Barefoot Lawyer Reports

In this two part episode, Dr. William Saunders speaks with Cristina Cevallos, one of the first-place winners of the 2025 Human Rights Essay Contest. Cristina discusses her award-winning essay, “How Do You Eat the Chinese Dragon? One Bite at a Time,” which explores strategies to counter human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party through indirect yet effective action. Together, Dr. Saunders...

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng exposes the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing efforts to infiltrate American institutions—particularly universities—through manipulation, bribery, and blackmail. Guangcheng discusses the recent case of Elsa Johnson, a Stanford student targeted by a CCP operative who attempted to recruit her with promises of money and travel t...

In the conclusion of this two-part tribute, Chen Guangcheng reflects on the later years of his friendship with Jerome Alan Cohen (1930–2024) — from Cohen’s bold advocacy during Chen’s house arrest to his steadfast support during Chen’s escape from China in 2012 and eventual resettlement in the United States. Guangcheng recounts the moment he learned of Jerry’s passing, sharing his shock, sorrow, a...

In this special two-part episode, Chen Guangcheng honors the life and legacy of Jerome Alan Cohen (1930–2024) — a pioneering scholar, lawyer, and lifelong advocate for human rights and the rule of law in China. Guangcheng shares personal stories from their decades-long friendship: how they first met in 2003, their many conversations about justice and reform, and how Cohen’s mentorship and compassi...

In this final part, Elsa Johnson emphasizes that Chinese nationals—both in the U.S. and in China—are victims of the Chinese Communist Party. She also highlights her year-long investigation with Garrett Malloy into CCP influence at Stanford, detailing how some students are coerced into sharing research and experiences with the Party. Their findings, published on The Stanford Review and The Free Pre...

In this third installment of our interview series, Elsa Johnson shares her personal experiences with CCP influence efforts on campus, including academic exchanges and social events designed to sway students’ perspectives. She emphasizes the importance of reporting suspicious activities to authorities, highlights the breadth of CCP targeting—from technology and engineering programs to universities...

In part two of this interview, Stanford student and Stanford Review managing editor Elsa Johnson continues her story about an unsettling encounter with a man who at first seemed to be a fellow student. She details how he pressured her to travel to China without proper documents, aggressively pushed her to join WeChat under CCP monitoring, and displayed suspicious knowledge about other Stanford stu...

In this first episode of a four-part series, Dr. William Saunders, Director of the Center for Human Rights at The Catholic University of America, sits down with Elsa Johnson, a Stanford University student, Managing Editor of The Stanford Review, and President of the Stanford Republican Club. Elsa shares her eye-opening experience of being approached online by someone connected to the Chinese Commu...

The Chinese Communist Party has long paid online commenters in China, known as the “50 Cent Army,” or, "The Five Dimes." to spread propaganda and drown out dissent. But now, they are taking this strategy global. In this episode, Chen Guangcheng discusses how the CCP is expanding its influence by reportedly paying foreign commenters up to $5 per post to attack activists, manipulate public...

In this episode Chen Guangcheng tells the story of a 14-year-old girl in Jiangyou, Sichuan Province, whose brutal bullying was caught on video and spread online. When her father turned to the police for help, they refused to act — and soon after, the girl disappeared. As the video went viral, thousands of citizens flooded the streets demanding justice, only to be met with crackdowns, arrests, and...

In this episode of the Barefoot Lawyer Reports, Chen Guangcheng exposes the suspicious death of Luo Shuaiyu, a young medical intern in Hunan Province, whose story reveals chilling evidence of forced organ harvesting in China. After Luo’s death was labeled a “suicide,” his father uncovered thousands of deleted transplant documents, secret recordings of doctors, and a video in which Luo insisted he...

In this episode of the Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng discusses a deadly car attack in Kunming, Yunnan Province, and how the Chinese Communist Party quickly censored the story. He explains why many in China no longer trust the courts or government to protect their rights, and how censorship fuels desperation and unrest.

