Sydney | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

Beijing Lawyer Cheng Hai Assaulted by Officials for Representing Falun Going Practitioner

April 14, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 14, 2009) – In the early morning hours of April 13, Beijing lawyer Cheng Hai (程海) was attacked and beaten while on his way to meet with a client in Chengdu. According to Cheng, those responsible for the attack were officials from the Jinyang General (read more…)

Shandong Professor Assaulted for Commemorating Reformist Leader Zhao Ziyang

April 6, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 6, 2009) – Sun Wenguang (孙文广), a 75-year-old retired Shandong University professor and vocal dissident based in Jinan City, Shandong Province, was severely beaten on April 5 by a group of unidentified men on his way to the local cemetery to commemorate the life of (read more…)

Sichuan Activist Detained before Earthquake Anniversary

April 1, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 1, 2009) – On March 28, Tan Zuoren (谭作人), an environmentalist and writer, was detained by Chengdu police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”, CHRD learned today. It is believed that Tan was detained for mobilizing volunteers to conduct an independent investigation of (read more…)

Beijing Dissident Jiang Qisheng Summoned, Home Searched: Police Actions Stepped Up in Advance of Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre

March 31, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 31, 2009) – This morning, Jiang Qisheng (江棋生), a former 1989 prisoner, dissident writer, and vice-chairman of Independent Chinese PEN, was taken away from his home and interrogated by police. Officers searched his home and confiscated 3 computers, bank cards, many books, notebooks, and manuscripts. (read more…)

Song of the Grass Mud Horse

March 29, 2009 Comments Off

This video, featuring an alpaca-like mythical creature whose name in Chinese (草泥马) sounds like a profanity, surfaced online in early 2009, and became a symbol of defiance against internet censorship in China.

Beating and Detention of Petitioner Latest in Series of Heilongjiang Abuses

March 27, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 27, 2009) – CHRD learned today the story of Chen Jinxia (陈金霞, aka Chen Qingxia [陈庆霞]), a petitioner from Dailing District, Yichun City, Heilongjiang Province, who has suffered nearly two years of arbitrary detention since she was first intercepted on April 24, 2007. Over the (read more…)

Sichuan Authorities Strike Hard on Rights Activists to Maintain “Stability”

March 24, 2009 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 24, 2009) – CHRD learned today that police in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, have detained four Sichuan activists and summoned (chuanhuan) more than ten in an effort to punish local human rights defenders for taking part in and reporting on two recent demonstrations. In Chongqing Municipality, (read more…)

Tug of War over China’s Cyberspace: A Sequel to Journey to the heart of Internet censorship

March 13, 2009 Comments Off

Tug of War over China’s Cyberspace A Sequel to Journey to the heart of Internet censorship Introduction Since the last report on internet control, Journey to the heart of Internet censorship[i], was published by CHRD and Reporters without Borders (RSF) in October 2007, the cat-and-mouse game between the (read more…)

Laoma Tihua (老妈蹄花), a documentary by Ai Weiwei

March 5, 2009 Comments Off

A documentary named “laoma tihua” (老妈蹄花), by the well-known artist and architect Ai Weiwei, is about his experience in August 2009, when he was detained and beaten for trying to testify at the trial of Tan Zuoren (谭作人), a Sichuan activist held for “inciting subversion of state power.”

Re-education through Labor Abuses Continue Unabated: Overhaul Long Overdue

February 4, 2009 Comments Off

Re-education through Labor Abuses Continue Unabated: Overhaul Long Overdue A report by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) ContentContents Introduction …………………………. 3 Overview of the Re-education through Labor system ………………………….4 The evolution of the Re-education through Labor system…………………………. 5 What is wrong with the Re-education through Labor system? ………………………….7 The RTL (read more…)

China Human Rights Briefing January 1-15, 2009

January 19, 2009 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots January 1-15, 2009 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS As Charter 08 continues to spread across the internet and its signatories and supporters refuse to back down under pressure, Chinese authorities continue (read more…)

China Human Rights Briefing December 15-31, 2008

January 6, 2009 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots December 15-31, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · The crackdown on Charter 08 continues to widen as more activists are harassed by the police for signing the public appeal. Since (read more…)