress in Open Letter,” April 23, 2009
- “Family of Missing Rights Defense Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Arrives in U.S.,” March 11, 2009
- “Torture Account by Missing Rights Defense Lawyer Gao Zhisheng,” February 8, 2009
- Joint statement by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Human Rights in China, “Human Rights Lawyer in Arbitrary Detention,” February 2, 2009
- Kerry Brown, Review of Gao Zhisheng's A China More Just, China Rights Forum, 2008, No.1
- “HRIC Statement on Gao Zhisheng's Sentence,” December 22, 2006
- “HRIC Concerned Over Gao Zhisheng’s Guilty Plea,” December 13, 2006
For more information on Liu Xiaobo, see:
- “Court Affirms 11-Year Sentence for Liu Xiaobo against International Appeal for His Release,” February 11, 2010
- “Liu Xiaobo Appeal Charges Court with Abuse of Public Power,” January 29, 2010
- “Vaclav Havel, in HRIC Interview, Sends Message of Solidarity to Liu Xiaobo and Family,” January 27, 2010
- Liu Xiaobo's Verdict: Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court Criminal Verdict (2009) No. 3901, translation by Human Rights in China, December 30, 2009
- “International Community Speaks Out on Liu Xiaobo Verdict,” December 30, 2009
- “Liu Xiaobo’s Guilty Verdict and 11-Year Sentence Send Message of Zero Tolerance for Universal Human Rights,” December 25, 2009
- “What Constitutes Liu Xiaobo’s ‘Incitement to Subvert State Power’?,” December 23, 2009
- Ding Zilin, “The Dirtiest of Political Trials,” December 23, 2009
- “Ding Zilin Urges Charter 08 Signers to ‘Join’ Liu Xiaobo’s Trial,” December 18, 2009
For more information on state secrets, see:
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