Zhou Shifeng
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Zhou Shifeng is head of the Fengrui Law Firm, and a prominent human right lawyer. He is a key member of the 'rights defense movement,' which has tried to challenge state power through litigation and publicity.
He has taken on a number of 'politically risky' human rights cases since 2001. In 2008 he sued one of the largest dairy producers in China on behalf of a victim of the contaminated milk scandal, while in 2014 he represented Tie Liu, an 81 year old writer who was arrested following online critcism of the Chinese givernment. In 2015, Zhou publicly announced his intention to establish a "China Lawyers' Rights Defence Fund" which would provide financial assistance to family members of detained lawyers.
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.
