[CHRB] University Student Criminally Detained for June Fourth Tweet (6/6-12/2014)

June 12, 2014       Comments Off on [CHRB] University Student Criminally Detained for June Fourth Tweet (6/6-12/2014)

China Human Rights Briefing

June 6 – 12, 2014

Arbitrary Detention

• Detained Human Rights Lawyer Pu Zhiqiang Denied Medical Bail

Freedom of Expression

• University Student Criminally Detained for Tweet About June Fourth

Law & Policy Watch

• Civil Society Members Call to Abolish Custody & Education System

Special Notice

• CHRD Urges UN Experts to Inquire About Allegations of Torture on Human Rights Lawyers

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Arbitrary Detention

Detained Human Rights Lawyer Pu Zhiqiang Denied Medical Bail

On June 9, Beijing authorities rejected the request for medical bail for the detained human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强). Authorities officially informed Pu’s lawyer Zhang Sizhi (张思之) that releasing Pu would “pose a danger to society,” according to Rights Defense Network (RDN). Detained since early May, Pu reportedly has not been given proper medication for diabetes and other illnesses. including 50 others are known to have been criminally detained in the June Fourth anniversary crackdown (see CHRD’s ongoing updates).[1]

Pu is the only individual still in custody among those seized after taking part in a private event on May 3 commemorating June Fourth. Film professor and critic Hao Jian (郝建), dissident writer Hu Shigen (胡石根), blogger Liu Di (刘荻), and retired scholar Xu Youyu (徐友渔) were all released on June 5 on “bail pending further investigation” of their cases. Two journalists detained in connection to Pu’s case, Wu Wei (Vivian Wu, 吴微) and Xin Jian (辛建) were also released on bail. Though not detained, they still face restrictions, such as not being allowed to leave Beijing, write articles, or conduct other activities for up to a year without police permission.

In a previously unknown case, Yin Zheng’an (尹正安), a longtime labor activist from Hunan Province, was criminally detained on May 31 by Shaoyang City police on a charge of “creating a disturbance.” Police also raided Yin’s home on June 4. Yin is being held at Shaoyang City Detention Center.[2]

On June 6, around 20 lawyers gathered at No. 3 Detention Center of the Zhengzhou City Public Security Bureau Prison Administration Department demanding to meet lawyers Chang Boyang (常伯阳), Ji Laisong (姬来松), journalist Shi Yu (石玉) and other activists who were criminally detained in late May, according to RDN. On June 7, around 30 human rights lawyers initiated a silent sit-in protest reiterating their demands. As of June 9, all demands to meet the detainees were denied.[3]

Freedom of Expression

University Student Criminally Detained for Tweet About June Fourth

Zhao Huaxu (赵华旭), a university student from Beijing International Studies University, has been criminally detained on suspicion of “teaching methods for committing a crime” after sending out a message on Twitter about June Fourth, according to information from RDN. On May 24, the 22-year-old Zhao tweeted the link to an article entitled “June 4 25^th Anniversary, A Conceptual Plan for Fake Base Stations,” which offered ideas on how to share knowledge about the Tiananmen Massacre and promote a campaign to “Return to Tiananmen on June 4, 2014.” A “fake base station” can be used to rapidly send out a large number of cell phone text messages within a nearby area. Zhao warned in her piece that, given the government’s existing crackdown on the portable stations, those who make use of the devices to spread information are liable to face criminal charges. Police confirmed Zhao’s detention on June 9.[4]

 

Law & Policy Watch

Civil Society Members Call to Abolish Custody & Education System

Dozens of Chinese lawyers, academics, and activists have recently issued joint statements—one in May and another this month—calling on the National People’s Congress to abolish the “custody and education” (shourong jiaoyu) system, reports RDN. Dating back to the early 1990s, custody and education involves the incarceration and forced labor of sex workers and their clients. It is similar to the now-abolished Re-education through Labor (RTL) system, and is even believed to be serving as an alternative form of detention for individuals who once would have been sent to RTL camps. In a recent case that has fueled debate on the system’s legality, Beijing police in early June ordered Huang Haibo(黄海波), a well-known actor, to serve a six-month custody and education punishment after he had completed a 15-day detention for “soliciting prostitutes.”[5]

Special Notice

CHRD Urges UN Experts to Inquire About Allegations of Torture on Human Rights Lawyers

In mid-May, CHRD submitted information on four human rights lawyers—Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Tang Jitian (唐吉田), Wang Cheng (王成), and Zhang Junjie(张俊杰)—to UN experts, alleging torture, arbitrary detention, and reprisals against human rights defenders, among other abuses. On March 22, Heilongjiang police seized the lawyers from their hotel rooms in Jiansanjiang City, where they were investigating a “black jail,” and took them to the Daxing District branch of the public security bureau. While held there, the lawyers were tortured, most likely to coerce them into giving up their rights defense activities, in particular their efforts to free those held in the illegal detention facility in Jiansanjiang. The four men were then administratively detained in Qixing Detention Center, where they were deprived of food. Medical exams conducted after their release showed that the lawyers suffered serious injuries due to the torture, including broken ribs and fractured vertebra.

Contacts:

Renee Xia, International Director, +1 240 374 8937, reneexia@chrdnet.com

Victor Clemens, Research Coordinator, +1 209 643 0539, victorclemens@chrdnet.com

David Zhao, Researcher and Media Outreach, +852 61252921, davidzhao@chrdnet.com

Follow us on Twitter:@CHRDnet

[1] “Beijing Police Deny Pu Zhiqiang’s Bail Application” (北京警方驳回浦志强的代理律师提出的取保候审申请), June 9, 2014, Rights Defense Network (RDN).

[2] “Hunan Xiaoyang Activist Yin Zhengan Criminally Detained and Home Searched’’ (湖南邵阳民运人士尹正安被刑拘抄), June 9, 2014, RDN.

[3]“More Than 20 Lawyers Nationwide Demand Zhengzhou Police Respect Right to Access Clients” (全国二十多位律师向郑州警方要会见权，可能被清场), June 6, 2014, RDN.

[4]“Female University Student Zhao Huaxu Under Criminal Detention on Charge of “Teaching Methods to Commit Crime” (女大学生赵华旭被控“涉嫌传授犯罪方法罪”遭刑拘), June 10, 2014, RDN.

[5]“ Jiang Ping, Ying Songnian Among More Than 40 Legal Practitioners Issuing Proposal to Abolish Custody and Education System” (江平、应松年等40余位法律人: 关于废止收容教育制度的建议书), June 8, 2014, RDN; “Case of Huang Haibo Triggers Demands to Abolish Custody and Education System” (黄海波案引发社会强烈要求废止收容教育制度), June 8, 2014, RDN.