UN experts action on Chinese human rights defenders: the 'Changsha Three'
This explainer presents action taken by UN experts on the case of detained Chinese anti-discrimination activists Cheng Yuan, Wu Gejianxiong, and Liu Dazhi.
Cheng Yuan, Wu Gejianxiong and Liu Dazhi, known as the 'Changsha Three', are Chinese human rights defenders members of the NGO Changsha Funeng, who worked tirelessly to promote the right to health and combat discrimination, including on the basis on disability and health status.
On 22 July 2019, the three defenders were disappeared, and later detained by the Chinese authorities. They were sentenced during a secret trial in July 2021 to five, three and two years in prison, respectively. While Liu Dazhi was released on 21 July 2021, Cheng Yuan and Wu Gejianxiong were arbitrary detained for more than 1000 days. Cheng Yuan remains imprisoned, subjected to forced labour and restricted in his communications with relatives.
On the third anniversary of their detention, ISHR releases a bilingual explainer summarising action by UN experts on the 'Changsha Three' case, including a legal opinion by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and a joint letter by UN Special Rapporteurs.
Download our explainer in English or Chinese, to learn more.