Lawyer forcibly taken away after client meeting in Guizhou

On July 13, 2026, Beijing criminal-defence lawyer Song Zhenda was forcibly taken away by several police officers after completing a client meeting in Xifeng County, Guiyang, Guizhou. Footage recorded officers twisting his arms behind his back and carrying him away.

The public importance of the footage is that Song was engaged in ordinary legal work. Police must be able to explain the factual and proportional basis for escalating directly from a summons to physical restraint.

When lawyers cannot obtain basic procedural protection while performing defence work, the consequences extend beyond the individual lawyer to everyone who depends on legal defence against state accusations.