Five feminist leaders remain in custody in China. Five women remain in the custody of Chinese authorities on charges of public disorder after being detained in the leadup to International Women’s Day on March 8. In China, authorities are permitted to hold detainees for thirty days without charge plus at additional seven days after filing the charge. On April 13, the case of these five women will reach the legal limit in China at which point the government must either release the protesters or “formally arrest” them—signaling a likely conviction for their crimes. These five women are core members of China’s feminist movement and have been known to stage dramatic and provocative protests. In one such demonstration, two of these prominent activists, Li Tingting and Wei Tingting, called attention to domestic violence by putting on white wedding gowns, splashing them with red paint, and marching through one of the most popular districts. The case of these five women has garnered international attention, including from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who has denounced the detention of these female activists as “inexcusable.” Chinese authorities have responded to the international opposition insisting that they are “handling the case in accordance with the law.”

http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2015/04/10/friday-asia-update-top-five-stories-for-the-week-of-april-10-2015/