The wife of a detained Chinese human rights lawyer who has embarked on a 100-kilometre (60-mile) march to highlight his plight said Thursday she did not even know if he was still alive.

Attorney Wang Quanzhang, who defended political activists and victims of land seizures, has had no contact with the outside world since he disappeared in a 2015 police sweep aimed at courtroom critics of Communist authorities.

Wang has since been charged with "subversion of state power" but authorities have blocked lawyers from visiting him.&nbsp

"Maybe something horrible happened to him in jail and that is why authorities don't want anyone to find out," his wife Li Wenzu told AFP.

"It's been 1,000 days. I don't know if he is alive or dead."&nbsp

Li and a small group of supporters set off Wednesday on a march from Beijing to the "No. 2 Detention Centre" in the northeastern city of Tianjin, where officials last said he was being held.

They pressed on even during a freak snowstorm and plan to reach Tianjin by next Friday.

"We want to see the president of the court. We want to see the presiding judge. It would be good if someone came out to tell us what Wang Quanzhang's case was all about. If he committed no sin, they should release him," she said.

Li wore a black sweatshirt with the slogan "Free Quanzhang" and a cap embroidered with the words of the last letter Wang sent his parents.

Fearing reprisal, he told them that becoming a human rights lawyer was not a "reckless decision" but a response to a call from within.

For nearly three years, Li has made dozens of freedom of information requests to police -- which have been sent back unanswered -- and she has visited the complaints office of the Supreme People's Court in Beijing weekly to no avail.

Instead of answers, she has been put under constant police surveillance.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as Li talked about how their five-year-old son is afraid of the state security officers who have moved into an apartment below their home.&nbsp

China's 'lies' 
For several days beginning on July 9, 2015, more than 200 Chinese human rights lawyers and activists were detained or questioned in the largest clampdown on the legal profession in recent history.

While the majority were released on bail, a handful -- including prominent lawyers Xie Yang and Li Heping -- were convicted of various crimes and sentenced to up to seven years in prison.

Wang's case is unusual because no trial date has even been announced. He is the last person in the so-called "709 crackdown" to remain in legal limbo.

When AFP called the Tianjin No. 2 Detention Centre on Thursday, a man who picked up said: "You should not ask about this matter."

Frances Eve, a researcher for the charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said the tireless campaigning of family members of detained lawyers had drawn international attention to China's "lies" about its legal system.

"Li shouldn't be forced to wait years and walk miles to receive basic information about her husband's status. Wang Quanzhang should be released and reunited with his family," Eve said.

A government-appointed lawyer said he met Wang in July last year, but his family has disputed the claim, saying there is no evidence such a meeting took place.

China's ruling Communist party has repeatedly pledged to implement the "rule of law", but analysts say the crackdown shows the limits of that promise.

The country's courts are tightly controlled by the party, with forced confessions often used as evidence and guilty verdicts delivered in more than 99.9 percent of criminal cases.

Li Wenzu has embarked on a 100-kilometre march to highlight his plight. She said Thursday she did not even know if he was still alive

The wife of a detained Chinese human rights lawyer who has embarked on a 100-kilometre (60-mile) march to highlight his plight said Thursday she did not even know if he was still alive. Attorney Wang Quanzhang, who defended political activists and victims of land seizures, has had no contact with the outside world since he disappeared in a 2015 police sweep aimed at courtroom critics of Communist authorities. Wang has since been charged with "subversion of state power" but authorities have blocked lawyers from visiting him. "Maybe something horrible happened to him in jail and that is why authorities don't want anyone to find out," his wife Li Wenzu told AFP. "It's been 1,000 days. I don't know if he is alive or dead." Li and a small group of supporters set off Wednesday on a march from Beijing to the "No. 2 Detention Centre" in the northeastern city of Tianjin, where officials last said he was being held. They pressed on even during a freak snowstorm and plan to reach Tianjin by next Friday. "We want to see the president of the court. We want to see the presiding judge. It would be good if someone came out to tell us what Wang Quanzhang's case was all about. If he committed no sin, they should release him," she said. Li wore a black sweatshirt with the slogan "Free Quanzhang" and a cap embroidered with the words of the last letter Wang sent his parents. Fearing reprisal, he told them that becoming a human rights lawyer was not a "reckless decision" but a response to a call from within. For nearly three years, Li has made dozens of freedom of information requests to police -- which have been sent back unanswered -- and she has visited the complaints office of the Supreme People's Court in Beijing weekly to no avail. Instead of answers, she has been put under constant police surveillance. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Li talked about how their five-year-old son is afraid of the state security officers who have moved into an apartment below their home. China's 'lies' For several days beginning on July 9, 2015, more than 200 Chinese human rights lawyers and activists were detained or questioned in the largest clampdown on the legal profession in recent history. While the majority were released on bail, a handful -- including prominent lawyers Xie Yang and Li Heping -- were convicted of various crimes and sentenced to up to seven years in prison. Wang's case is unusual because no trial date has even been announced. He is the last person in the so-called "709 crackdown" to remain in legal limbo. When AFP called the Tianjin No. 2 Detention Centre on Thursday, a man who picked up said: "You should not ask about this matter." Frances Eve, a researcher for the charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said the tireless campaigning of family members of detained lawyers had drawn international attention to China's "lies" about its legal system. "Li shouldn't be forced to wait years and walk miles to receive basic information about her husband's status. Wang Quanzhang should be released and reunited with his family," Eve said. A government-appointed lawyer said he met Wang in July last year, but his family has disputed the claim, saying there is no evidence such a meeting took place. China's ruling Communist party has repeatedly pledged to implement the "rule of law", but analysts say the crackdown shows the limits of that promise. The country's courts are tightly controlled by the party, with forced confessions often used as evidence and guilty verdicts delivered in more than 99.9 percent of criminal cases.

