Thread by @vdraphael

Chinese lawyer #JiangTianyong @jiangty02
left prison exactly 3 years ago. Yet, he still can't move or communicate freely.

Today, he completes an arbitrary supplemental sentence of 'deprivation of political rights', yet Chinese govt still harasses him.

Thread 🧵

https://twitter.com/jinbianling/status/1498042853901041665

Jiang Tianyong's 'release' is a key example of the phenomenon of 'non-release release', documented by civil society: upon completing jail sentences, human rights lawyers are put under de facto house arrest, constant surveillance and harassment, unable to reunite with the family.

This is justified by the Chinese authorities under a supplemental sentence of 'deprivation of political rights' (3 years for Jiang).

Article 56 of 🇨🇳's Criminal Law imposes such a sentence on all those charged with national security crimes (ie the vast majority of activists).

Article 54 lists which rights are deprived:
- to elect, and be elected
- to freedom of expression, press, assembly, association, demonstration
- hold position in State organs, or leading position in State-owned companies, institution, or mass organisation

UN Special Rapporteurs have repeatedly called out China on its treatment of Jiang Tianyong, detained after meeting with UN expert @PhilipGAlston during his 2016 visit to China.

In September 2019 - 6 months after Jiang left prison - they called on China to stop harassing him.

The UN experts' position was clear: 'The domestic legal provisions allowing for ‘deprivation of political rights’ are nothing but an instrument of oppression, used to punish human rights defenders for their work in violation of international human rights law and standards' ...

They stressed that 'under international human rights law, civil and political rights cannot be ‘deprived’ and can only be limited under exceptional and narrowly defined circumstances.'

Full statement: ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/…

Today should mark the end of Jiang Tianyong's 3-years sentence of 'deprivation of political rights.' Yet, his wife @jinbianling reports that State Security police (国保) told his parents on Feb. 23 he can't go to Beijing nor leave the country, he will continue under house arrest.

This is yet anymore example, when it comes to silencing human rights defenders and lawyers, of China's blatant disregard not only for international human rights law (no surprise), but also for its own laws it claims to abide by.

@PhilALynch @sarahmcneer @SophieHRW @williamnee