Beijing, February 8:
UN human rights experts have sharply criticised Chinese authorities for repeatedly denying human rights defender Yang Li access to urgent medical treatment, calling on Beijing to cease harassment and intimidation against her and her family. The experts highlighted that Li’s arrest and indictment appear to be aimed at preventing her from peacefully exercising her rights to seek redress for legitimate grievances.
Yang Li, a prominent activist from Jintan, has long campaigned on housing and land rights, raising concerns over illegal land expropriation, forced evictions, and lack of compensation for displaced residents. She has consistently highlighted the plight of local communities affected by demolitions and unlawful land seizures.
According to reports, Li was detained on January 18 while travelling to Beijing for urgent medical care. She and her father were forcibly taken by plainclothes police to the Jintan Law Enforcement Case Management Centre. This arrest came just five days after her release from a prior detention between January 11 and 13.
Since her detention in 2025, Li has reportedly been denied necessary medical treatment despite being diagnosed with a severe health condition in August last year, which requires specialised care. Even after her release on December 30, her movements remained restricted, and she was not allowed to visit a hospital.
International human rights organisation Front Line Defenders (FLD) has condemned the repeated targeting of Li, stating that withholding medical care appears to be part of a deliberate pattern of retaliation against her for exposing abuses related to land rights.
UN experts and rights groups have urged Chinese authorities to immediately allow Li access to proper medical treatment and end all forms of harassment against her. They stressed that safeguarding human rights defenders and ensuring access to healthcare are fundamental obligations under international human rights law, and failure to do so exacerbates violations of both health and civil liberties.
This case underscores growing international concerns over the treatment of human rights defenders in China, particularly those advocating for vulnerable communities.
