China: Liberal Law Professor Arrested

A Chinese law professor and outspoken critic of the country’s president has been arrested.

Xu Zhangran – a well-known 57-year-old academic and essayist who was under house arrest in the city of Beijing – was taken into custody on Monday morning, 6 July, by 20 policemen.

According to one of his friends – who wished to remain anonymous – Xu’s house was searched, and his computer and papers were seized, before they took the professor away.

Although authorities accuse Xu of soliciting prostitution in the city of Chengdu with other liberal academics, his friend rubbished the claims as “ridiculous”.

In February, Xu was placed under house arrest after he published an essay, in which he criticised President Xi Jinping and the government for spreading misinformation – and banning media reports – about the coronavirus outbreak.

He has also criticised Xinping for his “tyrannical” style of leadership during his time in office.

In China – where freedom of speech is extremely limited and state-controlled – individuals like Xu who speak out against the government and the political regime risk being detained.

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