On the eve of the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown, human rights lawyer Xie Yang's ex-wife, Chen Guiqiu, released photos of Xie Yang in detention after his second arrest. She expressed sadness and deep concern at Xie Yang's transformation and called on all sectors of society to pay attention to the continued persecution of lawyers arrested in the 709 crackdown. Chinese human rights lawyers who knew Xie Yang stated that his deterioration after detention was unrecognizable, a vivid example of torture and abuse.
Next month marks the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown. Human rights lawyer Xie Yang, who was detained for over two years on charges of inciting subversion of state power and disrupting court order, continued to advocate for human rights after his release. In 2021, he was arrested again for holding a sign in support of Li Tiantian, a pregnant teacher suspected of mental illness. He has now been detained for three and a half years.
Chen Guiqiu released a photo of Xie Yang to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 709 Incident and called for attention to Xie Yang.
Xie Yang's ex-wife, Chen Guiqiu, told this station that authorities have been detaining Xie Yang without a trial. Recently, due to obstruction from the detention center, even lawyers have been unable to meet with him, leaving them with no way of knowing Xie Yang's current situation. Chen Guiqiu stated that releasing photos of Xie Yang from his detention over a year ago is intended to remind people, on the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown, that there are still lawyers who were arrested that year and are still being held.
Chen Guiqiu said, "I received this photo over a year ago. The image of Xie Yang in it worries me greatly. His changed appearance suggests his condition is dire. I can't face the changes in Xie Yang. I'm deeply saddened. I haven't dared look at the photo, and every time I do, I'm overcome with grief. I chose to release the photo near the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown to appeal for him (Xie Yang). He has been detained for three and a half years without a trial notice. It's now been over a year since this photo was taken. He was shackled and handcuffed while in custody, and even detained when meeting with his lawyers. It's hard to imagine the toll this detention has taken on his spirit and will. His condition must be even worse now. I hope everyone remembers the suffering that the 709 crackdown brought to the arrested lawyers and their families. I also hope everyone remembers Xie Yang, who is still in custody, and understands how dire the conditions he faces."
Chen Guiqiu released a photo of Xie Yang to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 709 Incident and called for attention to Xie Yang.
Xie Yang's ex-wife, Chen Guiqiu, told this station that authorities have been detaining Xie Yang without a trial. Recently, due to obstruction from the detention center, even lawyers have been unable to meet with him, leaving them with no way of knowing Xie Yang's current situation. Chen Guiqiu stated that releasing photos of Xie Yang from his detention over a year ago is intended to remind people, on the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown, that there are still lawyers who were arrested that year and are still being held.
Chen Guiqiu said, "I received this photo over a year ago. The image of Xie Yang in it worries me greatly. His changed appearance suggests his condition is dire. I can't face the changes in Xie Yang. I'm deeply saddened. I haven't dared look at the photo, and every time I do, I'm overcome with grief. I chose to release the photo near the tenth anniversary of the 709 crackdown to appeal for him (Xie Yang). He has been detained for three and a half years without a trial notice. It's now been over a year since this photo was taken. He was shackled and handcuffed while in custody, and even detained when meeting with his lawyers. It's hard to imagine the toll this detention has taken on his spirit and will. His condition must be even worse now. I hope everyone remembers the suffering that the 709 crackdown brought to the arrested lawyers and their families. I also hope everyone remembers Xie Yang, who is still in custody, and understands how dire the conditions he faces."
Friends lamented that Xie Yang's detention had completely changed him, criticizing his endless detention as torture.
Wu Shaoping, a US-based human rights lawyer who knew Xie Yangxi, told CNN that the Xie Yang he knew was a very sunny and positive person. Whenever he saw him, he appeared energetic and in good health. He expressed sadness when he saw photos of Xie Yang after his detention and criticized the detention life and environment for destroying a person beyond recognition. He described Xie Yang as an example of the forced confessions and abuse of detainees in China.
Wu Shaoping said: "Xie Yang's transformation is horrifying. Life in detention has transformed the sunny Xie Yang into an old man. This is the result of long-term forced confession and detention. This endless detention is a form of abuse and torture. Xie Yang is a living example of the abuse of power by the public security, procuratorate and courts to detain, force confession and torture."
The Supreme People's Procuratorate has established a new Investigation Department to investigate abuse of power. Wu Shaoping stated that the investigation should first investigate Xie Yang's arrest and the exposed cases, demonstrating sincerity.
Regarding the recent establishment of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Investigation Department, specifically responsible for investigating cases where judicial personnel abuse their power to commit illegal detention, torture, and other crimes that undermine judicial justice, Wu Shaoping stated that the Supreme People's Procuratorate's new move is merely a posturing and a show of force, not a serious attempt to address the problem. He added that if the authorities want to change the pattern of public security, procuratorial, and judicial abuses of power to illegally detain and extract confessions, they should release Xie Yang as soon as possible and investigate Xie Yang and other previously exposed forced confession cases.
Wu Shaoping said, "China's public security, procuratorial and judicial organs are integrated, and above the Supreme People's Procuratorate there is the Political and Legal Affairs Commission. If after investigation the Political and Legal Affairs Commission doesn't allow you to handle the case, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate doesn't dare to handle it either, then this means the Investigation Department is completely useless and isn't meant to address the problem. If the authorities truly care about people's livelihoods and want to address abuses of power, they should first investigate exposed individual cases, like Xie Yang's. If they don't handle the case, it's just posturing and deceiving the people."
Current affairs commentator Li Fatian told this station that the Supreme People's Procuratorate already has a complaint and petition department to handle cases of abuse of power and torture. Changing the name and establishing a new department without new powers will not effectively address abuse of power and forced confessions by public security, procuratorial and judicial personnel. He stated that to address the abuse of power by public security, procuratorial and judicial personnel, the Political and Legal Affairs Commission's interference and direction of these departments must cease, and the government must be subject to public oversight. Otherwise, no matter how many departments are established, the problems of abuse of power and forced confessions will remain unresolved.
