China Human Rights Briefing April 13-19, 2010
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China Human Rights Briefing Weekly
April 13-19, 2010
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Highlights
- Internet Activists Sentenced for Online Posting: Three internet activists from Fujian Province were convicted of “slander” and sentenced to between one and two years of imprisonment on April 16. The three were punished for posting online articles and video exposing the rape and murder of a young woman by individuals with allegedly close ties to local officials.
- Citizens Activism in Fujian, Shanghai and Guangxi: In the past week, between one and two thousand netizens from around the country descended onto Fujian Province to support the three internet activists on trial; hundreds of villagers demonstrated against corruption and land expropriation in Shanghai; over a hundred villagers demonstrated outside of a Guangxi court to protest against the trial of three village representatives for their resistance against forced demolition and land requisition.
- Petitioners Sent to Re-education through Labor ahead of Shanghai Expo: CHRD has documented a growing list of petitioners and activists sent to RTL by local officials ahead of the World Expo, which begins May 1. Since October 2009, CHRD has documented 10 such cases, the latest being that of Chen Jianfang, whose detention is reported in this issue of CHRB.
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Table of Contents
Hubei Policemen’s Application for Demonstration Denied
Anniversary Memorial for Dang Zhiguo Disrupted
Beijing Activist Qi Zhiyong Placed under “Soft Detention” to Prevent Memorial Demonstration
Right to participate in the government and in the conduct of public affairs
Villagers Complain of Election Procedure Irregularities in Liaoning and Yunan Provinces
Three Fujian Digital Activists Convicted as Thousands Gather in Landmark Protest
Petitioners Kidnapped and Detained in Black Jails
Beijing Activist Liu Anjun Released Following Five Days of Detention
Chen Jianfang Becomes Latest Shanghai Activist Sent to RTL Ahead of World Expo
Shandong Officials Renew Harassment and Surveillance of Yuan Weijing
Human Rights Lawyer Zhang Jiankang’s Micro-blogging Account Closed
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Another Abnormal Death in Detention Reported in Shandong
Hundreds of Shanghai Villagers Stage Protest in Long Struggle against Land Appropriation
Hundreds Protest Outside of Trial of Guangxi Villagers
Beijing’s Aizhixing Institute Issues Report on Uyghur Migrants in Chinese Cities
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Freedom of Assembly
Hubei Policemen’s Application for Demonstration Denied
On April 14, over twenty policemen handed in an application to protest against corruption in the police force to the government of Qianjiang City, Hubei Province. The application stated that over 500 people planned to participate in the protest. The director of the political section of Qianjiang’s Public Security Bureau (PSB) met with the representatives, but said the application would not be approved.
In China, policemen are usually recruited through the civil service system; however, some are recruited through a separate process. These policemen usually do not enjoy the same pay, benefits or treatment as those recruited as civil servants. However, it is possible for officers to have their employment “converted” so that they receive the full benefits of civil servants. The policemen who applied to protest in Qianjiang contend that some policemen in the city were able to achieve this conversion through bribery, and that they themselves were denied the same opportunities because they refused to bribe the officials responsible. (CHRD)[i]
Anniversary Memorial for Dang Zhiguo Disrupted
Family and friends of Dang Zhiguo (党治国), the late liberal economist and vocal government critic, planned to hold a memorial to mark the second anniversary of his death at a hotel in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province on April 18. However, a few hours before the gathering, police warned one of the participants, lawyer Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康), against leaving his home that evening. When another participant, dissident and democracy activist Zheng Baohe (郑宝和), arrived at the event, he found over twenty policemen at the hotel entrance, who took him away along with Sun Dongfeng (孙东峰), a close friend of Dang’s. The organizer had to cancel the memorial due to police interference. Zheng and Sun have since been released. (CHRD)[ii]
