Chang Boyang
Lawyer Charged After Trying to Defend June 4 Commemorators
Chang Boyang is a human rights lawyer who has worked extensively with disadvantaged and vulnerable communities to help defend their rights. He has represented migrant workers, children and people living with HIV/AIDS. In 2004, he set up a volunteer legal aid centre in Henan province and, in 2008, founded a volunteer lawyers' network to assist children who had been made ill from drinking tainted baby milk formula. Chang Boyang is Yirenping's legal representative and a board member of the parent Yirenping organisation.
Chinese HRDs face intimidation, harassment, house arrest, abductions, torture and imprisonment. They also work under very restrictive legislation, including laws which criminalize all unauthorized demonstrations and require government sponsorship for NGO registration, which is refused to any organisation touching on human rights issues. Widescale investigations into NGOs with links to overseas organisations took place in 2014 and 2015 resulting in harassment, detentions and forced closures.
