By Jerome A. Cohen
Rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang has not been free after his April 5 “release”. In the past two days, Mimi Lau of the South China Morning Post and William Yang of Deutsche Welle were able to reach Wang and published valuable interviews that offered unusual glimpses into the plight of this courageous lawyer (SCMP interview; Deutsche Welle).
Wang said he’ll challenge the unfair prosecution against him. Questions remain: How can Wang now do that? Has he yet been given belated copies of the prosecution’s indictment and the court’s judgment, as required by law even in secret trials? Can he now choose independent counsel to assist and meet with him? If his wife and colleagues were unable to access the legal system to defend his rights for almost five years, can he and they now do better? Here is my take in the Diplomat, Wang Quanzhang and China’s ‘Non-Release Release’.
Wang Quanzhang, April 20, Credit: Li Wenzu’s twitter @709liwenzu