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unlvL8SAL L8lCulC 8LvlLW, 171P SLSSlCn, 2013 (CPlnA)

Submission by: Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup
Related to: Chlna
UPR Session: 17
Lh
Sesslon of u8, CcLober 22, 2013
Submitted: 4 March 2013
CONCERNING LEGAL INDEPENDENCE AND ARBITRARY PSYCIATRIC CO!!IT!ENT
1he followlng submlsslon has been prepared by Lhe Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup.
resenLaLlon and recommendaLlons are based on Lhe appllcaLlon of human rlghLs lnsLrumenLs Lo
whlch Chlna ls a parLy, and lnformaLlon and recommendaLlons provlded from fleld acLlvlsLs and
defenders.
1he Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup (hLLp://www.chlna-acLlon.org) () ls a
Chlna-based nCC worklng Lo sLrengLhen Chlnese rule of law by encouraglng lmproved pollcy and
sLrengLhenlng Lhe enforcemenL of Lhe legal sysLem. 1he organlzaLlon speclallzes ln provldlng rapld
response legal asslsLance Lo rlghLs defenders ln need, supporLlng admlnlsLraLlve lawsulLs agalnsL
unlawful acLlons LargeLlng dlsadvanLaged groups, and ln Lralnlng rural lawyers Lo more effecLlvely
provlde legal ald Lo Lhose who have suffered vlolaLlons of Lhelr human rlghLs.
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unlvL8SAL L8lCulC 8LvlLW, 171P SLSSlCn, 2013 (CPlnA)
INTRODUCTION
1. Slnce Lhe 2009 u8 on Chlna, Lhe Chlnese SLaLe has conLlnued, and ln a number of lnsLances
lncreased, Lhe persecuLlon of human rlghLs defenders (P8us) Lhrough boLh abuslve legal and
lllegal meLhods. P8us are sub[ecLed Lo a varleLy of forms of persecuLlon, ranglng from
lnLlmldaLlon, survelllance, and house arresL Lo physlcal aLLacks, enforced dlsappearance and
arblLrary deLenLlon, lmprlsonmenL and unnaLural deaLhs ln cusLody
1
. uesplLe Chlnese
governmenL clalms Lo havlng reached all lLs goals seL ouL under Lhe 2009-2010 National
Human Rights Action Plan, and havlng launched a second plan for 2012-2013, Lhe conLlnued
persecuLlon of human rlghLs defenders ls a serlous lssue. Cf parLlcular concern ls Lhe ongolng
lmpunlLy for local pollce Lo arblLrarlly deLaln and physlcally abuse lndlvlduals and Lhe
malnLalned crackdown on lawyer's lndependence. uesplLe ongolng pressure Lhe pollce and
local governmenL appear Lo be slmply alLernaLlng or legallzlng Lhe forms of arblLrary deLenLlon
Lhey employ as opposed Lo halLlng lLs pracLlce.
A" La#ye$s inde%enden&e and 'Ba$e(oot) La#ye$s
2. A slgnlflcanL componenL of Lhe persecuLlon of human rlghLs defenders has been prollferaLed
by Lhe cracklng down on rlghLs defense lawyers and legal lndependence, Lhrough Lhe enforced
esLabllshmenL of 'parLy groups' wlLhln law flrms
2
and Lhe 2012 MlnlsLry of !usLlce demand LhaL
all llcensed lawyers musL Lake a loyalLy oaLh Lo Lhe CommunlsL arLy
3
, placlng LhaL loyalLy
above LhaL Lo Lhelr cllenLs.
4
1hls has Lhe posslblllLy of leadlng Lo a conslderable decrease ln
access Lo legal ald for vlcLlms of governmenL abuses. Powever, because Chlnese law
3
allows
parLles Lo elLher represenL Lhemselves or selecL Lhelr own legal represenLaLlon (excepL ln
crlmlnal cases), whlch does noL have Lo be a 'llcensed' lawyer, 'barefooL' lawyers have for a
long Llme fllled Lhe gap lefL by Lhe lnLlmldaLlon and persecuLlon of llcensed lawyers. 1hey are
also more economlcally vlable compared Lo Lhe prohlblLlve cosL ln Lhe eyes of Lhe rural
populaLlon, mlgranL workers and dlfferenL dlsadvanLaged groups.
