Statement by the Spokesperson on the recent conviction of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang
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29 January 2019Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Mr Wang Quanzhang was convicted of "subversion of state power" and sentenced to four years and six months of imprisonment by the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate Court on 26 December 2018, more than three years after his detention in August 2015. The sentence was announced only on 28 January 2019. Mr Wang Quanzhang disappeared in August 2015 during a nationwide crackdown on human rights lawyers, known as the "709 crackdown".
The defendants' rights under China's Criminal Procedure Law and international law obligations, to a fair trial, without undue delay, proper defence and access to a lawyer of his own choice were not respected. Family members as well as the public, including journalists and diplomats, were denied access to the trial as observers.
There have been alarming reports regarding the serious mistreatment of Mr Wang Quanzhang during his detention. If verified, this mistreatment would amount to torture. The European Union expects the competent authorities in China to investigate, without delay, the allegations of torture in these cases, abide by China’s international law obligations, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and respect the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by China's Constitution.
The European Union expects the immediate release of Wang Quanzhang, as well as other detained and convicted human rights defenders and lawyers including Huang Qi, Liu Feiyue, Ilham Tohti, Tashi Wangchuk, Li Yuhan, Qin Yongmin, Gao Zhisheng, Yu Wensheng and EU national Gui Minhai.
知名中国人权律师王全璋先生被判“颠覆国家政权”罪，并于2018年12月26日被天津市第二中级人民法院判处有期徒刑四年零六个月，自2015年8月起被拘留三年多之后，该判决仅在2019年1月28日宣布。王全璋先生于2015年8月在全国范围内对人权律师进行抓捕时失踪，被称为“709镇压”。
根据《中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法》规定的被告权利和国际法义务，其有关公正、不得无故拖延审判、获得合理辩护和与自己选择的律师的权利都未受尊重。其家庭成员以及公众，包括记者和外交官，被拒绝以观察员身份旁听审判。
有关王全璋先生被拘留期间严重受虐待的报道令人震惊。如果核实，这些不当行为将构成酷刑。欧洲联盟希望中国政府毫不拖延地调查这些案件中的相关酷刑指控，遵守中国的国际法义务，包括《世界人权宣言》，尊重《中华人民共和国宪法》保障的所有公民的权利。。
欧洲联盟期望立即释放王全璋，以及其他被拘留和被定罪的人权捍卫者和律师，包括黄琦、刘飞跃、伊力哈木·土赫提、扎西文色、李昱函、秦永民、高智晟、于文生和欧盟公民桂民海。