It has been communicated to CCS that Li Heping, human rights attorney for Ilham Tohti, now serving time himself for human rights work, allegedly has been tortured and is suffering from medical complications as a result. Additionally, Li is also in need of adequate legal counsel. CCS has requested that he receive appropriate medical care and legal representation of his choosing. February 7, ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti, Peaceful Advocate for Uighur Community, Wins Martin Ennals Award; also a Finalist for Sakharov Prize
Ilham Tohti, a peaceful advocate of China’s Uighur community, currently serving a life sentence in a Chinese prison, was awarded the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders by a group of human rights organizations; Tohti was also a finalist for the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The Sakharov prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament to honor individuals and ... Continue Reading>>
Chinese Human Rights Activist Attorney Released After Issuing Coerced Confession
Embed from Getty Images The Committee of Concerned Scientists welcomes the release on bail of the Chinese human rights lawyer, Wang Yu. We commend Wang Yu for her work on defending freedom of speech in China and express our sympathy to her in connection with the pressure she endured in prison. We respectfully ask Chinese authorities that all charges against Wang Yu be dropped at this ... Continue Reading>>
Wang Yu, Human Rights Attorney Awaiting Trial in China, Receiving ABA Award
American Bar Association earlier this month announced it is giving the organization’s first ever “International Human Rights Award” to Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Yu. CCS has advocated for Wang Yu’s release since she was detained in June 2015. Wang Yu and other human rights attorney’s were picked up by authorities a year ago and detained with no charges in undetermined places. Recently, ... Continue Reading>>
Human Rights Attorneys Charged with “Subversion of State Power”
Wang Yu and Li Heping are human rights attorneys in China who have defended scholars and academics whom CCS has also advocated for. Both attorneys were detained in 2015 and have been held incommunicado for almost a year. They have both, now, been charged with "subversion of state power". The charge could carry as much as a life sentence in a Chinese prison. CCS has written on behalf of these ... Continue Reading>>
Wife of Jailed Uyghur Scholar Faces Severe Hardship
Embed from Getty Images The wife of Ilham Tohti, an Economics Professor and an advocate for the Uyghur community in China, is facing a life sentence for speaking out for Uyghur rights in a peaceful way. She is also facing severe financial hardship. Related Articles Family of Jailed Uyghur Scholar Faces Severe Hardship, Social Isolation ... Continue Reading>>
Scholar Ilham Tohti Remains in Prison
Ilham Tohti, an Economics professor formerly at Minzu University in Beijing, and an advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur community, still sits in jail, sentenced to a life in prison for expressing his beliefs in a peaceful way. CCS has written again to President Xi Jinping asking him to please investigate this case and release Ilham Tohti as well as the other individuals that are in ... Continue Reading>>
2015 Annual Report
During 2015, the Committee of Concerned Scientists continued to advocate on behalf of scientists, academics, engineers and physicians. We wrote in concern for more than 21 individuals or groups of individuals, located in 11 countries. We generally addressed our letters to the heads of state, as well as to the country’s ambassadors, the United States ambassador for the particular jurisdiction, ... Continue Reading>>
Two Human Rights Lawyers Formally Charged in China
Wang Yu, lawyer for Ilham Tohti, and Li Heping, lawyer for Chen Guangcheng, were detained by Chinese authorities in July 2015. CCS, at that time, wrote a letter requesting their release. They have now been formally arrested with charges that could result in life sentences. January 22, 2016 President Xi Jinping The State Council General’s Office 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu Beijingshi ... Continue Reading>>
Letter of Commendation to US Ambassador for Support of Detained Human Rights Attorneys
The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote a letter to commend the US Ambassador to China, The Honorable Max Baucus, for taking a position and making a public statement in support of the detained Human Rights attorneys in China. Specifically, he mentioned the two attorneys for whom we have advocated in the past – Wang Yu who was the attorney for Ilham Tohti and Li Heping who was the attorney for ... Continue Reading>>