Prominent legal scholar and human rights defender Xu Zhiyong has been formally indicted for “subversion of state power”. Detained since February 2020, Xu has reported harsh conditions as well as incidents of torture and ill-treatment while in custody. Charged and detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression, Xu must be immediately released. Denied access to a lawyer for more than a year after he was first detained, there are grave concerns for his wellbeing as well as access to a fair trial.
