 In 2003 , a group of legal scholars , including Teng Biao and Xu Zhiyong , formed the Open Constitution Initiative ( Chinese : 公盟 ) to advocate for greater rule of law . The organization was involved in the Sun Zhigang case , and has advocated for petitioners , labor rights , freedom of expression , HIV / AIDS victims , Tibetans , land rights , and protection of public health , among other issues . 
