movement movement non centralized group lawyers legal experts intellectuals china seek protect defend civil rights litigation legal activism movement began early 2000s organized demonstrations sought reform legal system media defended victims human rights abuses written appeal letters despite opposition communist_party authorities issues adopted lawyers property housing rights protection aids victims environmental damage religious freedom freedom speech press defending rights lawyers facing imprisonment individuals involved movement met occasionally harsh chinese officials including detention harassment extreme instances torture authorities responded movement launch education campaign socialist concept rule law role communist_party political considerations legal profession supremacy communist_party judicial process background legal reforms late 1970s 1980s moved embrace language rule law establish modern court system process enacted thousands new laws regulations begun training legal professionals concept rule law constitution embarked campaigns idea citizens protection law time fundamental contradiction exists implementation rule law insists authority law constitution rule law emphasizes principle leadership communist_party judiciary independent subject control communist_party produced system described rule law rule law judicial decisions subject arbitrary assessments citizens attempt use legal system pursue grievances find cause determined potential undermine authority communist_party suppressed defendants find facing criminal charges conducting activism religious beliefs means pursuing effective defense movement early 2000s response inherent contradictions arbitrary exercise legal authority china roots traced consumer protection movement began 1990s movement informal understood including lawyers legal activists advocate civil rights defend interests citizens corporations government communist_party organs note lawyers generally weaker party workers employers labor disputes peasants cases involving taxation persons environmental pollution land appropriation village committee elections journalists facing government censorship defendants subject criminal prosecution ordinary citizens government policies actions emergence movement possible confluence factors including market services emerging rights consciousness facilitated lawyers law changed definition lawyers state legal workers professionals holding legal certificate perform legal services law effectively lawyers state gave lawyers greater limited autonomy profession lawyers tend especially critical lack judicial independence china challenging particular laws frame work keeping chinese laws describe activities means defending constitution abuses described form rightful resistance lawyers lawyers chinese rights protection lawyers refer small influential movement lawyers legal practitioners scholars activists help chinese citizens assert constitutional civil rights public interest litigation legal activism context rising number lawyers china proportion lawyers small face considerable personal financial professional risks notable lawyers include lawyers peasants teach law file civil complaints engage litigation educate fellow citizens rights lawyers radical major fields freedom expression freedom speech article constitution people republic china chinese authorities enforce restrictions political religious expression restrictions accordance article criminal code contains vague broadly defined provisions state power lawyers international human rights organizations argued provisions inconsistent china constitution international human rights standards particularly light lack transparency clear guidelines applying laws lawyers involved litigation forms advocacy defend rights free expression individuals charged crime notable cases include prominent beijing intellectual sentenced years prison december activist sentenced years publishing writings square massacre advocating families earthquake victims accepting interviews sound hope radio lawyers reportedly barred entering courtroom october intellectual sentenced years prison publishing articles online lawyers challenged application state secret laws prosecute individuals information politically sensitive issues november instance lawyers involved arguing activist advocated online parents earthquake victims sentenced years prison possession state secrets judicial independence chinese constitution rule law simultaneously emphasizes principle leadership communist_party legal profession subordinate authority communist_party bar associations responsible issuing lawyers licenses lawyers argued structure emergence genuine rule law cases advocated reforms advance judicial independence protection legal professionals late august collection dozen beijing lawyers signed petition stating leaders elected organization members appointed petition letter stated selection process place association directors inconsistent official guidelines chinese constitution replaced democratic voting process responded campaign asserting individual uses text messages web media privately promote concept direct elections express controversial opinions spreading rumors confuse poison people minds convince people circumstances exist called illegal following year refused renew licenses lawyers signed petition elections land rights chinese property law privately held land urban land owned state grants land rights set number years rural collectively owned land leased state periods years theoretically reserved agricultural purposes housing services farmers forced forbidden china ratified china constitution property laws urban land permitted purpose