In this episode, Chen Guangcheng exposes a new tactic in the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda campaign: AI-generated videos impersonating him. He explains how these fake clips spread quickly online, fueled by suspicious accounts and coordinated comments, and warns about the growing danger of an information war on social media.

The CCP’s efforts to influence American democracy may go deeper than many realize. This episode discusses new FBI findings alleging that over 20,000 fake IDs were created to interfere in the 2020 election. It also examines the rise of UCA—an American nonprofit with reported ties to Chinese propaganda arms. With evidence of foreign influence, protest manipulation, and ideological infiltration, ther...

In this episode Chen Guangcheng discusses alarming reports from mainland China about human trafficking and forced organ harvesting. In June 2025, three children were found locked in metal cages in a truck in Hainan Province, highlighting a worsening trafficking crisis. Guangcheng explains how vulnerable groups, including children and religious minorities, are at risk, and how the Chinese governmen...

As Hong Kong tightens its grip on religious expression, Cardinal Zen continues his ministry under police bail, refusing exile and remaining a symbol of resistance. Dr. Eric Lai joins William Saunders to discuss the growing threat to religious education, the state's push for ideological conformity, and the quiet heroism of those still fighting for their faith. With new trials looming and freedo...

Why did Cardinal Joseph Zen return to Hong Kong, knowing he could be imprisoned again? In this episode, Dr. Eric Lai joins Dr. William Saunders to explore Cardinal Zen’s fearless defiance of the CCP and his decision to stand with his people despite growing persecution. Public worship is being silenced, memorials erased, and the Church driven underground — yet Zen refuses to abandon his mission. Ev...

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng exposes the Chinese Communist Party’s manipulation of economic data in an effort to maintain its global image. Backed by first hand sources, Guangcheng discusses how the local governments are being instructed to embellish GDP reports, mask rising unemployment, and cover up economic decline following U.S. tariffs.

In this final part of the interview, Mark Clifford and Dr Saunders discuss the erosion of judicial independence in Hong Kong, highlighting the resignation of foreign judges and the manipulation of the legal system to target political dissidents. They discuss the unjust detention of Jimmy Lai and others, such as Chen Guangcheng's friend and human rights lawyer, Gao Zisheng, emphasizing the mock...

As tensions rise in the Middle East, a recent U.S. strike against Iran’s nuclear and propaganda infrastructure has sparked surprising reactions inside China. In this episode, Chen Guangcheng shares how Chinese citizens are responding to the footage—using coded language to bypass censorship and expressing hope that the U.S. might one day take similar action against the Chinese Communist Party’s pro...

What happens when a regime exports surveillance, censorship, and repression beyond its borders? In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng discusses the Chinese Communist Party’s influence on U.S. institutions, the theft of Western technology used to oppress Chinese citizens, and how CCP-affiliated individuals are undermining freedom of speech—even on American campuse...

In part three of an interview with Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, he delves deeper into the story of Jimmy Lai, a prominent media figure and political prisoner, highlighting his courage, the obstacles he faces, and his unwavering commitment to democratic values. Drawing parallels to Natan Sharansky's own experience as a Soviet dissident, Clifford highlights...

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Dr. William Saunders interviews Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong. Clifford discusses the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy movement, including the arrest of Jimmy Lai and the forced closure of Apple Daily. The conversation highlights how Beijing has dismantled press freedom and sil...

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng reflects on the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre—what led to it, how the Chinese Communist Party crushed the movement, and whether another mass uprising is still possible today. From tanks in the streets of Beijing to the modern surveillance state, this conversation explores the harsh realities of authoritarian rule, the resili...

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Dr. William Saunders interviews Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, about the trial of imprisoned media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai. Clifford discusses Lai’s unwavering defense of universal values despite spending over 1,400 days in solitary confinement under Hong Kong's National Security L...