3. '8arefooL' lawyers, or clLlzen lawyers, are unllcensed legal acLlvlsLs. Some 'barefooL' lawyers
used Lo be fully llcensed lawyers. 1he governmenL's crackdown on llcensed rlghLs defense
1
See Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup ubllcaLlon, Deaths in Custody: The Police's free rein to abuse power in
detention centers avallable aL: hLLp://chlna-acLlon.org/u8LlCA1lCnS.aspx
2
See Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup ubllcaLlon, Autonomy Under Fire: Lawyers and Law Firms in hina avallable
aL: hLLp://chlna-acLlon.org/u8LlCA1lCnS.aspx
3
Ldward Wong Chlnese Lawyers Chafe aL new CaLh Lo CommunlsL arLy n?1
hLLp://www.nyLlmes.com/2012/03/23/world/asla/chlnese-lawyers-chafe-aL-new-oaLh-Lo-communlsL-parLy.hLml?
pagewanLed=all&_r=0
4
1he 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe 8ole of Lawyers 13 sLaLes LhaL lawyers shall always loyally respecL Lhe lnLeresLs of Lhelr
cllenLs.
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ArLlcle 38 (2) of Lhe Clvll rocedure Law sLaLes LhaL grass-rooLs legal workers, lawyers, relaLlves, and communlLles or
companles may be appolnLed llLlganL aLLorneys.
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lawyers and llcense denlal as reLrlbuLlon for Laklng rlghLs cases, (Ll Peplng, Ll xlongblng, Cheng
Pal, Ll Subln)
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, a conLravenLlon of 1he 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe 8ole of Lawyers, has produced
some 'barefooL' lawyers. Cao Zhlsheng losL hls llcense and was debarred for hls work on
freedom of rellglon, he has been held ln almosL conLlnuous lncommunlcado arblLrary
deLenLlon slnce 4 lebruary 2009, flve days before Lhe 2009 u8 on Chlna commenced. 1hls ls
a dlrecL resulL of Lhe MlnlsLry of !usLlce's conLrol of Lhe 8ar AssoclaLlon, whlch by law should
be self-governed by Lhe llcensed lawyers Lhemselves. Powever, lawyers are bullled by Lhe
annual renewal of llcenses used by Lhe SLaLe Lo persecuLe and dlsbar lawyers who Lake on
'senslLlve' cases.
4. MosL 'barefooL' lawyers, however, are self-LaughL former peLlLloners and vlllage acLlvlsLs such
as Chen Cuangcheng, who afLer years ln prlson and abuslve house arresL famously escaped Lo
Lhe uS ln Aprll 2012. Whlle cases llke hls have generaLed conslderable aLLenLlon, Lhey are
unforLunaLely noL Lhe excepLlon Lo Lhe LreaLmenL of 'barefooL' lawyers, and new forms of
persecuLlon are belng employed.
5. AlLhough Chlnese law provldes LhaL 'barefooL' lawyers may represenL someone, Lhe ollce
Law, Lhe Law on CourLs, and oLhers, means LhaL Lhey are noL afforded cerLaln rlghLs such as
access Lo evldence or Lhe rlghL Lo speak wlLh Lhelr cllenL, whlch severely llmlLs Lhe Lype of
cases Lhey can manage. ln general, Lhese rules preclude Lhem from worklng wlLh crlmlnal
cases, buL allow Lhem Lo, aL leasL LheoreLlcally, work effecLlvely on admlnlsLraLlve cases (such
as sulng agalnsL lllegal governmenL acLlons). Local auLhorlLles have however recenLly begun
forclng courLs Lo lnapproprlaLely apply Lhe more llmlLlng ci!il procedure law as opposed Lo
administrati!e procedure law Lo lmpede Lhelr ablllLy Lo operaLe and represenL Lhelr cllenLs.
