China strips rights lawyer Li Jinxing of licence over ‘improper’ social media comments
- Li says he will appeal against the decision by authorities in eastern China
Prominent Chinese lawyer Li Jinxing, who gained national attention for defending clients in a number of high-profile cases, lost his licence for allegedly making “improper comments” on social media, a provincial regulatory body ruled on Tuesday.
The penalty was announced by a panel under the Shandong Provincial Department of Justice, which regulates lawyers in the east China province.
The panel said Li violated the lawyers’ code, which stipulates strict discipline for practitioners, by commenting on two cases – one about the disbarment of another lawyer Wen Donghai; and the other about Li being blocked from meeting his client at a detention centre in Fujian province.
In the Fujian case, Li said lawyers were granted less dignity than Zhu Jianqiang, a celebrity pig that survived the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
Li said he would appeal against the decision.
“The administrative penalty on me was totally illegal, and it’s completely wrong,” he said.
Justice department official Yuan Shuai defended the ruling, saying it was in line with the relevant regulations and Li could appeal or sue to overturn it.