Former Australian High Court justice Michael Kirby has called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop persecuting human rights lawyers following a series of disbarments and arrests that "undermine the independence of the legal profession".

In a letter written on behalf of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), Justice Kirby and co-chair Hans Correll said they were "deeply concerned" about any action that "causes undue pressure and influence against lawyers".