{"id":34088,"date":"2017-05-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csw-yeo.1wp.site\/blog\/li-hepings-release-a-moment-to-celebrate-or-a-continuing-case-of-concern-1576\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T22:07:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T21:07:32","slug":"li-hepings-release-a-moment-to-celebrate-or-a-continuing-case-of-concern-1576","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.csw.org.uk\/zh\/blog\/li-hepings-release-a-moment-to-celebrate-or-a-continuing-case-of-concern-1576\/","title":{"rendered":"Li Heping\u2019s Release \u2013 A Moment to Celebrate or a Continuing Case of Concern?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Li Heping\u2019s reunion with his family on 9 May 2017<\/a> was a moment for celebration; the celebration of an innocent man\u2019s reunion with his long-suffering family and the celebration of the end of a period of torture, interrogation and imprisonment. But the joy of Li Heping\u2019s reunion with his family is tempered by continuing concerns for his safety, and the injustice of his situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Li
Wang Qiaoling and her daughter embrace Li Heping<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Who is Li Heping?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Li Heping is one of China\u2019s most experienced and high profile human rights lawyers. He began working on sensitive cases around 2002 and is well known for defending the human rights of religious minorities, including Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, as well as activists and victims of torture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His work on these cases led to a confrontation with the state. A Chinese security agent reportedly once told him that, in the eyes of Beijing, Li had become \u201cmore dangerous than Bin Laden\u201d.<\/a> In September 2007, Li was abducted, stripped and tortured<\/a> by security forces. He then had his lawyers\u2019 license revoked in 2009, and continued to be consistently monitored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"Li
Li Heping (right) with his brother Li Chunfu (left) following his release from detention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018709 Crackdown\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On 10 July 2015<\/a>, the Chinese government detained Li as part of a series of sweeping detentions of human rights lawyers and their staff known as the \u2018709 crackdown.\u2019 In an unprecedented move, over 300 lawyers, activists, colleagues and family members were interrogated, detained or disappeared. Li was disappeared and held in incommunicado detention, unable to contact his lawyer or family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The treatment of prisoners in detention<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While held in detention, Li Heping and other prisoners have suffered intensely. Li Chunfu, Li Heping\u2019s brother, also a human right\u2019s lawyer, was released on \u2018bail\u2019 on 12 January 2017. He was then swiftly hospitalised after it emerged that torture had left him physically frail and suffering from symptoms of schizophrenia.<\/a> It is believed that Li Heping was kept in similar conditions from July 2015 until May 2017. On being reunited with her husband, Li\u2019s wife Wang Qiaoling said in an interview with the Guardian<\/em><\/a>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has changed completely, his appearance, his physical looks… [he is] so different from the husband I remember\u2026 I am pretty sure he was treated with great cruelty.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li\u2019s trial, sentencing and release<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Li is a Christian, a husband and a father. The journey to Li Heping\u2019s recent trial has been a long and arduous one for his family, who have been his greatest advocates, particularly his wife Wang Qiaoling, who has been outspoken about the injustices against Li and their family and has faced significant intimidation.<\/a> His daughter Li Jiamei has also appeared in a video calling for her father\u2019s release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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