Washington – Speaking at a recent event at the Catholic University of America, Yaxue Cao, founder of ChinaChange.org, highlighted the daunting challenges that criminal defense and human rights lawyers face in China’s legal system. The event, which included the screening of the documentary “The Defenders: 20 Years of Human Rights Lawyers in China,” was hosted by the university’s various centers focused on law and human rights.
Cao’s speech, laden with anecdotes and legal historical context, painted a grim picture of a judiciary that operates under stringent controls from the ruling Communist Party of China. She referenced multiple cases, including the harrowing experiences of lawyers like Gao Zhisheng, who suffered severe persecution for his advocacy.
From its inception in the early 2000s, a brave cohort of lawyers emerged in China, spurred by a desire to fight for justice and the rule of law. These attorneys have faced significant risks in challenging legal cases that often involve accusations against the state or defending marginalized groups. Cao described these lawyers not merely as legal professionals but as pivotal activists for civil rights within a repressive governance framework.
According to Cao, despite rapid economic advancements and some superficial reforms, the Party’s grip on the judiciary remains ironclad. Lawyers commonly encounter harassment, disbarment, and even torture. Detailed in her address were the procedures of notorious cases like the July 2015 nationwide crackdown, now referred to as the “709 Crackdown,” which saw the arrest and subsequent mistreatment of numerous legal professionals.
The government’s antipathy towards rights defense lawyers underscores a broader anxiety within the Party about any forms of challenges that might emanate from these legal disputes. By highlighting cases from recent history, Cao illustrated an enduring pattern of state behavior that feigns judicial propriety while systematically crushing dissent and obstructing justice.
Cao’s insights into the function of law in China elucidate a perverse judicial system where, despite modern reforms, legal professionals continue to operate under the shadow of state surveillance and control. She characterized the participation of lawyers in the legal process as a mere formality, intended to support the facade of legal proceedings while substantively denying justice.
The documentary screening and discussion also tackled the portrayal of lawyers and the judicial proceedings in state-controlled media, contrasting it with the reality experienced by defense lawyers. Cao criticized the trials as “cosplay,” a performance intended to convey a sense of fairness while being orchestrated entirely by state apparatus.
In conclusion, Cao stressed the significance of international awareness and support for China’s human rights lawyers. Despite the stark challenges depicted, she remained hopeful about the prospects of change, fueled by the courageous acts of the legal community battling against overwhelming odds.
As attendees absorbed the stark revelations made by Cao, the implications of her analysis suggested a dire need for broader international discourse and intervention to aid those fighting for justice and human rights in environments as restrictive as China’s.