【新唐人2013年11月15日訊】在中國大陸，有一個非常特殊的群體，他們在權大於法的社會現實下，依然堅守良知、不畏強權的為弱勢群體依法維權﹔他們常常遭到報復、打壓甚至身陷囹圄﹔他們就是被民間稱為「人權護衛者」，卻被中共黨媒歸為「新黑五類」的——維權律師。在他們之中，又有一位被稱為骨氣最硬，受酷刑最慘烈的律師。他就是唐吉田。
在中國的微博上，可以看到維權律師唐吉田在人們心中的形象，網友形容：他曾是一位檢察官，如果無視他人的苦難，原本可以安度人生﹔他因理想去當律師，為土地被非法徵用的受害者、三聚氰胺受害人和信仰被迫害者窮盡精力﹔他是骨氣最硬，受酷刑最慘烈的律師﹔他被吊銷律師執照，沒有收入，無法支付房租，甚至穿開口的鞋到天津聲援受迫害者﹔他是堅守職業操守，信仰法治，正直的律師。他就是唐吉田！
是甚麼原因使得唐吉田放棄了原本體制內的檢察官工作，而改做一名維權律師？為甚麼後來又被吊銷律師執照？他究竟遭受了哪些迫害和酷刑？
唐吉田：「我認為幫助別人維護權益，其實也就是在維護自己的權益，同時這個社會如果掌握技能的人都去逃避現實，只在自己小圈子裡頭想和做，那實際上這種時候人人自危，其他的人的苦難如果我們不伸出手，很可能在我們自己身上複製，甚至有可能擴大化。」
據了解，唐吉田1988年調入吉林省延邊檢察院從事刑事公訴工作，在7年的檢察官生涯中，他辦理了上百起重大的公訴案件，但與此同時，唐吉田也發現，公權力濫用造成的司法不公和腐敗，充斥著整個司法系統。
是維護法律的公平正義﹖還是維護統治階級的利益﹖這一問題常常令唐吉田失眠、焦慮和矛盾。
最終，唐吉田決定放棄檢察官工作，並在2004年底通過了律師資格考試，05年辭去公職，成為了一名律師。在隨後的幾年中，唐吉田一面為強拆受害者、上訪者、三聚氫胺受害者、愛滋病受害者等弱勢群體維權，一面參與聯名呼籲廢除勞教制度、積極推動北京律師協會直選等活動，因此成為中共當局的眼中釘，不斷受到打壓，甚至在2008年不得不被強迫離開所在律師事務所。
在唐吉田接受了多起法輪功案件，為被非法關押的法輪功學員成功的做了無罪辯護後，更是遭到當局的殘酷迫害。
唐吉田不但在2010年4月被北京市司法局吊銷了律師執業執照，而且從2009年至今，每年都會「強迫失蹤」。尤其在2011年2月16號，中共當局打壓「茉莉花革命」行動中，唐吉田遭到北京警方黑頭套綁架，在這期間，唐吉田受到剝奪睡眠、體罰、「練軍姿」、吹空調冷風、辱罵毆打，和強力洗腦等折磨。他被釋放時，體重下降30斤，並患上了重症肺結核，目前仍在治療中。
唐吉田：「自從為這些政府不喜歡的人提供法律幫助以後，就像經常被騷擾啊，包括強迫失蹤，被羈押或者是不同形式的酷刑，包括在派出所被短期關押以及後來的行政拘留等等。」
今年10月6號，唐吉田前往黑龍江省雞西市，幫助被強迫拘禁在「洗腦班」的法輪功受害者，而被雞西市國保非法拘禁，引發了律師界和維權人士的抗議和聲援。在各界強烈呼籲下，當局被迫在10月22號將 唐吉田釋放。
一次次的殘酷打壓與迫害，不但沒有令唐吉田屈服和怯步，反而讓更多的人被他的正義與職業操守所感動，因此稱他為「良心律師」，及中國律師「執照吊銷」第一人。
採訪/李韻 編輯/張天宇 後製/葛雷
From A Prosecutor to A Human Rights Lawyer: Tang Jitian
In China, there is a very special group of people.
