{"id":7403,"date":"2016-08-07T10:01:56","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T14:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chinesepen.org\/english\/?p=7403"},"modified":"2016-08-07T17:51:12","modified_gmt":"2016-08-07T21:51:12","slug":"chinese-lawyer-wang-yu-to-receive-inaugural-aba-international-human-rights-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chinesepen.org\/english\/chinese-lawyer-wang-yu-to-receive-inaugural-aba-international-human-rights-award","title":{"rendered":"Chinese lawyer Wang Yu given ABA International Human Rights Award in absentia"},"content":{"rendered":"

By James Podgers<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"A

A photo of Chinese lawyer Wang Yu is seen on a screen during the first ABA International Human Rights Award ceremony at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Photo by Tony Avelar.<\/p><\/div>\n

ABA leaders and members of China\u2019s community of dissidents-in-exile living in the United States packed a meeting room at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco on Saturday morning for the presentation of the ABA\u2019s inaugural International Human Rights Award.<\/p>\n

But one key figure was conspicuously absent from the event: award recipient Wang Yu, a Chinese lawyer who represents numerous political, religious and academic dissidents, and members of other underserved groups seeking justice through the Chinese legal system.<\/p>\n

Since Monday, Wang\u2019s status in China has been uncertain. She was first detained by Chinese authorities in July 2015, and has been held in detention for the past 13 months and kept out of contact with her family amid a general crackdown on dissidents that has seen hundreds of people detained. Wang\u2019s husband, human rights attorney Bao Longjun, was also arrested and detained. The New York Times<\/span><\/a> reports that he is still in detention, and that their teenage son, Bao Zhuoxuan, has been living under surveillance in northern China with his grandmother.<\/p>\n

But on Monday, the Associated Press and other media reported that Wang was released on bail<\/span><\/a>, in conjunction with videotaped \u201cconfessions\u201d that were posted on the websites of two Hong Kong media outlets. In the confessions, she renounced her legal work with the Fengrui law firm and said \u201cforeign forces\u201d were using her law firm to undermine and discredit the Chinese government. On Thursday, Zhou Shifeng, leader of the Fengrui firm, was sentenced to seven years in prison<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the AP, Wang also denounced the ABA award in her alleged video confession. In the video, she said, \u201cRegarding this award, my attitude is to not recognize it, identify with it or accept it. This award is just another way for them to use me to attack and smear the Chinese government.\u201d (The Washington Post<\/span><\/a> on Monday noted that she could have been referring to a European human rights award she won in June.)<\/p>\n

\"ABA

At the ceremony, ABA leaders and members gathered to honor Wang Yu for her human rights work. Photo by Tony Avelar.<\/p><\/div>\n

But neither ABA representatives nor the Chinese dissidents who attended this morning\u2019s award presentation during the third day of the association\u2019s 2016 Annual Meeting appeared to be convinced that Wang\u2019s statements in the released video have credibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy every measure, Wang Yu merits this award,\u201d said ABA President Paulette Brown of Morristown, New Jersey, at the presentation program. Brown said it was important that the ABA go ahead with giving the award to Wang, and she noted that ABA officials have not been able to confirm the circumstances of Wang\u2019s release and confession.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should all be reminded of the critical role that lawyers play in assuring democracy around the world,\u201d said Brown, who credited Wang for representing some of China\u2019s most \u201cmarginalized and vulnerable communities,\u201d particularly women and children. Wang \u201cis symbolic of China\u2019s human rights community,\u201d said Brown.<\/p>\n

The ABA does not have confirmation that the confession came from her, an ABA spokesperson said about Wang\u2019s statements, noting that a number of experts have suggested it\u2019s a propaganda ploy by the Chinese government. \u201cWe\u2019re continuing to monitor the situation,\u201d said the spokesperson.<\/p>\n

The Chinese activists who attended the ceremony also expressed doubts about the statements Wang made earlier this week. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it\u2019s the real mindset of Wang Yu,\u201d said Xia Yeliang<\/span><\/a>, a former economics professor at Peking University, who is now visiting fellow at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity of the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. \u201cUnder pressure and threats to her family, she was forced to say these things. I believe in the future she can express her real feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

The award, which recognizes an individual or organization for advancing human rights outside the United States, is co-sponsored by the Center for Human Rights; the Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice; the Section of International Law; the Section of Litigation; and the Rule of Law Initiative.<\/p>\n

Follow along with our full coverage of the 2016 ABA Annual Meeting<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n

ABAJournal.com<\/span><\/a>: \u201cDetained Chinese human rights lawyer who is due to receive ABA award issues \u2018confession\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

ABAJournal.com<\/span><\/a>: \u201cDetained Chinese lawyer to receive inaugural ABA International Human Rights Award\u201d<\/p>\n

ABA Journal<\/span><\/a>: \u201cChina\u2019s latest crackdown on lawyers is unprecedented, human rights monitors say\u201d<\/p>\n

Human rights lawyers detained in China \"HumanSource: http:\/\/www.abajournal.com\/news\/article\/chinese_lawyer_wang_yu_given_inaugural_aba_international_human_rights_award<\/a><\/span><\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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