Wife of 'vanished' Chinese lawyer marches for answers

China sentenced a prominent rights activist to eight years in jail for subversion on Tuesday, his lawyer said, the harshest sentence passed in a government crackdown on activism that began more than two years ago.

Also on Tuesday, in a separate case, a rights lawyer avoided criminal punishment despite being found guilty of inciting subversion, because he admitted to his crimes, the Chinese court trying him said.

Wu Gan, a blogger better known by his online name &quot;Super Vulgar Butcher&quot;, plans to appeal against the eight-year sentence handed down by the Tianjin Municipality&#39;s No. 2 Intermediate People&#39;s Court, his lawyer Yan Xin told Reuters.

Wu regularly championed sensitive cases of government abuses of power, both online and in street protests. He was detained in May 2015 and charged with subversion.

The activist criticised China`s political system online and used performance art to create disturbances, as well as insulting people and spreading false information, according to a statement from the court posted on its website.

&quot;He carried out a string of criminal actions to subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system and seriously harmed state security and social stability,&quot; the court said.

Before his arrest, Wu used his platform to cast doubt on the official version of events in an incident in early May 2015, in which a police officer shot a petitioner in a train station in northern China&#39;s Heilongjiang province.

His sentence is the most severe in what rights groups have called an unprecedented attack on China`s rights activists and lawyers, known as the 709 crackdown, which began in full force on July 9, 2015.

The hardline approach to rights activism has shown no sign of softening as Chinese President Xi Jinping enters his second five-year term in office.

Court video released

In the other case concluded on Tuesday, rights lawyer Xie Yang received no punishment after being found guilty of inciting subversion and disrupting court order, the Changsha Intermediate People&#39;s Court said on social media.

The court released a video of the proceeding, in which Xie said he accepted the outcome and will not appeal. He also thanked authorities and said he will be a law-abiding citizen.

Xie had worked on numerous cases deemed sensitive by Chinese authorities, such as defending supporters of Hong Kong&#39;s pro-democracy protests. In May, he confessed to the charges against him in what rights groups called a scripted &quot;sham&quot; trial.

In January, Xie&#39;s wife and lawyer released detailed accounts of torture suffered by Xie at the hands of the authorities, which were widely reported on in the international media.

Chinese state media branded those reports &quot;fake news&quot; and said the accounts were concocted as a means of gaining attention. Xie`s lawyer told Reuters he stands by the account.

The decision to hand down both sentences the day after Christmas, when there would likely be less attention from diplomats and international observers, &quot;reeks of cynical political calculation&quot;, said Patrick Poon, Hong Kong-based researcher for Amnesty International.

China&#39;s foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Wu&#39;s detention led to his father, Xu Xiaoshun, also taking up activism. Xu told Reuters in July he felt compelled to speak out on his son`s behalf after authorities asked him to say Wu was guilty.

The crackdown has also spurred other family members to become activists.

Wu Gan, a blogger better known by his online name 'Super Vulgar Butcher', plans to appeal against the eight-year prison sentence

China sentenced a prominent rights activist to eight years in jail for subversion on Tuesday, his lawyer said, the harshest sentence passed in a government crackdown on activism that began more than two years ago. Also on Tuesday, in a separate case, a rights lawyer avoided criminal punishment despite being found guilty of inciting subversion, because he admitted to his crimes, the Chinese court trying him said. Wu Gan, a blogger better known by his online name "Super Vulgar Butcher", plans to appeal against the eight-year sentence handed down by the Tianjin Municipality's No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, his lawyer Yan Xin told Reuters. Wu regularly championed sensitive cases of government abuses of power, both online and in street protests. He was detained in May 2015 and charged with subversion. The activist criticised China`s political system online and used performance art to create disturbances, as well as insulting people and spreading false information, according to a statement from the court posted on its website. "He carried out a string of criminal actions to subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system and seriously harmed state security and social stability," the court said. Before his arrest, Wu used his platform to cast doubt on the official version of events in an incident in early May 2015, in which a police officer shot a petitioner in a train station in northern China's Heilongjiang province. His sentence is the most severe in what rights groups have called an unprecedented attack on China`s rights activists and lawyers, known as the 709 crackdown, which began in full force on July 9, 2015. The hardline approach to rights activism has shown no sign of softening as Chinese President Xi Jinping enters his second five-year term in office. Court video released In the other case concluded on Tuesday, rights lawyer Xie Yang received no punishment after being found guilty of inciting subversion and disrupting court order, the Changsha Intermediate People's Court said on social media. The court released a video of the proceeding, in which Xie said he accepted the outcome and will not appeal. He also thanked authorities and said he will be a law-abiding citizen. Xie had worked on numerous cases deemed sensitive by Chinese authorities, such as defending supporters of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests. In May, he confessed to the charges against him in what rights groups called a scripted "sham" trial. In January, Xie's wife and lawyer released detailed accounts of torture suffered by Xie at the hands of the authorities, which were widely reported on in the international media. Chinese state media branded those reports "fake news" and said the accounts were concocted as a means of gaining attention. Xie`s lawyer told Reuters he stands by the account. The decision to hand down both sentences the day after Christmas, when there would likely be less attention from diplomats and international observers, "reeks of cynical political calculation", said Patrick Poon, Hong Kong-based researcher for Amnesty International. China's foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Wu's detention led to his father, Xu Xiaoshun, also taking up activism. Xu told Reuters in July he felt compelled to speak out on his son`s behalf after authorities asked him to say Wu was guilty. The crackdown has also spurred other family members to become activists.

China's 'Vulgar Butcher' activist gets 8-year prison sentence - country's harshest punishment

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