Teng Biao

Teng Biao (Chinese: 滕彪) is a human rights activist and lawyer in China. Teng is a lecturer at the University of Politics and Law in Beijing. He has been a vocal supporter of human rights activists such as Chen Guangcheng and Hu Jia.[2] He has been arrested at least twice, in March 2008[3] and in February 2011.[4] He is currently a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Teng (surname).
Teng Biao
滕彪
Born (1973-08-02) 2 August 1973[1]
Weiquan lawyers
Background
Lawyers and legal scholars
Organizations
Cases and Events

Human rights activities

Teng Biao is one of the founders of the Open Constitution Initiative in 2003. He is also one of the 25 leading figures on the Information and Democracy Commission launched by Reporters Without Borders.[5]

In 2006 he was counsel for the blind civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.

Arrests

On 7 March 2008, Teng was abducted by Beijing Public Security agents and detained for two days.[3]

In 2011, Teng met with other lawyers on 16 February to talk about the case of Chen Guangcheng, who was placed illegally under house arrest after his release from prison. His fellow lawyers Jiang Tianyong and Tang Jitian, who attended the meeting, were arrested soon after.[6] Teng was arrested on 20 February, the first Sunday of the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests that were inspired by the Arab Spring.[4] On 28 February 2011, Amnesty International launched an "urgent action" in support of the three detained lawyers.[6] Teng Biao was released on 29 April, after more than two months of detention.[7] Human rights organisations state that "He remains under surveillance".[8]

Harassment in the US

In December 2020 a group of Chinese protestors began picketing Teng's home in New Jersey, accusing him of conspiring with the Chinese government. Teng said the protests were organized by Guo Wengui in retaliation for criticism.[9]

Awards
  • Religious Freedom and Rule of Law Defender Award (2012)[10]
  • Prize for Outstanding Democracy Activist (2011)[11]
  • Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Grants (2010)[12]
  • NED Democracy Award (2008)[13]
  • Human Rights Prize of French Republic (2007)

See also

References
  1. "Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention" (PDF).
  2. Taylor, J. 2006, 'China's most famous dissident still in limbo', AM, 5 August. Retrieved on 9 March 2008.
  3. Buckley, C. 2008, 'China frees rights lawyer, may try dissident', The Guardian, 8 March. Retrieved on 9 March 2008.
  4. "Organizers urge sustained street protests in China". Mercury News. Associated Press. 2011-02-23. Archived from the original on 2011-02-26. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  5. "Dr Teng Biao | Reporters without borders". 9 September 2018.
  6. Amnesty International, Urgent Action 02/28/2011, 'Three human rights lawyers detained in China'
  7. New York Times, April 29, 2011, 'China Releases Detained Activist'
  8. Amnesty International, May 9, 2011, 'Urgent action (good news): Chinese human rights lawyer Teng Biao, released' Archived 2011-10-08 at Archive.today
  9. Whalen, Jeanne; Shih, Gerry (December 18, 2020). "Chinese dissidents say they're being harassed by a businessman with links to Steve Bannon". The Washington Post.
  10. "ChinaAid: ChinaAid "Religious Freedom and Rule of Law Defender Award" Recipient Teng Biao's Words of Thanks". www.chinaaid.org. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  11. "Chinese Lawyers Teng Biao, Jiang Tianyong Named Democracy Prize Recipients". Status of Chinese People. 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  12. "Hellman/Hammett grants honour 42 writers for courage in facing political persecution". IFEX. 2010-08-05. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  13. "2008 Democracy Award" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-10-20.
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