Such behavlor and oLher dlrecL acLlons Lo lnLerfere are lllegal by Chlnese domesLlc law and
conLravenes lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law.
7
6. 1hose who aLLempL Lo hold lnformal gaLherlngs Lo Leach Chlnese law or human rlghLs
educaLlon Lo vlllagers (Pong Maoxlan) or meeL wlLh oLher 'barefooL' lawyers or llcensed
lawyers are LhreaLened, deLalned, and physlcally assaulLed (uong Clanyong, Wang Cuanzhang,
Zhang Wel). '8arefooL' lawyers are ofLen harassed and quesLloned by Lhe pollce, (nl Wenhua,
Wang !lanfen), or beaLen ln response Lo Lhe cases Lhey Lake. 1hls happened Lo land rlghLs
rlghLs defender Lurned 'barefooL' lawyer nl ?ulan. She was beaLen so severely as Lo be
conflned Lo a wheelchalr ln 2002 buL conLlnued her legal pracLlce unLll she was senLenced ln
uecember 2008, and Lhen agaln, shorLly afLer her release from prlson, agaln senLenced
alongslde her husband ln Aprll 2012 Lo Lwo addlLlonal years of lmprlsonmenL for 'maklng
Lrouble.' noL only ls Lhe persecuLlon agalnsL 'barefooL' lawyers lLself alarmlng, lL represenLs a
6
See Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup ubllcaLlon, Manipulation as Insulation: The non"renewal of wei#uan
lawyers' licenses in hina. Avallable aL: hLLp://chlna-acLlon.org/u8LlCA1lCnS.aspx
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arLlcularly: 1he 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe 8ole of Lawyers, and on Lhe lndependence of Lhe !udlclary, arLlcles 7, 8, 10, 11 of
Lhe uuP8, and arLlcle 14 of Lhe lCC8.
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unlvL8SAL L8lCulC 8LvlLW, 171P SLSSlCn, 2013 (CPlnA)
Lrend ln consLrlcLlng Lhe avenues for addresslng rlghLs vlolaLlons for Lhelr poLenLlal cllenLs as
well.
B" An*an+
7. uurlng Lhe 2009 u8 several counLrles puL pressure on Chlna Lo end arblLrary deLenLlon, wlLh
speclflc menLlon of 8e-educaLlon Lhrough Labor (81L), '8lack !alls' and Lhe MlnlsLry of ubllc
SecurlLy admlnlsLered cusLodlal menLal hosplLal neLwork known as An$ang. AlLhough Chlna
re[ecLed Lhese recommendaLlons ln 2009, Lhe governmenL has osLenslbly Laken sLeps ln Lhe
lasL year Lo address some of Lhese lssues, wlLh a new Crlmlnal rocedure Law, a growlng
debaLe concernlng abollshlng 81L, and releaslng a flrsL of lLs klnd naLlonal MenLal PealLh Law,
whlch Look effecL 1 March 2013. 1here ls sLlll a long way Lo go.
8. 1he MenLal PealLh Law falls serlously shorL ln LhaL lL selecLlvely refuses Lo cover Lhe An$ang
sysLem, Lhus hlghllghLlng Lhe crux of Lhe problem. Chlna's Lwo sysLems of menLal healLh have
creaLed a sLrucLure where local pollce have full auLhorlLy Lo label lndlvlduals as menLally lll and
sub[ecL Lhem Lo lnvolunLary lncarceraLlon and forced LreaLmenL, amounLlng Lo arblLrary
deLenLlon and LorLure.
