Human Rights in China
Focus Areas
Chinese Human Rights Lawyers
Standing in solidarity with rights-defending lawyers in China who have had their licenses revoked, been arrested, or been subjected to enforced disappearance, including T'ang Chi-t'an, Liu Wei, Wang Yü, Yü Wen-sheng, and others.
The Li Ming-che Case
Taiwanese citizen Li Ming-che lost contact after traveling to China in March 2017 and was sentenced to 5 years in prison in November of that year. JRF has continued to monitor and advocate for him, and Li Ming-che returned to Taiwan upon completing his sentence in April 2022.
International Monitoring Mechanisms
Calling on the United Nations to establish an independent monitoring mechanism for human rights violations in China, and urging the international community to jointly respond to China's suppression of civil society.
Taiwanese in China
Tracking Taiwanese citizens subjected to enforced disappearance or arbitrary detention in China, including cases such as Fu Cha (Li Meng-chü), and paying close attention to the gap in the protection of personal freedom across the Taiwan Strait.
What is the "709 Crackdown"?
In the early morning hours of July 9, 2015, Chinese police initiated a massive wave of arrests targeting human rights lawyers and activists, known as the "709 Crackdown." Within a matter of weeks, over 300 lawyers, legal assistants, and human rights defenders across China were summoned, detained, or subjected to enforced disappearance, including prominent figures such as Wang Yü, Chiang T'ien-yung, and Chai Yen-min.
This was the largest political purge targeting the legal profession in modern Chinese history. Those detained not only faced criminal prosecution, but some were also long denied the right to meet with lawyers while subjected to "residential surveillance at a designated location," with their families' visitation and communication strictly restricted.
Taiwan's Role: Due to the unique historical connection between Taiwan and China, Taiwanese civil society bears a high degree of responsibility and concern for human rights issues in China. JRF believes that defending the right to counsel for Chinese lawyers is also a crucial effort to safeguard the quality of cross-strait judicial exchanges and prevent Taiwanese citizens from facing similar treatment in China.
Key Milestones
Featured Articles and Statements
Below are key articles and action records for this project. Click to read the full text (opens in a new window).
Support JRF and Keep Human Rights Advocacy Heard
The Judicial Reform Foundation is a non-profit organization that relies on public support for its long-term operations. Your donations allow us to continuously monitor Chinese human rights lawyers, stand in solidarity regarding the personal freedom of Taiwanese citizens in China, and promote international monitoring mechanisms.
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2023
New Book Publication & Seminar | "My Motherland Has a Mental Illness: An Investigation into the Phenomenon of Being 'Mentally Hospitalized' in China"
This new book, "My Motherland Has a Mental Illness: An Investigation into the Phenomenon of Being 'Mentally…
2022
Joint Statement | Urging the Chinese Government to Respect Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Assembly and to Stop Using Violence and Arbitrary Arrests Against Peaceful Protesters
(Taipei: 2022.12.07) We, the undersigned organizations, jointly issue this statement demanding that the Chinese…
2022
How the International Community Supports and Protects China's Human Rights Lawyers
Starting from July 9, 2015, the Chinese government launched interrogations and arrests across as many as 25 provinces,…
2022
The 6th Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Day in 2022
The 6th Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Day will be live-streamed on the Judicial Reform Foundation's YouTube channel.…
2022
China's Legal Information Warfare to Divide Taiwan and Hong Kong
Whether concerning the Meng-Chu Li case or the Regulations Governing Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents Entering…
2022
Joint NGO Statement & Support Rally | Unjustly Detained in China for Five Years, Let Ming-Che Li Return to Taiwan! Press Conference
Ever since Ming-Che Li was subjected to enforced disappearance by China on March 19, 2017, and subsequently sentenced…
2021
International Conference | Civil Society under Authoritarian Rule: Activism, Dialogues, and Strategies
Building on the JRF's "Dialogue: When Taiwan Meets Hong Kong" project, this international conference brought together…
2021
Post-Conference Press Release | International Conference: "Civil Society under Authoritarian Rule: Activism, Dialogues, and Strategies"
The conference was organized around two related observations: the growing challenges civil society faces as…
2021
Joint Press Conference | Human-Rights Diehards: Boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics
Ahead of Human Rights Day, 27 Taiwanese civil-society organizations and three legislators called for a boycott and…
2021
Joint Open Letter | An Open Letter to Xi Jinping Calling for the Release of Citizen Journalist Zhang Zhan
A coalition of nongovernmental organizations defending human rights and press freedom urged Xi Jinping to exonerate and…
2021
Interview with Attorney Wu Yushui: The "Stolen Right to Defense" of the Changsha Public Welfare Trio
Known as the "Changsha Public Welfare Trio," Chinese NGO workers Ch'en Yüan, Wu Ke-chien-hsiung, and Liu Ta-chih were…
2021
Bring Ming-Che Home: Press Conference for the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
After more than 1,623 days of Li Ming-Che's detention in China, his family still lacked regular communication, reliable…