zhōng guó

中国

rén quán

人权

lǜ shī

律师

shòu dào

受到

dǎ yā

打压

shí

十

nián

年

Ten years ago, the Chinese government began a large-scale crackdown on human rights lawyers and activists.

Many lawyers and their families were monitored and harassed by the police; some were sentenced to prison, and others lost their jobs.

In July 2015, many lawyers and activists were arrested in what is known as the '709 Crackdown.'

Some were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to eight years, and even after release, they were still under surveillance.

Some lawyers had their licenses revoked and could no longer practice law, causing their families to lose income.

Human rights organizations say these lawyers originally helped people protect their rights and worked hard to make society more just.

Now, although some lawyers still persist in their work, due to government suppression, fewer lawyers dare to speak out for human rights.

Human rights organizations call on governments worldwide to pay attention to the situation of Chinese human rights lawyers and hope they can receive freedom and fair treatment.