China Human Rights Briefing April 20-27, 2011

April 28, 2011 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Weekly

April 20-27, 2011

To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here

Highlights

Sixth Arrest Related to “Jasmine Crackdown” Reported; Returned Lawyer Alleges Torture: CHRD learned this week that prominent activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) has been formally arrested by officials in Beijing. Wang, the sixth individual to be formally arrested in connection with the current crackdown on civil society, had been in detention since March 21. Also this week, CHRD learned from lawyer Jin Guanghong (金光鸿) that he was tortured during 10 days of enforced disappearance earlier this month. The risk of torture remains high for the 17 individuals still missing, and many of those who have already returned, like Jin, are believed to have been tortured but pressured by the government to keep silent.
U.S., China Hold Human Rights Dialogue: The two-day human rights dialogue between the governments of the United States and China took place on April 27 and 28 in Beijing. Prior to the talks, CHRD issued a statement urging U.S. officials to “clearly and forcefully demonstrate [their] support for universal human rights both in private and in public” and to press the Chinese government to account for its recent efforts to silence the activist community. For the full text of this statement, please see our website: https://www.nchrd.org/2011/04/26/u-s-must-give-teeth-to-human-rights-dialogue-with-chinese-government/

Contents

Arbitrary Detention

Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown
Sichuan Petitioner Released after Weeks of Illegal Detention

Harassment of Activists

US-China Human Rights Dialogue Brings Further Restrictions for Beijing-based Activists

Arbitrary Detention

Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown

As the crackdown on civil society launched in the wake of democratic uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa enters its third month, CHRD has learned the following:

Beijing-based activist Ms. Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) has been formally arrested on suspicion of “creating a disturbance.” Ms. Wang has been in detention since being seized by police at her home in Beijing’s Chaoyong District on March 21. Her family never received a formal detention notice regarding her original detention; officials in Chaoyang have now stated that an arrest notice has been mailed to their home. Ms. Wang is currently being held in the Chaoyang District Detention Center.[i]
Activist Liu Guohui (刘国慧), who was criminally detained for “inciting subversion of state power” on March 10, has submitted an appeal challenging her detention. Liu was released on bail to await trial on April 8 and placed under residential surveillance at her home in Linyi City, Shandong Province. The appeal, which was addressed to the Lanshan District Procuratorate in Linyi, argues that Liu was held arbitrarily in violation of relevant regulations and that she was tortured while in detention. Liu added that the content of these interrogations was unrelated to the charge of “inciting subversion of state power,” but instead focused on her relationship with other activists, including Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) and Sun Wenguang (孙文广).[vi]

Beijing-based lawyer Jin Guanghong (金光鸿), who disappeared on April 8 or 9 and returned home on April 19, was tortured while he was illegally held incommunicado. Jin, who is convalescing in his Hubei Province hometown, is unable to clearly recall the details of his experience. CHRD learned that Jin was held first in a detention center and then a psychiatric institution. While in the psychiatric institution he was beaten by unidentified individuals, tied to a bed, given injections of unknown substances and forced to take some sort of medicine. Jin never learned who was responsible for seizing and detaining him.[ii]
On April 24, petitioners Peng Tianhui (彭天慧), Li Renyu (李仁玉) and Kan Siyun (阚思芸) were released on bail to await trial. The three were seized on March 25 outside the sentencing of activist and dissident Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) and criminally detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.”[iii]
Feng Xixia (封西霞), a petitioner from Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, was criminally detained in late February and tortured while in detention. Reportedly, Feng was handcuffed in painful position and beaten while in police custody. Feng was seized in Beijing on February 27 and detained first in the Fengtai District Detention Center. She was transferred to the Beijing Number One Detention Center on March 3 and released on bail to await trial on March 25. The torture reportedly took place in the Fengtai District Detention Center. Police also searched the residence Feng had rented in Beijing, confiscating her computer and other items. Officials never provided Feng with any formal documentation regarding her detention.[iv]
Chongqing lawyer Zheng Jianwei (郑建伟), who was hired by the family of activist Chen Wei (陈卫) following Chen’s arrest in late March for “inciting subversion of state power,” has so far been unable to meet with his client. Chen is currently being held in the Suining City Detention Center. The refusal by Suining authorities to allow Zheng access to his client has caused many to recall the case of fellow Suining activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌); last year, police in Suining prevented lawyer Mo Shaoping (莫少平), who was hired to represent Liu, from meeting with him, and later were able to force Mo and lawyer Ma Xiaopeng (马小鹏) off Liu’s case. Liu was represented by a local lawyer, believed to be more susceptible to government pressure, and sentenced to 10 years in prison.[v]

