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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2018
Li Ching-yu Denied Visitation - Statement by the Lee Ming-che Rescue Team
Li Ching-yu, wife of Lee Ming-che, received a notification yesterday (29th) from China's Chishan Prison stating that…
2017
Peaceful Speech Is Not a Crime! Release Li Ming-che Immediately! The Tsai Administration Must Issue a Strong Protest and Defend the Basic Rights of Our Citizens—Statement by the Taiwan-Support Rescuing Li Ming-che Team in Response to the Verdict in the Li Case
Taiwanese human rights worker Li Ming-che has been illegally detained by the Chinese government for 254 days since his…
2017
Viewing the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party Through the Li Ming-che Case
The Chinese Communist Party rushed to publicly try Lee Ming-che before its 19th National Congress, yet has delayed…
2017
Li Ming-che Case Lecture Tour - Lecturer Training
The Li Ming-che Rescue Team is organizing a series of lecturer training sessions and national lecture tours across…
2017
The Li Ming-che Case May Have Already Been Secretly Sentenced - Press Conference on the Sentencing in the Li Ming-che Case
Today marks the 197th day of Li Ming-che's enforced disappearance. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, he remains…
2017
Statement by the Lee Ming-che Rescue Team: Chinese National Security Devises Another Smear Campaign, the Rescue Team Solemnly Clarifies
Following anonymous smear posts published on Weibo by Chinese national security units on September 15th (claiming Li…
2017
CHINA! FREE LI Human-Spelled Lettering Action to Support Li Ming-che
Today (Sept 17), over 350 people participated in the human-spelled lettering action to support Li Ming-che.…
2017
Statement by the Lee Ming-che Rescue Team: A Solemn Clarification in Response to China's Malicious Smear Campaign
Chinese national security authorities closely monitored Lee Ching-yu's itinerary throughout and were fully aware of the…
2017
Observations on the Li Ming-che Case: Seeing What Taiwan Must Do at the Yueyang Court
Monday's major trial in the Lee Ming-che case set numerous records in cross-strait judicial relations. Most notably,…
2017
Taiwan's First Chinese Political Prisoner
Lee Ching-yu, who was scheduled to attend a UN investigative hearing on September 12, suddenly received a call this…
2017
Establishment of the "Lee Ming-che Rescue Team" – Ongoing Actions
The "Lee Ming-che Rescue Team" will launch an island-wide lecture tour and hold a two-day lecturer training session for…
2017
Two Years After the “709 Crackdown”: Call for the Release of Lee Ming-che and All 709 Detainees
On June 6, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on China to release Liu Xiaobo and Lee Ming-che, and to…