China Human Rights Briefing February 15-22, 2011
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February 15-22, 2011
To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here
Highlights
- Police Detain at Least Six in Response to “Jasmine Revolution” Call: After anonymous calls for protests in support of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East and protection for human rights appeared online in the past week, Chinese officials responded with a sweeping crackdown on human rights activists, lawyers, and dissidents across the country. The whereabouts of at least five human rights defenders, last seen being taken away by police, remain unknown, while at least one individual, Chen Wei (陈卫), has been detained for “inciting subversion of state power.” Authorities also raided the residences of at least eight activists and lawyers, confiscating laptops, computers, cell phones, and books. More than 100 individuals reported that they were questioned, threatened, or had their movements restricted by police in recent days. Additionally, CHRD has learned that lawyer Liu Shihui (刘士辉) was severely beaten by unidentified men on his way to a demonstration in Guangzhou.
- CHRD Issues Statement Criticizing Government’s Failure to Implement Human Rights Action Plan: As the two-year anniversary of the April 13, 2009, publication of the “National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010)” approaches, CHRD has issued a statement evaluating the degree to which the Chinese government lived up to the promises it made in that document, as well as assessing the general human rights environment over the past two years. CHRD finds that the government failed to make a good-faith effort to implement reforms outlined in the Action Plan, and that some aspects of human rights have regressed, rather than improved, over the past two years. For the full text of the statement (in Chinese), please click here.
Contents
Arbitrary Detention
- Activist Chen Wei, Seized ahead of “Jasmine Revolution” Protests, Is Criminally Detained; Five Others Still Missing after Police Crackdown
- Officials around the Country Begin Rounding up Petitioners ahead of Two Meetings
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
- Shanghai Activist Mao Hengfeng Released from RTL after Sustaining Brain Injury in Beating
- Guangzhou Lawyer Liu Shihui Brutally Beaten on Roadside ahead of “Jasmine Revolution” Protests
Harassment of Activists
- Police in Hubei Summon, Search Home of Chen Guangcheng Supporter Shi Yulin
- Shanghai Activist Feng Zhenghu Summoned, House Searched
Arbitrary Detention
Activist Chen Wei, Seized ahead of “Jasmine Revolution” Protests, Is Criminally Detained; Five Others Still Missing after Police Crackdown
According to a formal detention notice issued by authorities in Suining City, Sichuan Province, rights activist Chen Wei (陈卫) has been criminally detained for “inciting subversion of state power.” The document was released by the Suining City Public Security Bureau on the evening of February 21; Chen had been missing since police called him for “tea” on the morning of February 20. Officers and security guards later searched his home, confiscating a computer, two hard drives and a USB drive. He is currently being held at the Suining City Detention Center.
At least five other lawyers and activists seized by police in the days leading up to the “Jasmine Revolution” protests remain missing. They are: Tang Jitian (唐吉田), Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Teng Biao (滕彪), Gu Chuan (古川), and Ran Yunfei (冉云飞).
On the morning of February 21, Tang’s wife went to the Guangwai police station to inquire into her husband’s whereabouts; officers there told her that he would return home “within four or five days.” Officials have yet to produce any legal documentation which might justify the detention of Tang or any of the other four.
Also on February 21, police in Beijing once again returned to the home of Jiang Tianyong’s brother, where Jiang was temporarily staying, and searched Jiang’s room, confiscating a desktop computer and other items. They had previously searched the residence on February 20, and had confiscated Jiang’s laptop computer at that time.
