9th July

The start of what observers say is an “unprecedented” crackdown on Chinese human rights lawyers. So far more than 230 people have been detained or interrogated

 

10th July

Boxing Road

Police Station

Daxing

district

20 miles

20 km

China

Beijing

Li Heping, one of China's best-known rights lawyers, is taken from his home in Beijing’s Daxing district at around 2pm

 

12th July

Li Heping’s wife, Wang Qiaoling, goes to their local police station on Boxing Road to officially report her husband missing and ask where he is. “The only response we got was, ‘I don’t know,’” she said

 

 

 

16th July

Cai Ying, a lawyer representing Li Heping, flies into Beijing from Changsha to begin searching for his missing client

 

 

 

 

17th July

Ma Lianshun, a second lawyer helping with the hunt, arrives in Beijing from Zhengzhou. That afternoon Ma travels to the Boxing Road police station where officers claim police from the nearby city of Tianjin took Li Heping. Police say they have no further information and no obligation to help find Li Heping.

 

Cai Ying travels to Tianjin where he visits two police stations and the Hexi Detention Centre. He also comes away empty handed.

 

 

Cai Ying and Ma Lianshun on one trip to a police station

 

24th July

Fearing for their safety, Li Heping’s wife sends the couple’s two children to stay with relatives in another part of China. “[When I took them to] the station, I couldn’t control my tears,” she said

 

 

 

27th July

With fears growing that Li Heping could be suffering torture, the two lawyers return to Tianjin with their client’s wife. Again their investigation is blocked

 

 

 

 

28th July

Activists report that Li Heping’s assistant, Zhao Wei, who also disappeared on July 10 – is being held at the Hexi Detention Centre in Tianjin. She had been missing for 18 days

 

 

 

 

Zhao Wei and her husband

1st August

At around 10pm police raid the home of Li Heping’s brother, Li Chunfu, seizing a computer, books and documents. He is also taken into custody. “Dad was taken away in handcuffs,” his 5-year-old son said, according to Li Heping’s wife

 

6th August

At around 11am police return to Li Heping's house. At around 2pm his wife is taken away for questioning but is released later that night. Activists say she is warned not to publicly discuss her husband’s plight

 

10th August

It is one month since Li Heping went missing and his whereabouts is still a mystery. “He will not be scared of prison or torture. But he must be worried about his family,” says Teng Biao, a friend and fellow lawyer

 

Li Heping

Boxing Road

Police Station

Daxing

district

20 miles

20 km

China

Beijing

16th July

12th July

27th July

17th July

10th July

9th July

10th August

1st August

28th July

6th August

24th July

Ma Lianshun, a second lawyer helping with the hunt, arrives in Beijing from Zhengzhou. That afternoon Ma travels to the Boxing Road police station where officers claim police from the nearby city of Tianjin took Li Heping. Police say they have no further information and no obligation to help find Li Heping.

 

Cai Ying travels to Tianjin where he visits two police stations and the Hexi Detention Centre. He also comes away empty handed.

 

 

Cai Ying, a lawyer representing Li Heping, flies into Beijing from Changsha to begin searching for his missing client

 

 

 

 

Li Heping’s wife, Wang Qiaoling, goes to their local police station on Boxing Road to officially report her husband missing and ask where he is. “The only response we got was, ‘I don’t know,’” she said

 

 

 

Li Heping, one of China's best-known rights lawyers, is taken from his home in Beijing’s Daxing district at around 2pm

 

The start of what observers say is an “unprecedented” crackdown on Chinese human rights lawyers. So far more than 230 people have been detained or interrogated

 

With fears growing that Li Heping could be suffering torture, the two lawyers return to Tianjin with their client’s wife. Again their investigation is blocked

 

 

 

 

Cai Ying and Ma Lianshun on one trip to a police station

 

It is one month since Li Heping went missing and his whereabouts is still a mystery. “He will not be scared of prison or torture. But he must be worried about his family,” says Teng Biao, a friend and fellow lawyer

 

At around 11am police return to Li Heping's house. At around 2pm his wife is taken away for questioning but is released later that night. Activists say she is warned not to publicly discuss her husband’s plight

 

At around 10pm police raid the home of Li Heping’s brother, Li Chunfu, seizing a computer, books and documents. He is also taken into custody. “Dad was taken away in handcuffs,” his 5-year-old son said, according to Li Heping’s wife

 

Activists report that Li Heping’s assistant, Zhao Wei, who also disappeared on July 10 – is being held at the Hexi Detention Centre in Tianjin. She had been missing for 18 days

 

 

 

 

Fearing for their safety, Li Heping’s wife sends the couple’s two children to stay with relatives in another part of China. “[When I took them to] the station, I couldn’t control my tears,” she said

 

 

 

Zhao Wei and her husband

Li Heping

Boxing Road

Police Station

Daxing

district

20 miles

20 km

China

Beijing

Ma Lianshun, a second lawyer helping with the hunt, arrives in Beijing from Zhengzhou. That afternoon Ma travels to the Boxing Road police station where officers claim police from the nearby city of Tianjin took Li Heping. Police say they have no further information and no obligation to help find Li Heping.

