14 December 2023

As the world marks International Human Rights Day this week, The Rights Practice, The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, The 29 Principles, Hong Kong Watch, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Lawyers for Lawyers, Free Tibet and The Tibetan Community in Britain, urge the People’s Republic of China to take urgent action to ensure respect for human rights and observe the rule of law.

We express grave concern about ongoing, widespread violations of the rights of lawyers by the authorities in China and Hong Kong. This includes arbitrary detention, illegitimate criminal prosecution, unfair trials, enforced disappearance, torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

We also deplore the fact that detained lawyers in China are routinely subjected to Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL), which involves incommunicado detention prior to arrest for up to six months in an undisclosed location.

READ THE FULL JOINT STATEMENT HERE