A total of at least 17 individuals remain missing as of the time of writing. They are: Teng Biao (滕彪), Li Tiantian (李天天), Liu Dejun (刘德军), Liu Shihui (刘士辉), Yuan Xinting (袁新亭), Lan Ruoyu (蓝若宇), Hu Di (胡荻), Zhang Haibo (张海波), Ceng Renguang (曾仁广), Zhou Li (周莉), Ai Weiwei (艾未未), Wen Tao (文涛), Zhang Jingsong (张劲松), Hu Mingfen (胡明芬), Liu Zhenggang (刘正刚), Zhang Yongpan (张永攀), and Zou Guilan (邹桂兰). CHRD is particularly concerned for the welfare of these individuals; as Jin Guanghong’s case demonstrates, those subjected to enforced disappearances are at the highest risk of torture and mistreatment. For further information on the missing as well as those criminally detained as part of the crackdown on the “Jasmine Revolution,” please see our website: https://www.nchrd.org/2011/04/15/jasmine_crackdown/

The Chinese government has criminally detained a total of 40 individuals since mid-February after anonymous calls for “Jasmine Revolution” protests first appeared online. As of today, six of the criminally detained have been formally arrested, three have been sent to Re-education through Labor (RTL) camps, 23 have been released (out of which 18 have been released on bail to await trial) while eight remain detained.

Sichuan Petitioner Released after Weeks of Illegal Detention

On April 2, petitioner Wang Rongwen (王荣文), of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, was released after being illegally detained for more than a month and a half. Wang, who was seized in Chengdu by local officials, was detained in a Pujiang County black jail; no charge or legal documentation ever produced which might justify her detention. Wang has been petitioning for redress after a court in Chengdu ruled against her in a lawsuit seeking resolution in the death of her mother during their forced eviction and the demolition of their home. (CHRD)[vii]

Harassment of Activists

US-China Human Rights Dialogue Brings Further Restrictions for Beijing-based Activists

With the US-China human rights dialogue taking place in Beijing on April 27 and 28, some members of the local activist community facing restrictions on their movements as part of the “Jasmine Revolution” crackdown have found themselves under stricter “soft detention” or forced to travel outside of the capital for a few days. CHRD has learned that veteran dissident and pro-democracy activist Cha Jianguo (查建国) has been prevented from leaving his home since April 24; guards have told him he will have to wait until the 28th at the earliest before he can go out. Dissident He Depu (何德普) has been facing similar restrictions since April 25, while Gao Hongming (高洪明) is believed to have been forced to “travel” to Zhangjiakou in the company of police. (CHRD)[viii]

Editors: David Smalls and Lin Sang

Follow us on Twitter: @CHRDnet

News updates from CHRD

[i] “Special Alert: Beijing Activist Wang Lihong Formally Arrested” (特别关注：北京维权人士王荔蕻被正式逮捕), April 21, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_21.html

[ii] “Lawyer Jin Guanghong Tortured, Unable to Recall Details of Disappearance” (金光鸿律师遭到酷刑，无法记忆失踪期间情形), April 23, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_8148.html

[iii] “Three Chengdu Petitioners Detained for Surrounding and Observing Liu Xianbin’s Sentencing Released on Bail to Await Trial” (围观刘贤斌案的成都三访民被取保候审), April 24, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_6050.html

[iv] “Petitioner-Activists Li Xiaocheng, Feng Xia Tortured after being Criminally Detained” (上访维权人士李小成、封西霞被刑拘后遭酷刑), April 27, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_6473.html

[v] “Liu Xianbin Transferred to Nanchong Prison, Lawyer Blocked from Visiting Chen Wei” (刘贤斌被转到南充监狱，律师会见陈卫遭拒), April 25, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_25.html

[vi] “Shandong Activist Liu Guohui Appeals Criminal Detention” (山东维权人士刘国慧对被刑拘提起申诉), April 20, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_1712.html

[vii] “Chengdu ‘Bloody Demolition’ Petitioner Wang Rongwen Illegally Detained for Many Days” (成都“血拆”访民王荣文被非法拘禁多日), April 20, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_20.html

[viii] “Beijing Dissidents Subjected to Restrictions on Freedom Because of US-China Human Rights Dialogue” (北京异议人士因中美人权对话被限制人身自由), April 26, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_26.html