Wife of Chinese human rights lawyer protests his treatment

The wife of a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer who went on trial earlier this week was blocked Friday from submitting a petition protesting her husband's treatment.

About 30 police officers prevented Li Wenzu and about a dozen supporters from entering a Supreme Court petition office in Beijing.

Li's petition accuses the court handling her husband Wang Quanzhang's case of a severe violation of judicial regulations.

Wang was tried for subversion of state power in a closed hearing Wednesday after being held without access to his lawyers or family for more than three years. The court in the city of Tianjin has yet to announce a verdict.

"This is so laughable," Li said as she was jostled by a circle of police.

"You see all these signs on the streets proclaiming 'rule of law'... how ironic!"
Wang is among more than 200 lawyers and legal activists who were detained during a 2015 crackdown. He was a member of the Fengrui law firm, among the most recognized in the field broadly known in China as "rights defending."