April 1, 2021 Share
A Chinese law firm linked to the defense of one of 12 pro-democracy activists who allegedly attempted to flee Hong Kong for Taiwan has been ordered to disband, a development that reflects tightening constraints on rights lawyers in China.
Human rights lawyer Ren Quanniu, who represented one of the so-called Hong Kong 12, confirmed to VOA Mandarin that authorities told him to close the Henan Guidao Law Firm, located in China’s Henan province, of which he was a partner.
The activists took to sea in August after Beijing enacted a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong in June. Beijing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying tweeted, “Seriously?! Fact check: The 12 people were arrested for illegally crossing the border in waters. They are not democratic activists, but elements attempting to separate #HongKong from China.”