Key facts
- A Chinese human rights lawyer, Wu Shaoping, has been arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- Wu fled China in late 2019 and is awaiting a decision on his asylum claim filed in 2020.
- He was arrested by ICE officers in Pennsylvania while working as an Amazon courier.
- Human rights advocates fear Wu could be deported to China, where he faces persecution for his work.
- Wu's immigration hearing is scheduled for July 27.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested Wu Shaoping, a Chinese human rights lawyer who fled China in late 2019 and is currently awaiting a decision on his asylum claim filed in 2020. Wu was apprehended in Pennsylvania while working as an Amazon courier, raising concerns among human rights groups that he could be deported to China, where he faces persecution for his legal work.
Wu began his career as a commercial lawyer but later became involved in sensitive cases concerning religious minorities and political dissidents. This type of work has led to many lawyers in China being disbarred or harassed. His wife, Li Caoliu, stated that Wu "hoped that Chinese people could enjoy freedom and democracy, and did not like the way that China’s authoritarian system oppressed the common people."
Wu attended a meeting of human rights defenders in Xiamen in December 2019, after which several attendees, including prominent lawyers Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong, were arrested in a crackdown and subsequently imprisoned for subversion of state power. Wu fled China shortly after this meeting.
His arrest has generated significant fear among Chinese individuals who have sought protection in the US. Wu expressed frustration over his arrest, despite feeling optimistic about his asylum claim. His immigration hearing is scheduled for July 27. His friend, Shi Minglei, whose husband Cheng Yuan was jailed in China for activism, noted that Wu could face imprisonment if returned to China.
In a recent event commemorating a crackdown on Chinese human rights lawyers, Wu stated that their work is "not a romantic or performative act, but rather an unavoidable mission and responsibility."