Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei planned to reunite with his family in the United States last year but was unexpectedly arrested in Laos and deported back to China. His wife recently revealed that Lu Siwei has been accused of “illegal border crossing” and will be sent to the prosecutor’s office for further review and prosecution.
On July 28, Lu Siwei’s wife, Zhang Chunxiao, shared on the social platform X, that her husband was arrested in Laos on July 28 last year, detained for two months, and then deported back to China. After being held in the Xindu Detention Center in Chengdu for a month, he was granted bail pending trial and has been residing in a designated location by the authorities since then.
Zhang Chunxiao mentioned that for the past year, there have been 8 to 9 people rotating shifts to monitor Lu Siwei around-the-clock downstairs from their residence. He is followed whenever he goes out, and if he wants to leave Chengdu, he must apply and receive approval from the authorities and the handling personnel before booking tickets. “Under this kind of surveillance, Siwei cannot find work, and the pressure of life is very high.”
Lu Siwei’s bail pending trial is set to end on October 27 this year. However, on July 19, he was summoned to the Baohepai Police Station for interrogation and was later informed that his case would be transferred from the Chenghua District Public Security Bureau to the Chenghua District Prosecutor’s Office for review and prosecution.
Lu Siwei is a well-known human rights lawyer in China who has handled several sensitive cases involving political dissidents, such as the “June 4 Liquor Case,” “709 Case,” and the “Lawyer Yu Wensheng Incitement Case.”
In December 2019, Lu Siwei participated in a private gathering of human rights lawyers and dissidents, known as the “Xiamen Gathering Case,” leading to his summons and travel ban. In January 2021, two years later, he defended 12 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures who attempted to flee to Taiwan, resulting in the authorities revoking his lawyer’s license.
According to Zhang Chunxiao’s account, Lu Siwei’s current condition is very poor. During the Chinese New Year, he fell from a motorcycle and fractured his right humerus bone, requiring hospitalization for over twenty days. After discharge, he still needs to visit the hospital and rehabilitation center every three to four days for treatment and therapy. Under the dual torment of mental and physical stress, Lu Siwei’s emotions fluctuate, sometimes showing no reaction during video calls, which greatly worries his wife.
Zhang Chunxiao expressed hope that her husband will one day regain the freedom to work, travel, and visit family.