8
uocLors and nurses have admlLLed Lo accepLlng lndlvlduals wlLh no
dlsablllLles slmply because Lhe pollce lnsLrucLed Lhem Lo do so
9
, and wlLh no lndependenL
overslghL Lhe MlnlsLry of ubllc SecurlLy has full lmpunlLy Lo lmpose lLs wlll ouLslde of Lhe
[udlclal process. Crounds for commlLmenL are vague and Lhere ls no naLlonal sLandard. 1he
Shanghal regulaLlons, whlch serve as Lhe closesL Lhlng Lo a naLlonal example, auLhorlze pollce
Lo forclbly commlL lndlvlduals for, among oLhers, 'creaLlng a dlsLurbance.' lnvolunLary
commlLmenL can lasL for years.
9. AlLhough Lhere are meLhods for flllng appeal and reconslderaLlon for wrongful commlLmenL,
Lhey are ofLen obsLrucLed or dlsregarded by Lhe auLhorlLles and Lhe pollce regularly pressure
Lhe courL ln such cases, a conLravenLlon of Lhe lndependence of lawyers and [udges,
10
and Lhe
avenue for redress ls noL a [udlclal process - none exlsLs. As an admlnlsLraLlve process, Lhe
pollce are boLh Lhe execuLlve of Lhe sysLem, as well as lLs own supervlsor for handllng appeals.
10. aLlenLs who seek redress have been sub[ecLed Lo repeaL arblLrary commlLmenL. Wang
Wanxlng spenL more Lhan 12 years ln a 8el[lng Ankang, for pollLlcal acLlvlsm, whlle Chen
Mlaosheng dled ln a MlnlsLry of PealLh admlnlsLered 8el[lng hosplLal afLer 13 years of
8
See Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup ubllcaLlon, THOUGHT CRIMES: hina's use of psychiatric institutions as
detention centers. Avallable aL: hLLp://chlna-acLlon.org/u8LlCA1lCnS.aspx
9
1hls represenLs a clear vlolaLlon of Lhe Principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the impro!ement
of mental health care, parLlcularly rlnclple 4: ueLermlnaLlon of menLal lllness
10
See unlversal ueclaraLlon on Puman 8lghLs ArLlcle 8, 10, 11, 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe 8ole of Lawyers 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 13(b),
1he 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe lndependence of Lhe !udlclary 1, 2, 6, and Lhe Culdellnes on Lhe 8ole of rosecuLors 4, 8, 10,
12, 13(a,b), 13, 16.
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commlLmenL because hls company refused Lo permlL hls release. 1he deflnlLlon and power of
guardlanshlp ls vague and allows for easy abuse, as was Lhe case wlLh Chen Mlaosheng.
11. 1he Ankang sysLem ls also full of reporLs of LorLure. lnvolunLarlly commlLLed P8us have been
sub[ecLed Lo forced medlcaLlon,
11
beaLlngs, and elecLrlc shocks, such as Llu xln[uan, eng
?ongkang, xu Lln uong. 8ecause Lhere ls no naLlonal law regulaLlng lLs use, and because Chlna
has re[ecLed calls for reform and re[ecLed lnvlLaLlons of several lndependenL lnvesLlgaLors, and
parLlcularly due Lo Lhe raLe of abuse wlLhln An$ang faclllLles, Lhe sysLem ln lLs presenL form
conLravenes a number of Chlna's obllgaLlons Lo lnLernaLlonal law wlLh parLlcular noLe Lo
arblLrary deLenLlon
12
and LorLure.
13
12. Chlnese urgenL AcLlon Worklng Croup and oLhers have reporLed LhaL Lhe rellance on An$ang
Lo arblLrarlly deLaln and lnLlmldaLe P8us has lncreased and lL ls a concern LhaL lL wlll conLlnue
as an alLernaLlve Lo 'black [all' and 81L persecuLlon unless concreLe sLeps are Laken.
C" Re&ommendations (o$ t,e State unde$ $e-ie#
Concernlng 8ule of Law, lawyers' lndependence and '8arefooL' Lawyers
1. 1o lssue a mlnlsLerlal order ensurlng Lhe proper lmplemenLaLlon of procedural rules for courL
proceedlngs, Lo prevenL hosLlle courLs ln applylng clvll procedural maLLers regardlng
admlnlsLraLlve legal maLLers, Lhus effecLlvely reduclng 'barefooL lawyers' Lo provlde legal
represenLaLlon.