For further information regarding the disappearances of Tang, Jiang, Teng, Gu, and Ran, please see CHRD’s statement, released yesterday. (CHRD)[i]
Officials around the Country Begin Rounding up Petitioners ahead of Two Meetings
In recent days, CHRD has been receiving reports from around the country of local officials detaining petitioners in advance of the “Two Meetings” of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. For example, on February 15, CHRD learned from Huaibin County, Henan Province, petitioner Gao Huaqin (郜华勤) that she and a group of other petitioners were seized in Beijing after spending Spring Festival at a relief station and taken to Jiujingzhuang, a central black jail. There they were turned over to interceptors from their hometowns; Gao stated that she was forcibly returned to Huaibin County, and immediately upon arrival was taken into detention at a local police station. At the time of writing, Gao remains in detention. (CHRD)[ii]
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Shanghai Activist Mao Hengfeng Released from RTL after Sustaining Brain Injury in Beating
On the morning of February 22, officials from the Anhui Province Women’s Re-education through Labor (RTL) Camp returned Shanghai reproductive rights activist Mao Hengfeng (毛恒凤) to her home to seek medical treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage. Mao reported to CHRD that she was repeatedly tortured while detained in the RTL Camp, and that her head injury was the result of being beaten by guards as well as fellow detainees. Mao was detained on February 24, 2010, and sent to 18 months of RTL on March 4, 2010, for “disturbing social order” outside of the Beijing Number One Intermediate Courthouse on December 25, 2009, where the sentence against writer and activist Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) was being announced. Her lawyer and her husband were barred from visiting with her for the duration of her detention. (CHRD)[iii]
Guangzhou Lawyer Liu Shihui Brutally Beaten on Roadside ahead of “Jasmine Revolution” Protests
CHRD has confirmed reports that lawyer Liu Shihui (刘士辉) was brutally beaten and severely injured in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. Around noon on February 20, Liu was waiting for a bus to People’s Park, one of the locations named by the online posting for the “Jasmine Revolution” protests, when five men put a sack over his head. The men then proceeded to beat Liu with bamboo rods, kick him, and stab his legs with knives. Liu was left bleeding on the roadside, and his legs appeared to be broken. He was able to crawl home and call for help. After Liu’s beating was reported online, attracting the attention of foreign journalists, Guangzhou police arrived at the hospital where Liu was being treated and took a statement regarding the attack. This beating follows a December 10, 2010, incident in which Liu was abducted and threatened by national security policemen. (CHRD)[iv]
Harassment of Activists
Police in Hubei Summon, Search Home of Chen Guangcheng Supporter Shi Yulin
On the morning of February 19, National Security officers in Yichang City, Hubei Province arrived at the home of activist Shi Yulin (石玉林), summoning Shi for questioning. While Shi was being interrogated, officers searched his home, confiscating a computer. It is believed that Shi’s summons and the search of his home is related to Shi’s recent efforts to support Shandong human rights defender Chen Guangcheng (陈关诚), as well as the authorities’ concern over the “Jasmine Revolution” protests. (CHRD)[v]
Shanghai Activist Feng Zhenghu Summoned, House Searched
On the morning of February 16, police in Shanghai summoned human rights activist Feng Zhenghu (冯正虎) for questioning. While he was at the Wujiaochang police station being interrogated, National Security officers searched his home, confiscating two computers, two cell phones, computer equipment, written documents, and other items. This is the third occasion on which Feng’s home has been searched by police in the past year. Feng was summoned in connection with a public letter signed by himself and 189 other Shanghai citizens demanding judicial reforms. (CHRD)[vi]
CHRD is Hiring! CHRD is currently seeking a full-time Research Associate. For more information, please see the full job notice on our website at https://www.nchrd.org/2011/02/04/chrd-is-hiring/
Editors: David Smalls and Lin Sang
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[i] “News Flash: Suining, Sichuan Rights Activist Chen Wei Criminally Detained” (快讯：四川 遂宁维权人士陈卫被刑事拘留), February 22, 2011, http://boxun.com/hero/201102/chrd/9_1.shtml and “No News on Tang Jitian, Jiang Tianyong, or Teng Biao, Missing for Many Days” (唐吉田、江 天勇、滕彪律师失踪多日仍无消息), February 22, 2011, http://boxun.com/hero/201102/chrd/8_1.shtml
[ii] “As Two Meetings Approach, Petitioners Once Again Detained Across the Country” (两会临近，各地又开 始关押访民), February 15, 2011, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2011/02/201102151017.shtml
[iii] “Shanghai Activist Mao Hengfeng Seeks Treatment Outside of Detention for Torture Suffered During Re-education through Labor” (上海维权人 士毛恒凤所外就医，劳教期间遭受酷刑), February 22, 2011, http://groups.google.com/group/weiquanwang_CHRD/browse_thread/thread/f1a51a523a780c18
[iv] “CHRD Condemns Preemptive Strike against Protests,” February 21, 2011, https://www.nchrd.org/2011/02/21/chrd-condemns-pre-emptive-strike-against-protests/
[v] “Hubei Democracy and Human Rights Activist Shi Yulin Summoned by Police, Home Searched” (湖北民主维 权人士石玉林被警察传唤抄家), February 19, 2011, http://www.newcenturynews.com/Article/china/201102/20110219143911.html
[vi] “Shanghai Home of Feng Zhenghu Searched, Many Beijing Human Rights Activists Summoned” (上海冯正虎被传唤抄 家，北京多位人权人士被传唤), February 17, 2011, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2011/02/201102171337.shtml