Jiang Tianyong is one of the lawyers detained by the Chinese authorities. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese authorities will be inspecting the office of Chen Jian'gang after he released the transcription of how fellow lawyer Xie Yang was tortured.
During the interview, Xie told Chen a complete account of the torture that was given to him and how he was beaten by Chinese interrogators.
"After five or six days of this, I was basically paralyzed. I couldn't open my eyes, and my entire body throbbed in pain," Xie said.
The account of torture was regarded by the Chinese government as "fake."
A letter was signed by 11 foreign missions vouching for the authenticity of the accounts. The foreign missions included the Canadian embassy and stated that Xie made "credible claims of torture."
Other countries who expressed support were Japan, Australia, France, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
The missions expressed "growing concern over recent claims of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in cases concerning detained human rights lawyers and other human rights defenders."
The foreign offices requested that China stop "residential surveillance at a designated place" that appeared harmless but was in fact used to track activists.
Chen received a notice from the Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau and Chaoyang District Justice Bureau. Both bureaus want to see documents pertaining to previous cases.
The human rights lawyer thinks that the inspection is a sign that the government wants him to keep quiet and to stop defending his fellow lawyers.
He said, "Why are they coming for me? It's because of Xie Yang's case. They want me to be silent."
The human rights lawyer thinks that his phone is under surveillance. The concentrated efforts to harass him is meant to pressure him to stop supporting Xie.
To oppose these acts of harassment, he posted a photo of himself while carrying a banner stating, "Oppose torture, support Xie Yang."
