News - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

CHRD Sends Letter to International Olympic Committee Regarding Rights Violations Around Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics

September 29, 2014 Comments Off

The Network of Chinese Human Rights Activists (CHRD) sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee in order to draw the attention of the IOC to the suppression of Chinese citizens’ rights in the lead up to, and surrounding, the Nanjing Youth Olympics held on August 16-28, 2014.

[CHRB] (2/28-3/6/2014) Activist Detained After Attending Human Rights Training; Cao Shunli Still in Critical Condition

March 6, 2014 Comments Off

Activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利), whose health status has grown life-threatening, remains in critical condition though her health has improved slightly following urgent medical intervention. Being treated at 309 Military Hospital, Cao has reportedly been able to move her eyes and her fever is gone, according to Cao’s family and close (read more…)

A Nightmarish Year Under Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream”: 2013 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China

March 3, 2014 Comments Off

Human rights defenders in China experienced a tumultuous year of suppression in 2013 while continuing to demonstrate remarkable strength and extraordinary courage, as documented in CHRD’s annual report, A Nightmarish Year Under Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream,” released today. In speaking with CHRD, dozens of Chinese activists have described 2013 as (read more…)

[CHRB] (2/14-27/2014) Police Beat Former Masanjia Labor Camp Detainees, Uyghur Scholar Arrested

February 27, 2014 Comments Off

Police recently beat three former detainees from the notorious Masanjia Women’s Re-education through Labor camp when they tried to petition authorities in Liaoning Province. The women, Liu Hua (刘华), Hao Wei (郝威), and Jia Fengzhen (贾风珍), entered the Ministry building to register the names of the group but ended up (read more…)

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…)