supporting public interest evicted supposed receive compensation protection living conditions public interest defined abuses common process citizens complaining receiving little compensation forced little compensation occur frequently urban rural china fewer legal rural citizens collectively owned rural land discretion authorities regions local governments private developers rural land urban land sold mid-1990s estimated million chinese peasants affected land citizens resist protest reportedly subjected harassment detention land related grievances occasionally large scale protests riots lawyers advocated rights individual citizens land homes taken inadequate compensation including shanghai lawyer beijing lawyer left homeless forced outspoken advocate victims sentenced years prison year old farmer published numerous articles human rights land rights helped organise petition entitled want human rights olympics petition reportedly collected thousand signatures yang trial sentenced years prison allegedly tortured hired defend denied access client defense ethnic minorities lawyers including offered legal aid wake march protests protests resulted imprisonment execution individuals chinese government sources asserted unrest violence executed followers purpose unrest disrupting summer olympics beijing open constitution initiative operated lawyers intellectuals issued paper challenging official narrative suggesting protests instead response economic han chinese migration religious sentiments recommended chinese authorities better respect protect rights interests people including religious freedom pursue reduction economic inequality official corruption sentenced years prison making documentary human rights run beijing olympics lawyers sought represent faced threats harassment advocacy july group chinese activists including signed letter chinese leadership protest year prison sentence journalist permitted lawyer trial charged state security according reports charged criticized chinese government interview hong_kong news agency prevent july riots spiritual discipline claimed tens million adherents china banned july leadership communist_party campaign launched suppress group attempt adherents renounce belief practice subject state sanctioned systematic violence custody resulting death sources indicate hundreds thousands detained labor camps practicing resisting persecution november offered judicial interpretation article criminal code stating regarded cult large numbers subsequently sentenced long prison terms article typically short trials presence lawyer information center reported adherents sentenced prison terms years human rights groups including note application law adherents china constitution international standards lawyers argued similarly defending adherents face criminal administrative sentencing beliefs lawyers defended include addition litigation work lawyers like advocated publicly media human rights wrote series letters china leadership detailing accounts torture sexual abuse practitioners calling end persecution group response lost legal license house arrest detained reportedly tortured hiv aids lawyers advocated rights hiv aids victims contracted virus result state sponsored blood drives 1990s government officials central china especially encouraged rural citizens sell blood order supplement gross process resulted hundreds thousands individuals infected hiv according activists victims compensated government officials held authorities continue suppress information epidemic particularly sensitive light involvement communist party propaganda head party chief arguably known advocate hiv aids victims having served executive director founders non governmental organization women rights blind self taught lawyer rose prominence defending victims china child policy implemented child policy couples child exceptions rural citizens ethnic minorities couples children chinese laws condemn harsh enforcement measures chinese authorities family planning staff accused carrying late term forced torture enforce policy filed class action case family planning officials accused thousands women forced underground christians china constitution guarantees freedom religion provides normal religious activities permitted practice religious freedom granted strictly prescribed parameters officially sanctioned patriotic religious associations buddhism islam catholicism groups falling outside state administered religions including underground house church christians subject varying degrees repression persecution definitive figures number underground christians china estimates total number excess million catholic bishops operate independent official surveillance house arrest detention disappeared leaders members underground protestant churches detained sentenced labor prison terms violent raids carried underground churches resulting injury inside chinese officials labelled underground protestant churches translated literally evil religion cult providing pretext punishment members prominent lawyers identify underground protestant movement sought defend church members leaders facing imprisonment include house church leader based organization sponsored legal cases provided rule law training legal help distressed clients china initiatives number specific events attracted help attention activists march earthquake school construction resulted collapse schools students number lawyers including involved advocating rights parents investigating allegations corrupt officials responsible poor construction parents lawyers met chinese officials activism later year revealed large quantities infant formula causing fall ill resulting deaths group