The case of human rights lawyer Ms. Li Yuhan, who had engaged with UN human rights mechanisms and whose detention was considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, 6 was included in the 2019 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, para. 45 and Annex I, paras. 13, 15). It was reported to OHCHR that during the reporting period, Ms. Li Yuhan has been held in Shenyang City No.1 Detention Center, still in pre-trial detention since May 2019 on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” since being seized by the police on 9 October 2017. She has reportedly not been able to meet her lawyers since January 2020 before the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 17 August 2020, the Government responded in detail to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report. [...] 31. Regarding Ms. Li Yuhan, she was detained in November 2017 and charged with fraud and provocative and disturbing acts; she was disbarred in 2018. The People’s Court of Heping District, as the court of first instance, is currently hearing the case. Judicial authorities have dealt with her case in accordance with the law and that no “abuses” or “tortures” have taken place.

17. The case of human rights lawyer Ms. Li Yuhan, who had engaged with UN human rights mechanisms and whose detention was considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention,106 was included in the 2020 and 2019 reports of the Secretary-General.

39. The case of human rights lawyer Ms. Li Yuhan, who had engaged with UN human rights mechanisms and whose detention was considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, was included in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 reports of the Secretary-General. According to information received by OHCHR, on 20 October 2021, Ms. Li Yuhan was tried for the charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “fraud” by the Heping District People’s Court in Shenzang, Liaoning province, after being held in pre-trial detention for more than four years at the Shenzang No. 1 Detention Center. Reportedly, only one of her two defense lawyers was able to represent Ms. Li Yuan at the trial, after the authorities revoked the firm’s operating license of the other lawyer. Reportedly, the court rejected the request of human rights lawyer Ms. Wang Yu to be appointed as her personal representative (see below). During the reporting period, Ms. Li Yuhan’s trial was repeatedly postponed. Allegedly, she was brought before the court several times and was urged to plead guilty to the charges, which Ms. Li Yuhan refused to do. It was reported to OHCHR that Ms. Li Yuhan suffers from poor health, including cardiovascular, gastric and other diseases.

31. The case of human rights lawyer Ms. Li Yuhan, who had engaged with UN human rights mechanisms and whose detention was considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, was included in the reports of the Secretary-General since 2019.45 According to information received by OHCHR, Ms. Li Yuhan was tried for the charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “fraud” in October 2021 and remains in pretrial detention at the Shenzang No. 1 Detention Center, awaiting sentencing since 9 October 2017. Reportedly, in November 2022, the Heping People’s Court ordered another three months extension of her detention, allegedly without the required approval of the Supreme People’s Court. During the reporting period, Ms. Li Yuhan’s health has deteriorated and her multiple applications for medical release were rejected despite suffering from urgent medical conditions. Reportedly, a judge rejected a medical request for a CT scan despite all necessary arrangements made by the prison and on 20 March 2023, Ms. Li Yuhan underwent a medical examination.
32. Regarding the situation of Ms. Li Yuhan the Government reiterated the information on the criminal proceedings against her as reflected in its reply to last year’s report (A/HRC/51/47, Annex II, para. 52) and added that her trial on suspicion of picking quarrels and provoking trouble as well as committing fraud was ongoing and that the verdict was pending.

56. The case of human rights lawyer Ms. Li Yuhan, who had engaged with UN human rights mechanisms and whose detention was considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention,53 has been included in the reports of the Secretary-General since 2019.54 Reportedly, Ms. Li Yuhan was held in pre-trial detention at the Shenyang No. 1 Detention Centre since 9 October 2017 on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “fraud”, until her trial in October 2021. On 21 July 2023, special procedures mandate holders addressed her arbitrary detention, related violations of due process guarantees and her reported ill treatment and state of health (CHN 11/2023). On 25 September 2023, the Government replied to mandate holders55 According to information received by OHCHR, on 24 March 2024, she was released from prison after having served the full term of her sentence of six and a half years. She is reportedly in poor health and in need of medical care. Reportedly, on 15 April 2024 she travelled to Beijing to seek medical treatment and had to move out of her place of residence due to alleged pressure by police on her host.

57. Regarding the situation of Ms. Li Yuhan, the Government stated that on 25 October 2023, the Heping District People’s Court of Shenyang Municipality had sentenced her to four years’ fixed-term imprisonment for the crime of fraud and imposed a penalty of RMB 50,000 yuan and an additional three years’ fixed-term imprisonment for the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble. It clarified further that a combined sentence of six years and six months of imprisonment and a fine of RMB 50,000 yuan had been imposed and that. Ms. Li Yuhan had appealed. The Government added that, after hearing the case, the Shenyang Municipal Intermediate People’s Court had ruled on 29 December 2023 that the appeal should be rejected and the original sentence upheld. Li Yuhan was released at the end of her sentence on 24 March 2024.