China: Jailed human rights lawyer's wife establishes legal firm to help people

The wife of Yu Wensheng, a jailed human rights lawyer, has set up a legal firm to help persons struggling with China's justice system. Xu Yan's husband is currently serving a four-year sentence on the charges of 'incitement to subvert state authority.' "My husband will be allowed to return home in around four months, but his law licence will be cancelled. This will have a significant impact on his profession as well as our family," Yan was quoted as saying by Radio Free Asia. Wensheng was jailed as part of a statewide operation by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeting human rights lawyers. Notably, he had received the Martin Ennals Award 2021 for his work as a human rights defender earlier this year.

According to Radio Free Asia, the Martin Ennals Foundation labelled Yu "one of the best-known and most intrepid human rights campaigners" in China, noting that he had been subjected to arbitrary arrest, a secret trial, and the revocation of his law licence. Meanwhile, countries across the world are criticising Beijing for human rights violations throughout the country, particularly in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Inner Mongolia. China has also been condemned by a group of 43 countries for its human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims, reported news agency ANI. 

Activists in Tokyo protest China's human rights abuse against minorities

On October 24, more than 50 activists from various backgrounds protested for an hour outside the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, urging Japan and the international community to hold China accountable for human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Inner Mongolia. The activists demonstrated under the banner of 100 Days to the "#GenocideOlympics." They highlighted the Chinese authorities' suppression of democratic voices in Hong Kong and urged the international community to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, reported ANI. 

Meanwhile, on October 18, activists in Greece unfurled Tibetan flags and a banner at the flame-lighting ceremony for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The banner read, "No Genocide Games." The activists raised flags and a banner during an event in Olympia which was attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and many other dignitaries, including Chinese officials, according to a report by the Bangkok Post. 

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