Li Heping
The Desperate Hunt for Li Heping, China's Missing Human Rights Warrior
Wife of Chinese human rights lawyer missing for six months tells of despair
Because humanity has limited tolerance of others, in many places around the world, to different degrees, these freedoms and the right of citizens to be their own masters is not guaranteed.
Li Heping, a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, has been practising law since 1997 and in that time has defended scores of human rights defenders and victims of rights abuses. He has taken on cases involving freedom of religion, freedom of expression and represented those who have had their land or property confiscated by the government. He has been subjected to surveillance, harassment, intimidation, detention and assault because of his work.
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.
