A Chinese court sentenced 10 of the protestors to prison terms ranging from seven months to two years after they were convicted for illegal border crossing.

Lawyers Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, defending, have been disbarred by the authorities. The 12 defendants were instead given government-appointed lawyers.

Mr Lu received a notice for “repeatedly posting inappropriate comments online” – though no details were provided.

Mr Ren got a similar notice for allegedly mishandling a case involving a Falun Gong member in 2018. He also represented Zhang Zhan, the Chinese citizen journalist who was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for reporting on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.

“The Chinese authorities are using the case of Lu and Ren as an example to threaten other human rights lawyers, such that on one else would dare to participate in politically sensitive cases,” said the protesters’ families said.