FAMILIES OF ARRESTED CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST CONDITIONS|中"709大抓捕"兩周年 家屬不畏鎮壓發聲

Two years after China began cracking down on human rights activists and lawyers, many victims have been forced to confess wrongdoing. Some have been sentenced, some are under house arrest, and some remain in detention with no sentencing at all. But even so, their families have remained steadfast in the face of oppression, and continue to fight for their loved ones. The wives of human-rights activists arrested two years ago, dressed in bright red, have become familiar faces in protests across China. After interrogation and even torture in the so-called "July 9th crackdown," their husbands are different people even after release. ==FANG LILI Wife of Human-Rights Activist Gou Hongguo== After he was detained 13 months, he looked like this after he was released. ==WANG QIAOLING Wife of Human-Rights Lawyer Li Heping== They were detained a year, a year and a half, two years. After they are released, they are twenty years older. This was all done under the guise of "rule of law." China began mass arrests of human rights lawyers and activists on July 9, 2015. 320 people across 20 provinces were arrested, disappeared, detained, and even tortured, shocking international society. 200 have now been released. Some confessed on state-owned media, with dubious consent; others remain under house arrest or restricted from international travel. Two years later, five are still under arrest or awaiting trial. ==WILLIAM NEE China Researcher, Amnesty International== Allegations of torture have come up, they've really been put on the defense, and they've had to explain their actions. And then once these cases go to trial, it's really the Chinese government and their persecution of the lawyers that are going on trial, rather than the activists. The authorities in Beijing suffered a serious blow to its international image, as the families of these activists refused to be silenced. This show of civic power, amplified by human rights groups, won international support and will become a watchdog that China cannot overlook. Translated by JOHN CHEN 中國兩年前的七月九號起，對維權運動者跟人權律師，展開一波強力掃蕩，外界稱之為709大抓捕。兩年下來許多律師維權者已經被迫認罪，有的被判刑，有的軟禁，有的人到今天還被關押。不過這些人的家屬沒有因為鎮壓手段而畏縮，堅持一路相挺，伸張權益，反而讓這個問題得到更多國際關注。 身穿鮮紅上衣的幾位中年婦女，是709大抓捕事件中，被抓走維權律師，維權人士的妻子，兩年來為夫四處奔走，早已是抗爭熟面孔。經過709大抓捕的審訊甚至酷刑折磨，每個人的丈夫獲釋後都變了一個樣。 ==維權人士勾洪國妻子 方莉莉== 被關押13個月以後 出來就是這樣子了 ==維權律師李和平妻子 王峭嶺== 他們關押一年 一年半 兩年 被釋放出來的照片 整個人被折磨 老了二十歲 這就是在依法治國的幌子下做的 2015年7月9日凌晨起，中國對維權律師跟相關人員展開大抓捕，這些人被拘捕、被失蹤、任意羈押甚至被施以酷刑，受影響人數達320人，遍佈20多個省市，規模之大震驚國際，成為所謂的709大抓捕事件。目前200多人已經獲釋，有人疑似被迫在國營媒體上認罪，有人還是被軟禁或限制出境。在九號事件屆滿兩周年之際，仍有包括王全璋律師，律師事務所人員吳淦等五個人的案件，還在羈押或等待開庭。 ==國際特赦組織中國研究員 倪偉平== 現在各種嚴刑拷打的指控已經出現 中方變成被控的一方 要辯駁的一方 一旦這些案子進入審判 會變成中國政府 與其迫害律師手段的公審 而非對這些維權者的審判 口口聲聲依法治國的北京當局，國際形象因此重挫，家屬堅持不被消音，不被摸頭，展現令人動容的公民力量。這些事件透過人權組織的關注，也獲得國際間更大的支持，未來將成為中方難以忽視的監督壓力。 記者 施慧中 報導