http://www.bmla.org.cn/bjlawyers2/news/show_content.jsp?infoID=IC02000024280
The Beijing Bar Association's Response to a Small Number of Lawyers and Their So-Called "Call For Direct Elections to the Beijing Bar Association"
To: All Beijing Lawyers, All Beijing Law Offices
Recently a small number of lawyers jointly issued a petition and posted it on the Internet entitled "Accord With the Tide of History, Directly Elect the Beijing Bar Association--Announcement To All Beijing Lawyers, Beijing Justice Bureau, and the Beijing Bar Association." The announcement purported to promote the cause of democracy, and questioned the legality of the standing of the Beijing Bar Association. Soon after, some Beijing lawyers began receiving text messages from these lawyers, baiting them by calling for reduced Bar Association membership fees, a restructuring of the tax system, and stirring up lawyers with calls for so-called "Direct Elections to the Beijing Bar Association."
The Beijing Bar Association hereby seriously states: We are a legally constituted social organization, an autonomous professional organization representing the interests of all Beijing lawyers, and manages in compliance with the "Lawyer's Law" and "Regulations Regarding the All-China Bar Association." The Beijing Bar Association through its president and secretariat letterbox, director reception day, representative draft resolution system etc. solicits the opinions and suggestions of its members and accords with the rules of its profession in democratic decisionmaking, democratic management and democratic supervision. Any individual who uses text messages, the web or other media to privately promote and disseminate the concept of direct elections, express controversial opinions, thereby spreading rumors within the Beijing Bar Association, confuse and poison people's minds, and convince people of circumstances that do not exist regarding the so-called "Call For Direct Elections For the Beijing Bar Association" is illegal. They are using the opportunity of the end of the tenure of the present Bar Association administration to manipulate the enthusiasm of some lawyers to participate in the management process, using the banner of "Democratic Bar Association Management," is a vain attempt to evade the supervision of the Justice Bureau and the Bar Association's professional management.
Beijing's lawyers must maintain calm heads and see the real nature of this effort on the part of a small number of lawyers to "Promote Direct Elections to the Beijing Bar Association" and support the Beijing Bar Association's correct political stance and social efforts and resist the improper expression of this small number of lawyers and not be deceived by them.
This year the Beijing Bar Association is changing leaders, to ensure the smooth transition, the election work has already been prepared. The Beijing Bar Association is doing everything in its power solicit the opinions of the majority of lawyers and ceaselessly perfect its work and promote the healthy development of the Beijing legal profession.