Three of the five directors have quit after failed attempt to unseat president
The most vocal critic of China's human rights record, the US-based Human Rights in China, is facing the biggest crisis in its 16-year history.
This follows the resignation of three of its five directors after a failed attempt to dislodge the group's president, Liu Qing .
Eight other members of the executive committee said they were considering whether to quit.
Scientist and dissident Fang Lizhi submitted his resignation on Monday following the departures of fellow directors Wang Yu and Xiao Qiang .
A group of executive committee members launched an attempt to remove Mr Liu, who has been at the helm of the New York-based watchdog for 13 years, when the organisation held its two-day annual board meeting at the weekend.