Five Chinese women's rights activists may face years in prison over demonstrations they had planned for International Women's Day last month.
The women, who were initially detained under suspicions of "picking quarrels and provoking troubles," may face far more serious police-recommended charges of "organizing a crowd to disturb public order."
If formally charged, they could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The women were detained as part of a larger group ahead of International Women's Day in early March.
The group, all members of China’s Women’s Rights Action Group, planned to raise awareness about sexual harassment by distributing leaflets in several Chinese cities.
They made stickers printed with slogans that read, "Stop sexual harassment, let us stay safe" and, "Go police, go arrest those who committed sexual harassment," and planned to hand them out on public transportation.
Of the 10 women originally taken into custody, five have been released and five are still being held in a Beijing detention center. The "Beijing Five," as they're now known, are Wei Tingting, Li Tingting, Wang Man, Zheng Churan and Wu Rongrong.
Lawyers for the women said earlier this week that their detainment was illegal, according to the New York Times, since Chinese law requires that police recommend charges to prosecutors within 30 days of taking someone into custody.
William Nee, China researcher at Amnesty International, told Mashable that the charges most likely stem from earlier events the women had taken part it, though that has yet to be confirmed. These include a brief performance art action where some of the activists occupied men's bathrooms to highlight the need for greater consideration of women's needs in urban planning.
Nee also said that two of the women had suffered health issues while in custody and were transferred to a police-run hospital and are presumed to be in better health, although the group could not be sure.
"China is experiencing an across-the-board crackdown on civil society and dissent," Nee said. "But on the other hand, it seems like the government has vastly underestimated the domestic and international support these women have."
The women's detention has drawn harsh criticism from the international community. Protesters have gathered outside Chinese government buildings around the world, from Hong Kong to Perth, Australia, telling officials to "free the five."
Five women have been criminally detained in China for "picking quarrels and provoking troubles". They were planning a peaceful protest against sexual harassment on International Women's Day. Today we stood in solidarity with these women outside the Chinese Consulate in Perth. #FreeChineseFeminists #FreeTheFive #CantArrestUsAll #FreeBeijing20Five #Beijing20 #amnesty #amnestyinternational #womensrights #women #china #chineseconsulate #perth #solidarity #feminism #humanrights #protest #peacefulprotest A photo posted by Julia Crandell (@jujucrancran) on Apr 9, 2015 at 6:16am PDT
Lots of men at yesterday's protest outside the Chinese government liaison office in support of the detained Mainland Chinese feminists. #hongkong #freethefive #heforshe #feminist A photo posted by Han Yan (@hanyanyuen) on Mar 21, 2015 at 6:03pm PDT
Chinese Embassy protest #freethefive A photo posted by hollykearl (@hollykearl) on Mar 23, 2015 at 7:59pm PDT
Left behind some messages at the Chinese Embassy #freethefive A photo posted by hollykearl (@hollykearl) on Mar 23, 2015 at 8:00pm PDT
Amnesty International has launched a petition to "Free the Five" alongside a social media campaign calling for the activists to be released.
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC) urged Chinese officials to "immediately and unconditionally" ensure their release.
A petition on AllOut.org, an LGBT activism site, has garnered more than 2 million signatures from supporters demanding their release. Even Hillary Clinton has joined the fray, calling the detention "inexcusable" and saying it "must end."
The detention of women's activists in #China must end. This is inexcusable. #FreeBeijing20Five Read this story: http://t.co/qV3VNOgmyG— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 7, 2015
Cartoonists and illustrators, meanwhile, have shared their drawings of the women and shared them on Instagram.
#巴丢草 漫画 【自由女权五人组】#放人 李麦子（李婷婷）、郑楚然（大兔）、武嵘嵘、韦婷婷、王曼 #FreeTheFive FREE the 5 #feminists in #China #cartoon #illustration #humanrights A photo posted by @badiucao on Mar 28, 2015 at 8:40pm PDT
#freethefive this illustration I painted was blocked this morning after it had been posted on weibo for a little more than an hr & my account is still forbidden to speak. This is the REAL China, where feminists are detained for planning events calling to stop sexual harassment. Xi Jinping has chosen to suppress those who want to speak for their own. A photo posted by yCHEN (@haywillouis) on Mar 16, 2015 at 4:32pm PDT
Change Our Ways People. Instead of Silencing WE Should be Empowering, Uplifting, Encouraging each other. Not Imprisoning each other. Stand to be a voice for these courageous, outstanding women. Follow their group on Facebook: Free Chinese Feminists and start using the hashtag #freethefive or #freebeijing20five (Not My Image) #freethefive #freebeijing20five #freedom #speech #actionsspeaklouderthanwords #empowerment #empower #courage #courageous #womensrights #strength #strengthinnumbers A photo posted by Mya Rose (@mya.sugata) on Apr 8, 2015 at 7:14am PDT
Human Rights Watch recently issued a report on the country's bid to host the 2022 Olympics, asking that the Olympic Evaluation Commission that visited China in March to scrutinize the country's treatment of these activists.
“The Chinese government has pledged, through its constitution as well as international treaties and instruments, to uphold and defend human rights, but that has provided little protection against worsening abuses,” said Sophie Richardson, HRW's China director.
“Instead of the promised improvements, the 2008 Summer Olympics prompted a crackdown. Seven years later, civil society is again enduring an extraordinary assault."