Lu, 51, was en route to be reunited with his family in the United States when he was arrested in Vientiane on July 28, 2023 and forcibly repatriated to China. Upon returning to China, he was charged in the southwestern province of Sichuan with “illegally crossing a border” and released on bail pending trial. He was arrested on October 10, 2024.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/china-human-rights-lawyer-at-risk-of-torture-after-return-from-laos/
President Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
Zhongnanhai
Xichangan’jie
Xichengqu, Beijing Shi 100017
December 2, 2024
Dear President Xi Jinping:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to protecting and advancing human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues worldwide.
We are writing concerning updates in regard to Mr. Lu Siwei’s ongoing situation. Lu is a prominent human rights lawyer who lost his legal license in early 2021. Later that year, he was barred from leaving China after receiving a fellowship opportunity in the United States.
Lu, 51, was en route to be reunited with his family in the United States when he was arrested in Vientiane on July 28, 2023 and forcibly repatriated to China. Upon returning to China, he was charged in the southwestern province of Sichuan with “illegally crossing a border” and released on bail pending trial. However, we also learned that his freedom ended with his formal arrest on October 10, 2024. Lu is currently being held in Chengdu Detention Center, where 27 detainees are all crammed into a cell measuring 20 square meters.
The CCS is concerned that this arrest is part of a recurring pattern of targeting peaceful work by human rights lawyers, even outside of China.
We urge your government to release Mr. Siwei without delay to ensure his wellbeing and right to pick his legal counsel. He should also be assured access to his family and legal counsel. The charges against him should be made clear. Ideally, he should be allowed to reunite with his family in the United States.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
CC:
Anthony Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Volker Türk
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41 22 917 9220
Email: ohchr-InfoDesk@un.org
Wang Yi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
People’s Republic of China
No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100701
R. Nicholas Burns
United States Ambassador to China
United States Embassy & Consulates in China
United States Embassy Beijing
55 Anjialou Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing, China 100600
Phone: +011 86 10 8531 4000
Fax: +011 86 010 8531 3300
Email: BeijingACS@state.gov