Guest Comments by the China Human
Rights Lawyers Concern Group

SHANGHAI, China – On June 17, human-rights lawyer Zheng Enchong was summoned for interrogation (chuanhuan) again by the public-security people. He was violently searched, stripped and forced to stand nearly naked.

Four police officers from the Shanghai Zhabei District public-security bureau summoned Zheng for interrogation in the name of an “economic investigation”. He was detained for more than nine hours.

Public-security officers took turns hitting him. They smashed him in the face half-a-dozen times and bashed at the back of his head three times. They tried to scorch his lips and eyelids with cigarettes. The police stripped him off, leaving him only in briefs, and made him stand nearly naked for 15 minutes. They threw his money, pen, keys, a Bible and other belongings from his pockets to the floor.

Before the interrogation, the officers presented a written statement for Zheng to sign. Instead, he scribbled a protest on it.

For years, Zheng has worked to safeguard human rights. In 2003, he represented displaced residents suing a property tycoon for “colluding” with district officials to illegally acquire land. His efforts angered the Shanghai authorities, leading to his detention and being placed under investigation.

In 2003, Zheng was convicted of “illegally providing state secrets to an entity outside China” and sentenced to three years in prison. After being released in 2006, he was placed under surveillance and sometimes house arrest.

During the past three years, Zheng has been summoned 62 times. His house has been searched and some property confiscated.

The China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group strongly condemns such unlawful violence and abuse. We denounce the authorities’ strategy of long-term harassment. It’s legitimate for Zheng to act as a legal adviser to civil groups. We call on the Shanghai authorities to stop harassing him.

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