2. 1o allow for Lhe proper lmplanLaLlon of Lhe Lawyers law, Lhus maklng Lhe 8ar AssoclaLlon self-
regulaLed by lawyers and noL Lhrough conLrol by Lhe MlnlsLry of !usLlce, as a means of
prevenLlng mlsuse of Lhe annual renewal of llcenses, currenLly used as a Lool Lo punlsh lawyers
and law flrms Laklng on 'senslLlve' cases.
3. Agree Lo a vlslL requesL by Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on Lhe lndependence of Lawyers and
!udges. WlLhdraw mandaLory parLy afflllaLlon ln law flrms.
4. Agree Lo a vlslL requesL by Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on Lhe SlLuaLlon of Puman 8lghLs uefenders
and lmmedlaLely work Lo puL an end Lo Lhe arblLrary persecuLlon of P8us.
5. 1o remove Lhe requlremenL for law flrms Lo form 'parLy groups' wlLhln every law flrm, Lo
remove Lhe currenL de-facLo duel conLrol sysLem of lawyers and law flrm's lndependence by
boLh SLaLe and arLy.
6. 1o adhere Lo Lhe 8aslc rlnclples on Lhe 8ole of Lawyers, Lhus lssulng a clarlflcaLlon Lo
sLaLemenLs by Lhe MlnlsLry of !usLlce concernlng lawyers' prlmary loyalLy belng Lhe
CommunlsL arLy raLher Lhan Lhelr cllenL and Lhe law.
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A dlrecL vlolaLlon of rlnclples for Lhe proLecLlon of persons wlLh menLal lllness and Lhe lmprovemenL of menLal healLh
care rlnclple 9,10, and 11.
12
See unlversal ueclaraLlon on Puman 8lghLs ArLlcle 2, 3, 7, 9, 12, lCC8 ArLlcle 9, 10, 12, lCLu ArLlcle 2,
13
See unlversal ueclaraLlon on Puman 8lghLs ArLlcle 3, lCC8 ArLlcle 7, and 8roadly Lhe ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure
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7. 1o also remove Lhe oaLh of loyalLy for lawyers Lo Lhe Chlnese CommunlsL arLy.
Concernlng ArblLrary ueLenLlon and 'Ankang'
8. 1o brlng Lhe 'Ankang' sysLem under Lhe MenLal PealLh Law, or drafL a new naLlonal law LhaL
regulaLes Ankang.
9. 1o esLabllsh supervlslon of Lhe 'Ankang' sysLem by Lhe MlnlsLry of PealLh, Lo ensure boLh
execuLlon and supervlslon ls noL ln Lhe sole domaln of Lhe MlnlsLry of ubllc SecurlLy.
10. 1o esLabllsh [udlclal revlew (appeal sLrucLure) for all forms of deLenLlon and lmprlsonmenL,
Lhls ls currenLly lacklng for crlmlnal deLenLlon.
11. 1o reform Lhe currenL admlnlsLraLlve penalLy sysLem, such as 81L and shorL-Lerm
admlnlsLraLlve deLenLlon, abollsh Lhe sysLem and brlng relevanL charges relaLed Lo Lhem under
Lhe crlmlnal penalLy sysLem, and ensurlng Lhe exlsLence of a [udlclal revlew (appeal) process.
12. 1o raLlfy Lhe CpLlonal roLocol of Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs of ersons wlLh ulsablllLles, Lo
esLabllsh an lndependenL complalnL mechanlsm.
Concern lng oLher lssues
13. 1o wlLhdraw lLs reservaLlons Lo Lhe ConvenLlon agalnsL 1orLure's arLlcle 20, whlch esLabllshes
an lndlvldual complalnL mechanlsm, and Lo raLlfy Lhe CpLlonal roLocol.
14. 1o raLlfy Lhe lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll- and ollLlcal 8lghLs, and lLs Lwo CpLlonal
roLocols.