Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has authored a 40-page document detailing human rights abuses and related social issues in China during 2016. This is the first comprehensive human rights commentary written by a human rights lawyer still living in China.
Gao Zhisheng is a prominent human rights lawyer who is best known for his work defending Christians, Falun Gong adherents, and other vulnerable groups. As a result of his work on sensitive cases and his open letters to Chinese political leaders, the authorities closed down his law firm and revoked his lawyer’s licence. On 22 December 2006 he was sentenced to three years in prison and one year’s deprivation of political rights, with a probation period of five years on the charge of incitement to subvert state power.