Rule of Law in China, 10 Years after the 709 Crackdown

Starting on July 9, 2015, Chinese authorities detained hundreds of human rights lawyers and advocates, many of whom received long prison sentences, in what became known as the 709 Crackdown. This marked an important turning point for the rule of law in China, as well as the country's evolving political system and its development path. Ten years later, the events of 709 continue to shape Chinese society, politics, and legal institutions.

Please join the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies for this online event, in which leading scholars and practitioners will reflect on rule of law in China, the country's rights protection movement, and what we can learn from 709 in understanding today's China. The discussion will feature Nicholas Bequelin, Research Scholar in Law and Senior Fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center; Jonathan Czin, Michael H. Armacost Chair in Foreign Policy Studies and Fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution; Donald Clarke, David Weaver Research Professor Emeritus of Law with the George Washington University Law School; and Yaqiu Wang, a prominent Chinese human rights researcher and advocate. The event will be moderated by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies.

This event is made possible by generous support to CSIS.