CNHRA PERSON RECORD · CNHRA-P-139332
Li Wenzu
Biography
Li Wenzu is a human rights defender. After her husband Wang Quanzhang was detained in the 709 crackdown in 2015, she repeatedly sought information and remedies, demanding disclosure of his whereabouts, family and lawyer visits, and protection of his defense rights.[1][2]
The Edelstam Foundation’s biography records Li’s secondary education in Badong, Hubei, and her move to Beijing for work at 24, where she met Wang Quanzhang. Before his detention she mainly cared for their child. She subsequently used information requests and litigation while visiting affected families with other relatives.[5]
After her husband’s detention, Li and other relatives, including Wang Qiaoling, built a support network among 709 families. They visited affected households, filed complaints and assisted one another. On July 7, 2017, they held a red bucket protest outside the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, seeking visits and information about the cases.[5]
She submitted materials to courts, sought visits at detention centers and publicly opposed the appointment of lawyers without family consent. On April 4, 2018, she began a planned one-hundred-kilometer walk from Beijing to Tianjin to find her husband. Human Rights Watch reported her interception, return to Beijing and a subsequent blockade of her home.[2][1]
After Wang left prison in April 2020, she reported that he had been taken to Jinan and had not rejoined the family. Amnesty International Luxembourg published her letter in May confirming his return home and calling for surveillance of the family to end.[3][4]
The Secretary-General’s 2024 report recounts repeated displacement of Li and Wang Quanzhang from April 2023, interference with hotel accommodation and disruption to their child’s enrollment and attendance at school.[6]
Case Summary
Li repeatedly sought access to Wang, opposed lawyers appointed without family consent and submitted materials to courts and authorities. Her walk beginning April 4, 2018, was intercepted. HRIC’s archive lists her administrative reconsideration request and attempts to obtain a visit at a Tianjin detention center.[1][2]
In April 2020, Wang did not return home immediately after leaving prison, and Li continued reporting his circumstances. Her letter published in May confirmed family reunion and called for surveillance to end.[3][4]
Timeline
2017-07-07
Participates in red bucket protest
Family members protested outside the Supreme People’s Procuratorate for access and case information.
The award foundation places the action within a support network of 709 families. Li, Wang Qiaoling and others visited affected households, submitted appeals and jointly sought access to lawyers and case information. Her advocacy combined efforts to secure safeguards for her husband with support for other families, rather than constituting an isolated demonstration.[5]
2017-07-25
Second statement opposing imposed counsel
Li issued a second statement opposing imposed counsel and seeking access for the lawyers retained by Wang’s family.[2]
2018
Receives Edelstam Prize
The Edelstam Foundation awarded its 2018 prize to Li, recognizing her support for 709 families and efforts to secure legal protections for her husband.[5]
2018-04-04
Begins march seeking husband
HRW reports departure from Beijing with Tianjin as the intended destination.
The planned walk of roughly 100 kilometers from Beijing to Tianjin sought information about Wang Quanzhang and access to counsel. Human Rights Watch reported interception and return to Beijing, followed by restrictions on her and her young son leaving home on April 11 and obstruction of visitors. The attempt to seek information itself became a restricted form of public expression.[1]
2018-04-11
Home blockaded after return to Beijing
HRW’s April 12 account describes Li and her young son briefly prevented from leaving home the previous day and visitors being obstructed.[1]
2018-04-13
Seeks administrative reconsideration
She applied to Beijing’s Shijingshan district government for a finding that restrictions on her personal liberty were unlawful.[2]
2018-04-19
Accompanies lawyers to Tianjin detention center
Li accompanied lawyers to a Tianjin detention center to seek a meeting with Wang Quanzhang; access was refused.[2]
2020-04-05
Reports husband’s departure from prison without reunion
CSW cites Li’s account that Wang was taken to Jinan after leaving prison rather than returning directly to the family in Beijing.[3]
2020-05-05
Li Wenzu’s letter on family reunion published
Amnesty Luxembourg published Li Wenzu’s letter confirming that Wang had returned home and calling for an end to surveillance of the family.
The letter followed the April reports that Wang had been taken to Jinan rather than returning directly home after prison. Li confirmed the family’s subsequent reunion while calling for surveillance to end. It extends the record into post-prison family life, but its publication date is not the date of homecoming and does not establish that all restrictions had ended.[4][3]
2023-04
Repeated displacement affects family life
The Secretary-General’s 2024 report recounts repeated displacement of Li and Wang Quanzhang from April 2023, interference with hotel accommodation and disruption to their child’s enrollment and attendance at school.[6]
2025-07-06
HRW reports displacement and school changes
HRW’s anniversary report describes repeated displacement of Wang’s family and repeated school changes.[7]
Related Events
2015-08-03
Wang Quanzhang: 709-related Detention, Sentence and Return Home
王全璋709相关拘押、判刑与返家
CNHRA-E-517617
2017-07-07
Li Wenzu: Search for Her Husband, Walking Protest and Family Remedies
李文足寻夫、步行行动与家属救济
CNHRA-E-727298
2015-07-09
The 709 Crackdown in 2015 and Ten Years of Follow-up
2015年709律师打压及十年后续
CNHRA-E-044886
Documents
Sources
- [1]
CNHRA-S-360052Human Rights Watch
Evidence location: Paragraph beginning On April 4 and concluding paragraphs on Li Wenzu’s march, return and restrictions at home.
- [2]
CNHRA-S-233841Human Rights in China
Evidence location: Directory excerpts dated 25 July 2017 and 13, 19–20 April 2018; linked articles not retrieved.
- [3]
Evidence location: Opening paragraphs and account attributed to Li Wenzu of release and quarantine transfer.
- [4]
CNHRA-S-614250Amnesty International Luxembourg
Evidence location: Body paragraphs 1–4: Li Wenzu’s letter confirming reunion and the call to end surveillance.
- [5]
CNHRA-S-480445Harald Edelstam Foundation
Evidence location: Opening background and passages on information requests and family visits; excluding the march-date typo.
- [6]
CNHRA-S-271786United Nations
Evidence location: Annex II, paragraphs 60–63 and 69–70, printed pages 46–49; reported restrictions and government replies.
- [7]
CNHRA-S-531283Human Rights Watch
Evidence location: Repression section, paragraph on displacement of Wang Quanzhang’s family and repeated school changes.