State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted Feb. 2 that the United States is deeply concerned that lawyers Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, who were hired by the families of the 12 Hong Kong people, have had their licenses revoked by Chinese authorities.
We are deeply concerned about the People’s Republic of China’s attempts to disbar and harass human rights lawyers Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, who represent 12 Hong Kong people,” Price wrote. We urge the Chinese government to respect human rights and the rule of law and reinstate their legal credentials immediately.”
Ren Quanniu issued a statement earlier in the day saying that his lawyer’s license was revoked by the Henan Department of Justice that day. Another lawyer representing the case, Lu Siwei, had his lawyer’s license revoked by the Sichuan judicial department on Jan. 15.
Both Ren Quanniu and Lu Siwei were hired by the families of the “12 Hong Kong people” case to provide legal assistance to their loved ones. Both Ren Quanniu and Lu Siwei accepted the Family‘s request. The authorities forced them to withdraw, but they refused.
Ren Quanniu is also the defense attorney in the case of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan. Zhang Zhan was sentenced to four years in prison by a Shanghai court on Dec. 28 for provocation and harassment after he went to Wuhan last year to cover the Epidemic.
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