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Chinese human-rights lawyer’s appeal fails

The EU and Amnesty International have expressed concern about a decision by a court in China to uphold the conviction on human-rights lawyer Yu Wensheng. 

Yu was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for “inciting subversion of state power” in October 2024. 

The Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court yesterday (6 January) rejected his appeal against the sentence. 

The EU said that it “deeply regrets” the decision, adding that it had consistently expressed its concern about the cases of Yu and his wife Xu Yan, who was sentenced to one year and nine months’ imprisonment on similar charges.

Release 

Both were detained on 13 April 2023 while en route to a meeting with an EU delegation in Beijing. 

Xu Yan is scheduled for release on 13 January. The EU urged the Chinese authorities to ensure her timely release and “to guarantee her safety and well-being thereafter”. 

“The EU reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Yu Wensheng, as well as all other detained and convicted human-rights defenders in China,” it stated. 

Charges ‘baseless’ 

Amnesty International described the charges against Yu and Xu as “entirely baseless”. 

Its interim regional deputy director for research Kate Schuetze said that the charges showed the authorities’ inability to provide any legitimate justification for their imprisonment. 

“The Chinese government has used Yu’s online comments and his numerous international human rights awards as an excuse to label him a threat to national security.

"But all this really demonstrates is Beijing’s deep fear of human-rights defenders who dare to dissent,” she said.