News | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

CHRD Condemns Sentencing of Uyghur Scholar Ilham Tohti to Life in Prison

September 23, 2014 Comments Off

The Urumqi City Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti (伊力哈木.土赫提) today to life in prison for the crime of “splittism.” CHRD condemns the persecution of Ilham Tohti for his peaceful advocacy for the equal rights of ethnic Uyghur people in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Ilham’s nine-month detention (read more…)

Detained Activist Cao Shunli in Intensive Care After Authorities Repeatedly Deny Treatment

February 20, 2014 Comments Off

CHRD is alarmed by reports that detained activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利) is in critical condition following denials and a long delay in treatment by authorities at Chaoyang District Detention Center. Cao was taken to the intensive-care unit of Beijing’s Qinghe Emergency Center four days ago, and is reportedly very frail. (read more…)

[CHRB] New Cases of Forced Psychiatric Commitment, Detentions of Prominent Writer & Democracy Activist (9/12-18/2014)

September 17, 2014 Comments Off

Two individuals—a blogger and an activist—are being involuntary held inside psychiatric institutions. Their detentions constitute a deprivation of liberty that directly violates China’s Mental Health Law. Meanwhile, Hangzhou police criminally detained China Democracy Party (CDP) member Chen Shuqing (陈树庆) on September 11 on suspicion of “subversion of state power.” Several (read more…)

[CHRB] (2/14-20/2014) Henan to Close Illegal “Discipline Centers”; Guangzhou Activist Arrested

February 20, 2014 Comments Off

Henan provincial authorities recently announced it would immediately close and investigate “abnormal petitioning discipline centers,” extralegal facilities akin to “black jails” that have been used to hold petitioners intercepted in Beijing. In addition, Guangdong activist Liang Songji (梁颂基), an activist from Guangdong Province, was arrested on charges of “obstructing official (read more…)

[CHRB] Activist Given 3 Years for Inciting Subversion, Tibetans Tortured to Death (2/7-13/2014)

February 13, 2014 Comments Off

Democracy activist Liu Benqi (刘本琦) was sentenced to three years for “inciting subversion of state power.” His wife, Liu Ying (刘英), recently visited him and has said his face looked swollen, which she thought was likely due to poor nutrition at the detention center. Meanwhile in the Tibet Autonomous Region, (read more…)

[CHRB] Guizhou Activist Disappeared; Police Role Suspected in “Suicide” of Activist’s Father (1/31-2/6/2014)

February 6, 2014 Comments Off

Democracy rights activist Mi Chongbiao (糜崇标) and his wife, Li Kezhen (李克珍), have been out of contact since September 2013, after being held under illegal house arrest since last June in Guizhou Province. Police placed the couple under tight 24-hour surveillance last summer just days after Mi had posted online (read more…)

[CHRB] Rights Campaigners Detained in Guangzhou, Activist Zhang Lin Sentenced to 3½ Years (9/5-11, 2014)

September 11, 2014 Comments Off

Four activists who had organized or participated in a shirt-less run to raise awareness and funding for detained Guangzhou activists have been criminally detained for “creating a disturbance.” Anhui activist Zhang Lin (张林) has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, and is now the 14th person known to be (read more…)

[CHRB] Imprisoned Tibetan Monk in Urgent Need of Medical Attention, 5 More Cases Go Under Medical Watch (8/29-9/4/2014)

September 3, 2014 Comments Off

Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche, a Tibetan monk, is reportedly unrecognizable due to severe conditions in a prison in Sichuan Province. Weak and emaciated, the monk is serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence on trumped-up charges of “illegally owning guns and explosives” and “occupation of state property.” In addition, CHRD has added five more (read more…)

[CHRB] Hundreds Face Harassment Around Youth Olympics in Nanjing, 21 Buddhists Detained in Guangdong (8/22-28/2014)

August 28, 2014 Comments Off

The Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympics closed on August 28, but at least 300 activists in Nanjing and nearby cities have faced intensified intimidation and harassment as a result of the games. Guangdong police criminally detained 21 Buddhists during a series of raids targeting the Huazang group, including the founder (read more…)

[CHRB] Show Trials of Anti-Corruption Activists Held, Suspended (1/17-1/30/14)

January 30, 2014 Comments Off

Beijing courts recently held proceedings for several activists with ties to the “New Citizens’ Movement.” Legal advocate Xu Zhiyong (许志永) was given a four-year sentence on January 26, while activist Yuan Dong (袁冬) was sentenced to 18 months three days later. Trials for other anti-corruption campaigners were suspended.

[CHRB] Tibetan Smuggles Out Prisoner List, Lawyers Call for Investigation Into Church Demolition (8/15-21/2014)

August 21, 2014 Comments Off

Tibetan monk Gonpo Trinley smuggled information on 45 Tibetan prisoners in Sichuan Province out of China after fleeing to India this month, and 10 of those listed are still incarcerated. On August 18, a group of 14 lawyers has released a legal opinion about the mistreatment of several members of (read more…)

Travesty of Justice – Beijing’s Show Trials of Civil Society Leaders Xu Zhiyong, Zhao Changqing, & Others

January 23, 2014 Comments Off

A Beijing court held a closed door trial of prominent Chinese civil society leader, Xu Zhiyong (许志永). Seized in the Crackdown on Assembly, Association, and Expression, Xu along with dozens of activists, lawyers, and citizen journalists have been detained for demanding top officials disclose their wealth.