Rights Activism in ChinaThursday, March 31, 2016 | 6:00 - 8:30 pm
This program has no fee
https://services.nycbar.org/iMIS/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=ASI033116
Description:
A roundtable featuring Chinese civil society activists discussing women’s rights, LGBT issues, rights-related legal work, and internet freedom.
Moderator:
Angus F. Ni, Secretary of the Asian Affairs Committee
Speakers:
Teng Biao: renowned human-rights lawyer, dissident, and exile from Beijing who has spent years working on human rights issues and representing persecuted individuals and groups. Mr. Teng will speak on the ongoing crackdown on human rights lawyers, the government’s rationale in conducting the crackdown, and the responses from the outside world that would have the most impact.
Hou Ping: Founder and president of LesGo, a nonprofit group working on LGBT rights in China. Ms. Hou will speak on the LGBT community’s efforts to assert itself publicly both on the national and local levels, the progress it has made, and continuing challenges as LGBT groups navigate the current political climate.
Zhang RenWang, a former government-employed “internet monitor,” whose job involved guiding online discussions away from sensitive topics or posting opinions in favor of the government. Mr. Zhang will speak on the Chinese internet censorship regime and specifically his experiences as an internet moderator.
Liu Wei, a women’s rights advocate/lawyer. Ms. Liu will discuss her experiences as a women’s rights advocate and how the government has exerted increasing pressures on her and her organizing activities, ultimately leading to her involuntary but self-imposed exile.
Elisabeth Wickeri, Executive Director, Leitner Center for International Law and Justice Director, Asia Law and Justice Program. Professor Wickeri has long been involved in China-related rights work, and will provide a summation and commentary.