parents victims reportedly detained attempting draw media attention plight dozens lawyers particularly provinces offered pro legal services victims efforts authorities individual human rights cases incident death drawn help rights defenders group legal scholars including formed open constitution initiative chinese advocate greater rule law organization involved case advocated labor rights freedom expression hiv aids victims land rights protection public health issues government response rule law response emergence movement makes use official language rule law justify work april political campaign launched communist_party leadership judicial work combat idea greater independence judges lawyers educate people judicial authorities socialist concept rule law campaign announced head urged order protect political stability forceful measures adopted pretext rights protection carry sabotage launch campaign coincided crackdown lawyers shortly campaign launch provided instruction judges reminding political goals work uphold according document issued judges quoted recently judges started believe judge strictly apply law case fact kind concept erroneous legal clear political background direction stamp kind narrow viewpoint thinks court work having judicial independence december conference political legal work general secretary articulated theory emphasized legal work regard supreme concerns interests communist_party march confirmed new head formal legal training abandoned efforts predecessors improve judicial training autonomy instead placed primary importance ideological implications theory leadership communist_party china issued new regulations intended strengthen supervision management lawyers law firms according associated_press new regulations serve allow authorities punish lawyers actions talking media causing traffic troubles march china issued new directive requiring lawyers obtaining license existing license swear oath loyalty communist_party according ministry website section oath includes following swear fulfill sacred mission legal workers socialism chinese characteristics swear loyalty people uphold leadership socialist system protect dignity constitution laws suppression lawyers measures lawyers faced challenges work chinese government including suspension violence threats surveillance arbitrary detention prosecution particularly true lawyers politically sensitive cases reports harassment intimidation violence lawyers increased following launch campaign promote socialist concept rule law authorities refused renew licenses dozen lawyers effectively banned life legal profession instance lawyers permitted renew legal licenses taking politically sensitive cases lawyers sentenced prison response activism selection notable instances suppression listed recognized china promising lawyers advocate range individuals minorities wrote series letters chinese leadership concerning torture adherents legal license revoked law firm shut family placed house arrest detained months sentenced year years prison subject prolonged custody reportedly tortured december aids pro democracy activist detained crackdown run beijing olympics known rights advocate advocated behalf aids victims peasants victims land critical lack human rights progress ahead olympic games pleaded guilty trial march april sentenced years prison state power previously house arrest reportedly beaten police response work bring class action lawsuit family planning authorities house arrest threatened detained beaten activists visited offer support beaten interrogated august sentenced years months prison damaging property gathering crowds transport order following release remains house arrest april beijing lawyers permanently defending practitioners lawyers violently beaten detained investigating death year old killed labor camp month earlier beijing lawyer similarly beaten police seeking defend arrested july charged state power trial began february city yang sentenced years prison march maintained innocence trial hearing sentenced yang reportedly beaten electric rod occasions july security agents broke home lawyer defended adherents taken custody interrogation reportedly beaten severely lawyers permitted contact november sentenced closed court seven years prison advocacy behalf practitioners lawyers permitted january reported tortured july authorities beijing raided open constitution initiative established legal scholars february activists detained following online calls pro democracy protests china including multiple chinese activists began preparing 25th anniversary square protests number lawyers arrested planning suspected planning demonstrations arrested lawyer involved organising demonstrations international response relatively little awareness phenomenon movement outside china western governments human rights organizations consistently expressed concern treatment individual lawyers china faced imprisonment prolonged disappearance sentencing alleged torture work promoting civil rights speaking party rule october group members pressed president obama raise cases chinese leadership writing prolonged detention lawyers hauled away crime defending clients rule law china failed claims raised cases individuals chinese counterparts awarded prize recognizing human rights advocacy year received nominations nobel peace prize considered favorites award years later seven members nominated imprisoned lawyers fellow prize letter noted individuals sought raise chinese people awareness dignity rights government govern constitution laws international human rights agreements signed significant contribution peace nobel prize committee awarded honor december
Weiquan movement