In a society where authorities are higher than the law,
they adhere to their conscience to defend the vulnerable
who are defying the authorities;
They often meet with reprisal, suppression
and even imprisonment.
They are the human rights lawyers, known
as the “rights defenders" to the people
but the state media of the Chinese Communist regime
calls them the “new black five".
Among them, the one believed to be the toughest, who also
suffers the most cruel torture is Tang Jitian.
Chinese Microblogging demonstrates how the Chinese view
rights defender Tang Jitian.
Chinese Internet users describe him as a prosecutor.
He could have had a sound life if he could have simply
ignored others’ suffering.
He became a lawyer to fulfill his passion.
He defended those victims who lost their land due to
illegal expropriation, and he exhausted himself to defend
those who suffer from melamine contamination
and spiritual and religious persecution.
He is the toughest, but also the most brutally tortured lawyer.
His attorney license was revoked, he lost his income,
he can not afford the rent, and he even showed up in Tianjin
with a pair of broken shoes to pay solidarity
to the persecuted.
He is a lawyer adhering to professional ethics,
belief in rule of law, and honesty.
He is Tang Jitian!
What made Tang Jitian decide to give up his job
as a prosecutor to become a human rights lawyer?
Why was his law license revoked?
What type of persecution and torture has he encountered?
Tang Jitian (recording): “I believe helping others defend
their rights is in fact helping to defend my own rights.
If people with the capability only stay in their own circle
and ignore what’s surrounding us, that puts everyone in danger.
Because when we don’t help those who are suffering,
the same suffering could manifest and happen to us."
Tang Jiian began his criminal prosecution job
at the Procuratorate of Yanbian, Jilin in 1988.
As a prosecutor, he spent seven years handling hundreds
of cases of major indictment.
It is also during those years when Tang Jitian realized
how the injustice and corruption has filled the entire
justice system due to the abusive manipulation
of the authorities.
Should he uphold fairness and justice?
Should he work for the interests of the ruling class?
These questions resulted in numerous sleepless nights,
anxiety and confusion for Tang Jitian.
Finally, Tang Jitian decided to give up on his prosecutor job.
At the end of 2004, he passed the bar exam.
He resigned from his post in 2005 and became a lawyer.
In the following years, Tang Jitian took the side of the victims
of forced demolitions, those with governmental grievances,
melamine and AIDS, and engaged in activities of calling
on the abolition of re-education through labor and promoting
elections in the Beijing Lawyers Association.
He became a thorn in the side of the CCP authorities.
He has since been constantly suppressed, and even forced
to leave his firm in 2008.
Ever since Tang Jitian began to defend cases of Falun Gong
practitioners’ illegal detention, he has suffered even more brutal persecution by the authorities.
In April 2010 Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice revoked
his license to practice law.
Since 2009, he has been “forced to disappear" every year.
On February 16, 2011, during the CCP campaign
to suppress the Jasmine Revolution, Tang Jitian
was kidnapped by the Beijing police with black hoods.
During this period of absence, Tang Jitian was put through
sleep deprivation, corporal punishment, cold AC air blowing,
abusive cursing and beatings, enforced brainwashing,
and he was forced to practice army poses.
When he was released, he lost 15 pounds and contracted
severe tuberculosis, which is still not cured.
Tang Jitian (recording): “Since I began (offering)
legal services to those who are disliked by the government,
I have often been harassed in various forms,
such as forced disappearances, detention, and various
tortures during the detentions at the police station
or administrative detention."
October 6, Tang Jitian went to Jixi City, Heilongjiang
Province, to help Falun Gong practitioners who were
forcibly detained at a brainwashing center.
He was illegally detained by the Jixi City state security.
Through protest and solidarity led by other lawyers
and activists, Tang Jitian was released on October 22.
All the brutal suppression and persecution did not deter
Tang Jitian.Rather, his righteousness and ethics have touched
many more.He is called the “conscience lawyer," and the number one
lawyer whose license is being revoked in China.
Interview/LeeYun Edit/ZhangTianyu Post-production/GeLei