 

Cai Ying travels to Tianjin where he visits two police stations and the Hexi Detention Centre. He also comes away empty handed.

 

 

Cai Ying, a lawyer representing Li Heping, flies into Beijing from Changsha to begin searching for his missing client

 

 

 

 

16th

July

Li Heping’s wife, Wang Qiaoling, goes to their local police station on Boxing Road to officially report her husband missing and ask where he is. “The only response we got was, ‘I don’t know,’” she said

 

 

 

Li Heping, one of China's best-known rights lawyers, is taken from his home in Beijing’s Daxing district at around 2pm

 

The start of what observers say is an “unprecedented” crackdown on Chinese human rights lawyers. So far more than 230 people have been detained or interrogated

 

12th

July

With fears growing that Li Heping could be suffering torture, the two lawyers return to Tianjin with their client’s wife. Again their investigation is blocked

 

 

 

 

27th

July

17th

July

Cai Ying and Ma Lianshun on one trip to a police station

 

10th

July

9th

July

It is one month since Li Heping went missing and his whereabouts is still a mystery. “He will not be scared of prison or torture. But he must be worried about his family,” says Teng Biao, a friend and fellow lawyer

 

At around 11am police return to Li Heping's house. At around 2pm his wife is taken away for questioning but is released later that night. Activists say she is warned not to publicly discuss her husband’s plight

 

At around 10pm police raid the home of Li Heping’s brother, Li Chunfu, seizing a computer, books and documents. He is also taken into custody. “Dad was taken away in handcuffs,” his 5-year-old son said, according to Li Heping’s wife

 

Activists report that Li Heping’s assistant, Zhao Wei, who also disappeared on July 10 – is being held at the Hexi Detention Centre in Tianjin. She had been missing for 18 days

 

 

 

 

Fearing for their safety, Li Heping’s wife sends the couple’s two children to stay with relatives in another part of China. “[When I took them to] the station, I couldn’t control my tears,” she said

 

 

 

10th

August

1st

August

28th

July

6th

August

24th

July

Zhao Wei and her husband

Li Heping

Boxing Road

Police Station

Daxing

district

20 miles

20 km

China

Beijing

Ma Lianshun, a second lawyer helping with the hunt, arrives in Beijing from Zhengzhou. That afternoon Ma travels to the Boxing Road police station where officers claim police from the nearby city of Tianjin took Li Heping. Police say they have no further information and no obligation to help find Li Heping.

 

Cai Ying travels to Tianjin where he visits two police stations and the Hexi Detention Centre. He also comes away empty handed.

 

 

Cai Ying, a lawyer representing Li Heping, flies into Beijing from Changsha to begin searching for his missing client

 

 

 

 

16th July

Li Heping’s wife, Wang Qiaoling, goes to their local police station on Boxing Road to officially report her husband missing and ask where he is. “The only response we got was, ‘I don’t know,’” she said

 

 

 

Li Heping, one of China's best-known rights lawyers, is taken from his home in Beijing’s Daxing district at around 2pm

 

The start of what observers say is an “unprecedented” crackdown on Chinese human rights lawyers. So far more than 230 people have been detained or interrogated

 

12th July

With fears growing that Li Heping could be suffering torture, the two lawyers return to Tianjin with their client’s wife. Again their investigation is blocked

 

 

 

 

27th July

17th July

Cai Ying and Ma Lianshun on one trip to a police station

 

10th July

9th July

It is one month since Li Heping went missing and his whereabouts is still a mystery. “He will not be scared of prison or torture. But he must be worried about his family,” says Teng Biao, a friend and fellow lawyer

 

At around 11am police return to Li Heping's house. At around 2pm his wife is taken away for questioning but is released later that night. Activists say she is warned not to publicly discuss her husband’s plight

 

At around 10pm police raid the home of Li Heping’s brother, Li Chunfu, seizing a computer, books and documents. He is also taken into custody. “Dad was taken away in handcuffs,” his 5-year-old son said, according to Li Heping’s wife

 

Activists report that Li Heping’s assistant, Zhao Wei, who also disappeared on July 10 – is being held at the Hexi Detention Centre in Tianjin. She had been missing for 18 days

 

 

 

 

Fearing for their safety, Li Heping’s wife sends the couple’s two children to stay with relatives in another part of China. “[When I took them to] the station, I couldn’t control my tears,” she said

 

 

 

10th August

1st August

28th July

6th August

24th July

Li Heping

Zhao Wei and her husband