Beijing Activist Qi Zhiyong Placed under “Soft Detention” to Prevent Memorial Demonstration
On April 15, activist Qi Zhiyong (齐志勇) was placed under “soft detention” at his home in Beijing. April 15 was the 21st anniversary of the death of former CCP General Secretary Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦), and Qi and fellow activist Li Jinping (李金平) had planned to stage a demonstration in honor of Hu Yaobang and former Premier Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳). According to Qi, a police car was stationed outside his home beginning in the early morning hours, and police prevented him from leaving to meet with Li. Qi, who lost a leg after being shot in the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations of 1989, stated that this was the fifth consecutive year during which police had placed him under “soft detention” on this date. (CHRD)[iii]
Right to participate in the government and in the conduct of public affairs
Villagers Complain of Election Procedure Irregularities in Liaoning and Yunan Provinces
l At around 5am on April 12, most of the villagers of Sanyi Village, Antun Township, Linghai City, Liaoning Province were woken up by three members of their village election committee. The threes, handpicked by the township officials, brought four ballot boxes around the village and asked the villagers to nominate the village chiefs by filling out the nomination forms. However, in most cases, the committee members filled in the forms for the villagers instead. By 8am, the nomination process was over, but the villagers were not informed of the location where the votes would be counted, nor notified of the results of the nomination.(CHRD)[iv]
l On April 13, the election of the village chief took place in Tianxin Village, Jinning Town, Kunming City, Yunan Province. According to the villagers, they were not given a private location to fill in their ballots, and there were village bullies who would seize their ballots. Although the town government sent over 20 officials to observe the election, they did nothing to stop the bullies. The villagers were also barred from observing the counting of the ballots. Members of the village election committee, whom the villagers alleged were unelected, then claimed that the election “did not turn out” a chief or a vice chief, and demanded that the villagers participate in a second election that evening. The villagers refused, and said they would report the irregularities to higher authorities. (CHRD)[v]
Arbitrary Detention
Three Fujian Digital Activists Convicted as Thousands Gather in Landmark Protest
On April 16, Fujian activists Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑) were convicted of ‘slander’ for posting articles and videos online which urged government officials to investigate the alleged rape and murder of a young woman. Fan, who is seriously ill, was sentenced to two years in prison, while Wu and You were both sentenced to one year. A crowd of netizens from around the country, between one and two thousand, gathered outside of the Mawei District Court in the early morning to voice their support. The court, perhaps as a result of pressure from China’s netizens, in an unusual move held three hearings before issuing a verdict. Furthermore, the sentences are relatively light compared to other cases involving internet postings in recent years. (CHRD)[vi]
Petitioners Kidnapped and Detained in Black Jails
A number of individuals were kidnapped and then detained in “black jails” in the past few days for petitioning the government:
- On April 14, Wang Qunfeng (王群凤), a petitioner from Lushi County, Sanmenxia City, Henan Province, was seized by a policeman in Beijing when she was on her way to mail a petition letter. After much struggle, which resulted in injuries to Wang’s upper arms, the policeman brought Wang to Majia House, a centralized black jail in Beijing. The policeman then allegedly hired thugs to transport Wang to her home town in Lushi, where she was sent to the local police station and subjected to ten days of administrative detention. Wang was later released after she protested her punishment. Wang started petitioning when the medical expenses of her father, who was a former cadre, were not properly reimbursed by the government, and her actions led to violent retaliation from local officials. (CHRD)[vii]
