The 709 crackdownWhile being a human rights lawyer has never been an easy path in Communist China, forced disappearances of lawyers were rare before 2015. But on July 9 of that year, prominent Beijing rights lawyer Wang Yu disappeared, along with her husband, also a lawyer, and their teenage son. Seven other rights lawyers were also detained or reported missing, according to the Hong-Kong based China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, which has meticulously documented the cases. By October 2017, some 321 lawyers, rights activists, their family members and staff had been caught up in the 709 crackdown, according to the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group. Earlier this year, 11 countries called on China to end the practice and investigate reports of torture against human rights lawyers.

Source: CNN November 24, 2017 00:56 UTC