The U.S., Germany, and France are advocating for the release of Chinese lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife Xu Yan, sentenced for allegedly subverting state power. The couple’s conviction follows Yu’s activism against human rights abuses in China. Their son is reportedly suffering from depression following their detention, shedding light on the broader ramifications of such persecution.
The United States, Germany, and France have come together to demand the release of Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, Xu Yan, sentenced for subversion. The Suzhou court sentenced Yu to three years in prison and Xu to one year and nine months, claiming they incited attempts to undermine state authority. The U.S. State Department condemned the sentences as part of China’s ongoing suppression of human rights advocates. Yu Wensheng has a history of defending human rights, notably during a government crackdown on lawyers in 2015. He previously wrote a letter to the authorities, denouncing police violations and calling for accountability. With his prior four-year sentence ending in 2022, Yu became a symbol of resistance against suppression, only to face more persecution. In April last year, police apprehended Yu and Xu en route to meet the EU delegation in Beijing, later convicting them in Suzhou amidst opaque legal proceedings. Yu’s son, who turned 18 shortly before their arrest, has suffered severe mental health decline, facing depression due to the ordeal his parents underwent, as reported by Amnesty International.
The backdrop of this case involves a growing trend of repression against human rights defenders in China, particularly since the 2015 crackdown. Yu Wensheng’s earlier activism had already made him a target for authorities. The charges against him and his wife reflect broader efforts by the Chinese government to silence dissenting voices and uphold strict state control.
The urging of China by the U.S., Germany, and France for the release of Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan highlights international concerns over human rights abuses. The harsh sentences imposed on them underscore a troubling pattern of silencing activists in China. The case also raises alarms about the mental well-being of their son, emphasizing the deep personal impacts of state repression.
Original Source: www.seattletimes.com