- On April 11, He Defu (贺德福), a petitioner from Xiangfan City, Hubei Province, was seized by policemen on patrol while walking near Tiananmen Square. The police took her to the Beijing PSB Tiananmen Square Police Station. They then notified officials in Xiangfan City, who dispatched interceptors to take He to its liaison office in Beijing, where she is currently being held. He started petitioning over a decade ago to seek justice for her husband, who was allegedly murdered by a local official. (CHRD)[viii]
- On April 17, Chen Qingxia (陈庆霞), a disabled petitioner from Yichun City, Heilongjiang Province, was seized by Beijing police while looking for her missing son. Chen was then sent to Majia House. Yichun interceptors were notified and they came and took her away for detention in a couple of hostels in Chongwen District, Beijing. Chen started petitioning after her husband developed a mental illness as a result of repeated detention by local authorities in retaliation for his persistent petitioning. In April 2007, while Chen was petitioning with her son, they were intercepted and her son went missing due to interceptors’ negligence. (CHRD)[ix]
- On April 14, Xu Wanying (许万英), an elderly woman was seized by local interceptors at the train station of Xiangfan City, Hubei Province, to prevent her from traveling to Beijing. Xu was sent to a black jail in Yizhi Town, Xiangfan. It is unclear whether she has been released. Xu has been petitioning since the death of her son, whom she claimed was murdered, but the police have refused to investigate the case. (CHRD)[x]
Beijing Activist Liu Anjun Released Following Five Days of Detention
Beijing activist Liu Anjun (刘安军) returned home on the afternoon of April 13 from five days of “soft detention” in a Beijing hotel. Liu was guarded by six officers from the Fengtai District National Security Unit and interrogated by Beijing Municipal National Security Unit officers during his detention. According to Liu, a number of petitioners, all volunteers for Sunshine Charity, were also brought into the same hotel by police for questioning. Prior to this latest episode of “soft detention,” Liu was kidnapped by unidentified individuals on March 26 and disappeared for 11 days, and earlier had been subjected to three weeks of “forced travel” during the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress earlier. Liu is the director of Sunshine Charity, a group which an advocates for homeless petitioners in Beijing. (CHRD)[xi]
Chen Jianfang Becomes Latest Shanghai Activist Sent to RTL Ahead of World Expo
CHRD learned on April 13 that Shanghai petitioner and rights activist Chen Jianfang (陈建芳) has been sent to 15 months of Re-education through Labor (RTL). Her family was notified by telephone on April 12, but has yet to receive a formal written notice. The official reason for Chen’s detention is not currently known. Chen, a veteran petitioner, was seized in Beijing on March 12 along with approximately 40 other petitioners from Shanghai while petitioning at the State Council Letters and Visits Office. (CHRD)[xii]
Chen joins a growing list of Shanghai petitioners and activists sent to RTL ahead of the World Expo by local officials intent on maintaining “stability” during the event, which begins May 1. Since October 2009, CHRD has documented 10 cases of Shanghai petitioners and activists sent to RTL for reasons related to the World Expo; six of those (including Chen) have been sent to RTL so far in 2010. This number does not include petitioners and activists who have been detained or placed under “soft detention” to prevent them from causing trouble during the World Expo. (CHRD)[xiii]
Harassment of Activists
Shandong Officials Renew Harassment and Surveillance of Yuan Weijing
According to Yuan Weijing (袁伟静), wife of imprisoned human rights defender Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), six unidentified individuals have been posted outside her home since April 11, keeping her under surveillance and restricting her movements. Yuan has been subjected to intermittent harassment and intimidation since September, 2005. Her situation unexpectedly improved in March of this year, when she was able to move about her village freely, and it is not known why local officials have once again decided to clamp down on her liberty. One of the individuals posted outside of her home informed her that this period of surveillance would be “long.” Together with Chen, Yuan became the victim of retaliation by local authorities for revealing the use of violence in the local birth control campaign in Linyi, Shandong Province. (CHRD)[xiv]
Freedom of Expression
Human Rights Lawyer Zhang Jiankang’s Micro-blogging Account Closed
