CNHRA PERSON RECORD · CNHRA-P-849649
Pu Zhiqiang
Born
Unknown
Occupation
Public-interest lawyer
Role
Human Rights Defender
Record ID
CNHRA-P-849649
Visual Records
Pu Zhiqiang in a photograph published with VOA reporting in 2013, credited to Dongfang.
Biography
Pu Zhiqiang is a lawyer who participated in the 1989 Beijing protests and later took on public-interest cases involving freedom of expression. His clients included Ai Weiwei, victims of reeducation through labor and people alleging abuse during corruption investigations.[2]
Pu’s expression-related work also involved writers and journalists. Index on Censorship’s 2016 profile names Chen Guidi, Chun Tao and Zhang Yihe among his clients, and quotes Hu Yong on his defense of villagers, journalists and media outlets facing defamation accusations. Pu was shortlisted for its freedom of expression awards that year.[7]
In 2012, Pu represented Ren Jianyu in a suit against Chongqing’s reeducation-through-labor committee and attended the October 10 hearing. The committee later revoked its decision, but the court dismissed the suit on November 20 as late-filed. The public ruling records Pu’s representation.[6]
On May 3, 2014, he attended a private June Fourth commemoration in Beijing. Front Line Defenders reported a police summons late the following night, a search on May 5 and formal arrest on June 13. The eventual case concerned seven online posts critical of policies and officials.[2]
On December 22, 2015, Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended for three years. Front Line Defenders reported that he left the detention center that day for a police-designated residence under surveillance and that the conviction prevented further legal practice. The official sentencing report also stated that he confessed, expressed remorse and would not appeal.[2][4]
On April 14, 2016, Pu received the Beijing justice bureau’s decision revoking his legal practice certificate, dated April 13. He subsequently wrote on social media about the end of his nineteen years in legal practice.[5]
Case Summary
Following a private commemoration in May 2014, Pu was summoned and detained. A bail application was rejected on June 9, followed by formal arrest on June 13; Front Line Defenders reported investigation on charges concerning public disturbances and obtaining personal information.[2]
On December 22, 2015, Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court imposed three years in prison, suspended for three years, on charges of inciting ethnic hatred and picking quarrels and provoking trouble. Front Line Defenders reported that the charges concerned seven online posts and that he left detention that afternoon for a police-designated residence under surveillance.[2]
Timeline
1989
Participates in Beijing protests
Front Line Defenders’ profile records his participation in the 1989 Tiananmen protests.[2]
2012-10-10
Represents Ren Jianyu at administrative hearing
Pu and another lawyer represented Ren Jianyu at Chongqing No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court.
Ren Jianyu challenged his re-education-through-labor decision with Pu and Xu Liping as counsel. On November 19 the committee revoked its decision and ended the restrictions, but the court dismissed the suit the following day as out of time. The outcome should not be described as the court overturning the detention: release and dismissal were distinct decisions by different bodies.[6]
2014-05-03
Attends private commemoration
Attends a private Beijing discussion marking twenty-five years since June Fourth; participants call for an investigation and compensation.[2]
2014-05-04
Summoned late at night
Front Line Defenders reports a police summons at around 11 p.m. concerning the commemoration.[2]
2014-05-05
Home searched; detention announced
Front Line Defenders reports an afternoon search and seizure of a phone, computer and books, followed by a police announcement of detention on a disturbance-related charge.[2]
2014-06-09
Bail request denied
Front Line Defenders reports rejection of bail by Beijing police on grounds of danger to society.[2]
2014-06-13
Formal arrest reported
Front Line Defenders’ June 16 update records Pu’s formal arrest on June 13.[2]
2015-12-22
Three-year term suspended for three years
Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court imposed three years in prison, suspended for three years, in a case concerning seven online comments.
Front Line Defenders reports that the final case concerned seven online comments criticizing policies and officials, a narrower account than the allegations investigated at the initial detention stage. He left the detention center that afternoon and was taken to a police-designated residence. The suspended sentence, departure from custody and later consequences for his license are distinct effects of the case.[2]
2015-12-22
Leaves detention for designated residence
Front Line Defenders reports departure from the detention center on the afternoon of sentencing and transfer to a police-designated residence under surveillance.[2]
2016-03-23
Freedom of expression award shortlist profile published
Index on Censorship profiled his work for writers, journalists and freedom of expression.[7]
2016-04-14
Receives disbarment decision
The report records receipt that day of a decision dated April 13.
The decision was dated April 13 and received on April 14; those dates are distinct. Reporting relayed his reflection on the end of nineteen years as a lawyer. An award-shortlist profile published that year recalled his defense of writers, journalists and expression cases, providing context for the prosecution’s professional consequences.[5][7]
Related Events
Documents
Sources
- [1]
CNHRA-S-654881Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Evidence location: Statement title, date and opening sentencing paragraphs, read through the search index; original page unavailable.
- [2]
CNHRA-S-549178Front Line Defenders
Evidence location: Updates dated 6 May and 16 June 2014 and 22 December 2015.
- [3]
CNHRA-S-118089Wikimedia Commons
Evidence location: File description, creator, licensing section and photograph; webpage dates are not treated as capture dates.
- [4]
CNHRA-S-752424Supreme People’s Court / Xinhua
Evidence location: Official report of sentencing, not the full judgment.
- [5]
CNHRA-S-050658Voice of America
Evidence location: Receipt on April 14; decision dated April 13.
- [6]
CNHRA-S-531629Dui Hua Foundation
Evidence location: Parties and counsel, hearing and disposition in administrative ruling No. 00014 (2012).
- [7]
CNHRA-S-731366Index on Censorship
Evidence location: Paragraphs on expression, defamation cases and writer clients.