China Human Rights Briefings | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

[CHRB] Uyghurs Harshly Punished on Political Charges (3/21-27, 2013)

March 28, 2013 Comments Off

Two courts in Xinjiang recently sentenced 20 Uyghurs to prison on charges of “inciting splittism,” handing down four life sentences and 16 other punishments ranging from 5 to 15 years. Reportedly, the courts found that the Uyghurs allegedly “used the Internet, cellphones, and electronic storage media to organize, lead, and participate in a terrorist organization” (read more…)

[CHRB] Tibetans Imprisoned for Splittism; Poet Censored for Urging Huangpu River “Memorial” (3/16-20, 2013)

March 21, 2013 Comments Off

Three ethnic Tibetans were recently sentenced to prison in Qinghai Province on charges of “inciting splittism,” given terms ranging from four to six years. In issuing its decision, a court reportedly stated that the defendants took advantage of self-immolation incidents and sent out texts and distributed photographs related to Tibetan (read more…)

[CHRB] Beijing Police Torture Activist Hu Jia During Interrogation, Restrict His Freedom & Access to Medical Care (March 18, 2013)

March 18, 2013 Comments Off

On March 14, police in Beijing summoned human rights activist Hu Jia (胡佳), citing suspicion of “creating a disturbance,” and proceeded to insult and torture him during an eight-hour interrogation that has left him with serious injuries. Police questioned Hu about details of a visit to Liu Xia (刘霞), who (read more…)

[CHRB] Several Tibetans Sent to Prison; Petitioners Detained During “Sensitive” Period, and more (3/9-3/15, 2013)

March 15, 2013 Comments Off

Several ethnic Tibetans were recently sentenced to prison in Qinghai Province, including a popular singer whose songs with pro-Tibet independence themes provoked authorities, and a senior monk who participated in a peaceful procession last year during which he carried the remains of his nephew, who had self-immolated. As is common (read more…)

[CHRB] Political Repression Envelopes China as People’s Congress Opens (3/1-8, 2013)

March 7, 2013 Comments Off

Police are rounding up and restricting the movement of Chinese activists as the annual “Two Meetings”—the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference—convene in Beijing. The legislative sessions, during which authorities heavily deploy “stability maintenance” resources, are seen this spring as especially “sensitive” and significant to the Chinese (read more…)

[CHRB] Prominent Chinese Citizens Call for Government to Ratify ICCPR, and more (2/22-28, 2013)

March 1, 2013 Comments Off

An open letter signed by more than 100 prominent Chinese citizens is calling on the government to ratify the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Addressed to the new leaders on the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the letter is drawing attention to free speech and (read more…)

[CHRB] Self-Immolation of Tibetans and in Jiangxi Province; Shanghai Activist Held Incommunicado for 5 Months, and more (February 16-21, 2013)

February 21, 2013 Comments Off

Shanghai human rights activist Wei Qin (魏勤) has been held incommunicado since she was seized in Beijing in late September. Her family, which is very concerned about her health, has not been allowed to visit her, with police claiming that Wei’s case is “under investigation.” A signatory of Charter 08, (read more…)

[CHRB] Uyghur Man Gets 11 Years for “Inciting Splittism”; Disappeared Tibetan Scholar May Be Serving 20-Year Sentence, and more (2/8-15, 2013)

February 15, 2013 Comments Off

A Uyghur man is serving an 11-year sentence for “inciting splittism,” allegedly for translating Chinese-language news related to Kashgar City, in a newly revealed case. In 2009, Mirhemitjan Muzepper (米尔哈米提江•木扎派尔) began serving as a translator for Phoenix TV news but was later taken into custody, and a court found that (read more…)

[CHRB] Chinese Authorities Criminalize Tibetans for “Inciting” Self-Immolations, Hebei Petitioner May Be Permanently Disabled After RTL Term (February 1-7, 2013)

February 8, 2013 Comments Off

In enforcing a new government policy of criminalizing self-immolations by Tibetans, two courts on January 31 sentenced eight Tibetans on charges of “intentional homicide” for their alleged roles in self-immolation protests against Chinese government suppression. The Tibetans were given sentences ranging from three years to a suspended death sentence, which (read more…)

[CHRB] Family Sees Chen Kegui for First Time Since Detention Last April; CHRD Calls for Halt to Execution of Li Yan, and more (January 24-31, 2013)

February 1, 2013 Comments Off

On January 31, the parents and wife of Chen Kegui (陈克贵) were allowed to see him for the first time since he was detained in April 2012. The family members met at Linyi Prison, where Chen is serving a sentence that is widely viewed as retaliation against his uncle, the (read more…)

[CHRB] Guizhou Activist Tortured During Interrogation; Professor Forcibly Committed to Psychiatric Hospital Vows to Sue, and more (January 12-23, 2013)

January 25, 2013 Comments Off

Guizhou activist Liao Shuangyuan (廖双元), a member of the banned Guizhou Human Rights Forum, was held by police for eight hours on January 10, during which time he was interrogated and subjected to torture. According to his wife, national security officials took Liao in to a local police station and (read more…)

[CHRB] Revised Law in Action: Activist Subjected to Enforced Disappearance; Police Retaliate Against Freedom of Press Supporters, and more (1/4-1/11, 2013)

January 11, 2013 Comments Off

Hunan activist Zhu Chengzhi (朱承志) has been issued six months of “residential surveillance” on a charge of “inciting subversion” and remains held in an undisclosed location, in what may be the first use of Article 73 of the revised Criminal Procedure Law (CPL). The article permits subjecting certain criminal suspects (read more…)