Sui Muqing
Human rights lawyers, staffers detained in widespread crackdown across China
Hopefully there will be improvement in the freedom of speech and religion in the new year. Last year, persecution against free speech and religion was very severe—I hope the rule of law in China will improve.
Sui Muqing is a Guangzhou-based human rights lawyer who has defended many fellow human rights defenders, including 2015 Front Line Defenders' Award winner Guo Feixiong. As a result of his work, he has been subjected to harassment, interrogation, detention and travel bans.
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.
