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| Chinese rights lawyer Ni Yulan placed under house arrest | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Chinese authorities have placed a disabled rights lawyer under house arrest and prevented a group of foreign diplomats from visiting her, she said, ratcheting up pressure weeks after the US state department gave her a bravery award. | Chinese authorities have placed a disabled rights lawyer under house arrest and prevented a group of foreign diplomats from visiting her, she said, ratcheting up pressure weeks after the US state department gave her a bravery award. |
| Ni Yulan, who became known for defending people evicted from their homes to make way for development, had been held under house arrest for 12 days, she told Reuters. | Ni Yulan, who became known for defending people evicted from their homes to make way for development, had been held under house arrest for 12 days, she told Reuters. |
| Authorities prevented Ni from travelling last month to receive the State Department’s international women of courage award, which is given to female advocates of human rights, justice and gender equality. | Authorities prevented Ni from travelling last month to receive the State Department’s international women of courage award, which is given to female advocates of human rights, justice and gender equality. |
| Beijing police could not be reached for comment. China’s foreign ministry has said exit-entry authorities acted in accordance with Chinese law in the case. | Beijing police could not be reached for comment. China’s foreign ministry has said exit-entry authorities acted in accordance with Chinese law in the case. |
| Five foreign diplomats, including those from the European Union, Germany, Canada, France and Switzerland, had sought to see Ni at her home and deliver food over the weekend, but were prevented from entering, she said. Diplomats with knowledge of the situation confirmed the group was turned away. | Five foreign diplomats, including those from the European Union, Germany, Canada, France and Switzerland, had sought to see Ni at her home and deliver food over the weekend, but were prevented from entering, she said. Diplomats with knowledge of the situation confirmed the group was turned away. |
| “Plainclothes officers did not allow them to come into my home,” Ni said by text message. A diplomat with knowledge of the situation confirmed the group was denied access by plainclothes police. | “Plainclothes officers did not allow them to come into my home,” Ni said by text message. A diplomat with knowledge of the situation confirmed the group was denied access by plainclothes police. |
| The French and German embassies said their diplomats were part of the group. The Canadian and Swiss embassies, as well as the EU delegation, could not immediately be reached for comment. The US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the case, but the US secretary of state, John Kerry, has said that Ni paid a “steep price” for her legal aid work. | The French and German embassies said their diplomats were part of the group. The Canadian and Swiss embassies, as well as the EU delegation, could not immediately be reached for comment. The US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the case, but the US secretary of state, John Kerry, has said that Ni paid a “steep price” for her legal aid work. |
| Ni, who was left using a wheelchair after she was beaten by police in 2002 after filming the forced demolition of a client’s home, added that she was likely to be evicted from her home, but plainclothes police would not allow her to leave to search for a new apartment. | Ni, who was left using a wheelchair after she was beaten by police in 2002 after filming the forced demolition of a client’s home, added that she was likely to be evicted from her home, but plainclothes police would not allow her to leave to search for a new apartment. |
| China’s leadership has detained or imprisoned dozens of rights lawyers since President Xi Jinping took power in a widespread crackdown on dissent. | China’s leadership has detained or imprisoned dozens of rights lawyers since President Xi Jinping took power in a widespread crackdown on dissent. |
| Ni has been jailed repeatedly by Chinese authorities, first in 2002 and again in 2008 after she defended the rights of residents evicted from their homes to make way for the Beijing Olympics. She was then jailed in 2012 for fraud and “making trouble”. | Ni has been jailed repeatedly by Chinese authorities, first in 2002 and again in 2008 after she defended the rights of residents evicted from their homes to make way for the Beijing Olympics. She was then jailed in 2012 for fraud and “making trouble”. |