News | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

[CHRB] Police Torture Activists Involved in Anti-Corruption Campaign (4/26-5/1, 2013)

May 2, 2013 Comments Off

On April 27, police in Jiangxi Province tortured at least two activists—a married couple—after taking several people into custody, raiding homes, and confiscating property in Xinyu City. While holding Liu Xizhen (刘喜珍), police slapped her face so hard that it became swollen, and also cuffed Liu to an iron chair (read more…)

[CHRB] Responding to Quake, Activists Blocked by Authorities (4/19-25, 2013)

April 25, 2013 Comments Off

Authorities have restricted the movements of several individuals after the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province. On April 20, the day the quake hit, police prevented Chengdu activists from reaching the stricken area in Ya’an City, and several ethnic Tibetans were blocked as well after setting out to assist quake victims. (read more…)

Chinese Authorities Must Release Activists, End Escalating Crackdown on Free Expression

April 19, 2013 Comments Off

Police in China have begun detaining activists, lawyers, and ordinary citizens in an apparently coordinated crackdown triggered by advocacy aimed against official corruption and other politically sensitive issues. Authorities have seized activists in Beijing who, under the rubric of the “New Citizens Movement,” have organized a petition drive to demand (read more…)

[CHRB] Courts Sentence 12 Tibetans on Trumped-up Charges (April 11-18, 2013)

April 18, 2013 Comments Off

Two courts in Qinghai Province have sentenced a total of 12 ethnic Tibetans on trumped-up charges, handing down punishments ranging from three to six years for “inciting splittism” and “illegally holding a demonstration.” One case is tied to photographs and information shared online about self-immolations, while the other stems from (read more…)

[CHRB] Detainee Diary Reveals Horrendous Abuses in Women’s Labor Camp (4/4-10, 2013)

April 11, 2013 Comments Off

A detainee’s disclosures of mistreatment at a women’s Re-education through Labor (RTL) camp have triggered reports in Chinese media, forcing officials to promise an investigation into the revelations. A diary, the source of the information, details how police have arbitrarily detained petitioners under the pretext of “maintaining stability” and committed (read more…)

[CHRB] Activists Detained for Seeking Public Disclosure of Top Chinese Officials’ Wealth (3/28-4/3, 2013)

April 4, 2013 Comments Off

Four Chinese activists have been criminally detained on a charge of “unlawful assembly” after holding a public rally at which they held banners calling for public disclosure of Chinese officials’ personal wealth. On March 31, police dragged away the activists, who had demonstrated a dozen times since February. In other (read more…)

China Cites “State Secrets” in Rejecting Civil Society Participation in Universal Periodic Review

April 2, 2013 Comments Off

The Chinese government must stop harassing and persecuting activists for requesting to participate in the Universal Periodic Review of the country’s human rights record, and instead allow members of civil society to play an important role in the process. Officials have stated that its drafting and dissemination of materials related (read more…)

[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…)

In the Name of “Stability”: 2012 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China

March 15, 2013 Comments Off

With a major change of the guard at the top echelon of China’s one-party power, 2012 was marked by authorities’ intensified attempts to thwart human rights activism but also impressive civil society campaigns that fought for rights protections. As illustrated by CHRD’s newest report, human rights defenders (HRDs) expanded their (read more…)