Human rights lawyer Lu Siwei recently faced harassment and threats from local police officers while staying at a hotel in Shenzhen, China.
Lu’s wife, Zhang Chunxiao, told Epoch Times that Lu was in Shenzhen for business. On the afternoon of February 2, a man claiming to be a police officer forcefully knocked on the hotel room door, demanding to verify some information in a very rude manner. “Because there was only one person present, not meeting the legal requirement of two officers conducting the check, Lu Siwei refused to show his identification.”
Zhang Chunxiao mentioned that there was a dispute between both parties, with the police claiming to have shown their police badge. However, from the on-site video, it appeared that they did not show any ID, perhaps just pretending to have done so, making it impossible to clearly see.
Lu Siwei stated, “If he could call out my name, it means he knew I was staying here, just deliberately trying to upset me.”
Zhang Chunxiao, who resides in the United States, expressed deep concerns for Lu Siwei’s personal safety. “I believe all his actions, no matter where he goes, are definitely under surveillance. That’s why they knew so quickly that he checked into this hotel.”
Upon hearing this news, Zhang Chunxiao said, “I am very shocked, but it is also expected.” “The situation for Chinese lawyers is becoming increasingly difficult, with their space getting narrower. I don’t know until when they need to persevere before this situation can improve.”
Lu Siwei is one of the lawyers illegally detained during the “709 Crackdown” in 2015 and has represented many sensitive cases. In 2021, he defended the “12 Hong Kongers case,” leading to the revocation of his lawyer’s license by the Chinese authorities.
On July 28, 2023, Lu Siwei was detained by Laotian customs police while transiting to Thailand and was deported to China on September 23, where he was held at the Xin Du Detention Center in Chengdu until being released on bail on October 28 of the same year. On October 10, 2024, he was arrested by the Chenghua Branch of the Chengdu Public Security Bureau on charges of “illegal border crossing” and sentenced to 11 months in detention. He was released on August 5, 2025.
After his release, Lu Siwei, in October 2025, instructed lawyer Li Xiongbing to send a legal letter to the Laotian Embassy in China, holding the Laotian authorities accountable for serious violations of his personal and property rights and violations of international obligations. The letter was delivered to the Laotian Embassy in China on October 19 of the same year and was directly addressed to Ambassador Song Peng.
Lu Siwei made three specific demands to the Laotian government: first, return all confiscated belongings, compensate for personal losses, and issue an apology. Second, conduct a thorough investigation into his mistreatment during his detention in Laos and disclose the investigation results to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and international media. Third, hold the three police officers who beat him accountable for criminal responsibility according to Laotian domestic law and international human rights standards, and publish the handling results.
Lu Siwei’s human rights actions have drawn attention from international human rights institutions and the Special Procedures Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council, seen as an important benchmark case evaluating the safety of human rights defenders in Southeast Asia.