On April 15, Xi’an human rights lawyer Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康) discovered that his account on Tongxue.com, a Chinese micro-blogging website, had been cancelled. Since registering with the site in February 2010, Zhang had posted more than 170 updates. The micro-blogging company has not given Zhang reasons for the cancellation of his account. (CHRD)[xv]
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Another Abnormal Death in Detention Reported in Shandong
According to a New Beijing News report, Yu Weiping (于维平), an inmate at Rushan Detention Center in Weihai City, Shandong Province, died on November 13, 2009, three months after he was taken into police custody. While viewing Yu’s body, his family found small holes in his chest and bruises on his body. At the time, the family was told by the authorities that the holes were scars left from pimples; however, an autopsy revealed that sharp, pointy objects pierced through Yu’s chest repeatedly, rupturing his heart. Yu’s father has visited various local government offices but so far he has not been given a clear explanation for his son’s death. Yu’s family has also hired a lawyer to report the death to Weihai City PSB and demand an investigation. So far the family has received no response. Yu’s body remains at the mortuary. (CHRD)[xvi]
Citizens’ Rights Actions
Hundreds of Shanghai Villagers Stage Protest in Long Struggle against Land Appropriation
On April 14 and 15, hundreds of villagers from nine villages in Maqiao Town, Shanghai demonstrated in front of the town government building. The villagers alleged that, in the pretext of “attracting business and investment,” the town government illegally and forcibly appropriated 13,000 mu (8.67 km2) of the village land and demolished 3,000 homes in 2003. The villagers said most of the profits from the subsequent land sales went directly to government officials. One former member of the Shanghai CCP Committee was estimated to have pocked 4.36 million RMB (about 639,000 USD) from the illegal deal. The government has not yet responded to the demonstrations.
In 2008, the villagers’ protest was forcibly dispersed and a few dozen villagers were beaten by the police. Some of those beaten are still suffering from disabilities as a result of the beatings. None of the policemen responsible have been held legally accountable. One village representatives, Shen Peilan (沈佩兰), has suffered repeated detentions, beatings, torture and humiliating treatment for defending the rights of the villagers. (CHRD)[xvii]
Hundreds Protest Outside of Trial of Guangxi Villagers
On April 14, three villagers-Gao Zhenzhang (高镇章), Gao Shihui (高世辉), and Cai Jianyue (蔡建月)-from Baihutou village, Beihai City, Guangxi, were tried in Beihai’s Yinhai District Court for obstructing a forced demolition and land requisition in Baihutou village. At the trial, the defendants protested against what they believe to be a conflict of interest: since judicial organs in Yinhai District were involved in granting permits to allow the demolition and land requisition in question to proceed, they believe the trial of villagers accused of obstructing these actions should be transferred outside of the district to a different court. 75 fellow villagers and supporters were able to attend the trial, but they walked out in protest and joined over 100 supporters outside the court. At the time of writing, the outcome of the trial was not known. The three villagers, who were charged with “obstructing official business,” were part of a group of hundreds who clashed with between 200 and 300 police officers and local officials on October 30, 2009. Two elderly residents were hospitalized during the violence, and one later died as a result of injuries sustained in the struggle. (CHRD)[xviii]
Beijing’s Aizhixing Institute Issues Report on Uyghur Migrants in Chinese Cities
On April 12, Aizhixing Institute, a Beijing-based NGO, issued a report on the situation of Uyghur migrants in Chinese cities. The report, which focuses on the experiences of Uyghur migrants living in the capital, is the first comprehensive study of the health and human rights situation of Uyghur migrants to be produced in China. The authors find that Uyghurs have been victims of increasing bias and discrimination in recent years, leaving them marginalized as a group and adversely affecting their day-to-day lives. The report includes specific recommendations designed to combat the social and political discrimination faced by Uyghurs and protect their equal rights. The report is available online here (in Chinese).
