Chinese authorities have placed a disabled rights lawyer under house arrest and prevented a group of foreign diplomats from visiting her, she said on Monday, ratcheting up pressure weeks after the U.S. State Department gave her a bravery award.
Ni Yulan, known for defending people evicted from their homes to make way for development, had been held under house arrest for 12 days, she told Reuters.
Authorities prevented Ni from traveling late last month to receive the State Department's International Women of Courage Award, which the department says is given to female advocates of human rights, justice and gender equality.