Editors: David Smalls, Jenn Ling and Lin Sang
*** CHRD’s Human Rights Yearbook 2009 is now available. For a free copy, please contact us with your mailing address at crdnetwork@gmail.com. ***
Thrown Out: Human Rights Abuses in China’s Breakneck Real Estate Development
[i] CHRD, “Hubei Contract Policemen’s Request for Demonstration Denied” (潜江市招聘民警申请五百人游行被拒), April 16, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/04/201004162341.shtml
[ii] “Anniversary Memorial for Dang Zhiguo Disrupted” (党治国先生逝世二周年追思会被冲散), April 18, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/04/201004182339.shtml
[iii] “Qi Zhiyong: On the Anniversary of Hu Yaobang’s Death, My Personal Liberty was Restricted” (齐志勇：胡耀邦忌日，我被限制人身自由), April 15, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100415140044_20797.html
[iv] “Liaoning Electors Have Not Exercised the Right to Vote for Village Chief in the Past 30 Years” (辽宁选民30年来没有行使过村官选举权), April 13, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class55/201004/20100413151901_20773.html
[v] “Hundreds of Voters Prepare to Petition due to Illegal Election in Kunming, Yunnan Province” (云南省昆明违法选举致数百选民准备上访), April 14. 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class55/201004/20100414130459_20782.html
[vi] “Three Fujian Digital Activists Convicted as Thousands Gather in Landmark Protest,” April 16, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/index.php/2010/04/16/three-fujian-digital-activists-convicted-as-thousands-gather-in-landmark-protest/
[vii] “Henan Petitioner Wang Qunfeng Kidnapped in Beijing and then Detained” (河南访民王群凤在京遭绑架后被拘留), April 17, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/04/201004171610.shtml
[viii] “Hubei Petitioner He Defu Detained in ‘Black jail'” (湖北访民贺德福被关”黑监狱”), April 19, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/fmzj/201004/20100419150139_20839.html
[ix] CHRD, “Heilongjiang Yichun Petitioner Chen Qingxia Intercepted and Detained” (黑龙江宜春访民陈庆霞被截访人关押), April 19, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100419215001_20855.html For Chen’s story, please see CHRD, “Beating and Detention of Petitioner Latest in Series of Heilongjiang Abuses,” March 27, 2009, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200903/20090327172609_14540.html
[x] “Hubei Petitioner, Elderly Xu Wanying Detained in Black Jail Again” (湖北访民许万英老人再次被关黑监狱), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/fmzj/201004/20100414195731_20785.html
[xi] “Rights Activist Liu Anjun Freed, Returns Home” (维权人士刘安军被解除软禁回家), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100414191416_20784.html
[xii] “News Flash: Shanghai Human Rights Activist Chen Jianfang Sent to Re-education through Labor” (快讯：上海维权人士陈建芳被劳教), April 13, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100413124018_20767.html
[xiii] “Ten-odd Shanghai Rights Activists Sent to RTL Because of World Expo” (因世博会上海维权人士10余人被劳教), April 13, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100413144927_20771.html
[xiv] “Wife of Chen Guangcheng Once Again Put under Tight Control” (陈光诚的妻子再次受到严密监控), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class18/Class51/201004/20100414215708_20789.html
[xv] “Lawyer Zhang Jiankang’s Tongxue.com Account Closed” (张鉴康律师在同学网的账户被封禁), April 15, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100415211052_20805.html
[xvi] “Additional Instance of Abnormal Death in Detention Center in Weihai, Shandong” (山东威海看守所内再现非正常死亡), April 17, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/04/201004171448.shtml
[xvii] “Close to a Thousand Farmers Demonstrated in front of Town Government in Shanghai against Profiteering from Sale of 10,000 mu of farmland “(上海近千名农民到镇政府抗议倒卖万亩农田), April 15, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100415200006_20802.html
[xviii] “Seventy Villagers Collectively Leave Courthouse in ‘Beihai Eviction Case'” (“北海强拆案”70多村民集体退庭抗议), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100414102552_20780.html; “Three Beihai Villagers Tried Today for Obstructing Forced Eviction; Two Hundred Gather to Protest at Scene” (北海三村民阻拆案今日开庭 两百多人现场抗议?), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100414095502_20779.html; “Elderly Citizen Dies Following Serious Wounds in Beihai Eviction Case” (北海强拆案中老人被打重伤后死亡), April 14, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201004/20100414131614_20783.html