News | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

Authorities Detain Internet Reporter and Host of Corruption-monitoring Website

May 21, 2008 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 21, 2008) – Ren Shangyan (任尚燕), Assistant Director of the corruption-monitoring website, China Justice Advocacy Web (zhonghua shenzheng wang中华申正网), was detained on May 16 while investigating a case of alleged nepotism in Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province. She has not been released. Around 4 p.m. on (read more…)

China Human Rights Briefing May 1-15, 2008

May 15, 2008 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots May 1-15, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Pollution continues to drive spontaneous demonstrations around the country. In Zhejiang, seven were injured when a thousand villagers protested against toxic gas emitted from a nearby chemical plant, while in Chengdu, four cyber-activists were arrested (read more…)

Journalist Who Exposed Corruption Gets Four Years

May 14, 2008 Comments Off

Journalist Who Exposed Corruption Gets Four Years Authorities Must Protect Journalists and Freedom of the Press (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 14, 2008) – Yesterday, Qi Chonghuai (齐崇淮/齐崇怀), a Legal Rule Morning Post (fazhi zaobao) reporter known for his articles exposing local corruption, was convicted of “extortion and blackmail” and (read more…)

Cyber Activists Detained for “Inciting” Anti-Pollution March in Chengdu

May 12, 2008 Comments Off

Cyber Activists Detained for “Inciting” Anti-Pollution March in Chengdu China Must End Crackdown Prior to the Olympics (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 12, 2008) – CHRD learned today that four cyber activists have been detained for posting articles online criticizing the construction of a chemical plant in Chengdu, capital of (read more…)

Beijing Activist Ni Yulan Arrested for Resisting Forced Demolition

May 2, 2008 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 2, 2008) – Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), a Beijing-based housing rights activist and former lawyer, was formally arrested on suspicion of “obstructing official business” by the Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) Xicheng County Sub-division on April 29. Ni was detained on April 15 after she resisted (read more…)

Henan AIDS Activists Li Xige and Miaojue Cizhi Summoned by Police

May 1, 2008 Comments Off

Henan AIDS Activists Li Xige and Miaojue Cizhi Summoned by Police (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 1, 2008) – In the early hours of May 1, a dozen police barged into the home of Henan AIDS activist Li Xige (李喜阁) and took away Li and fellow AIDS activist Miaojue Cizhi (read more…)

China Human Rights Briefing April 15-30, 2008

April 30, 2008 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 15-30, 2008 Highlights Land rights: At least one died and hundreds were injured when thousands of villagers clashed with local authorities over forced land seizures in Yunnan, Hainan and Hubei Provinces. The clashes were the direct result of (read more…)

Violent Clashes in Ethnic Minority Areas in Yunnan and Hainan Provinces

April 21, 2008 Comments Off

Violent Clashes in Ethnic Minority Areas in Yunnan and Hainan Provinces Authorities must allow independent investigation and reporting in the regions (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 21, 2008)- Police fired on a group of about a hundred villagers who resisted land appropriation by a mining company in Yunnan Province yesterday. (read more…)

Zheng Mingfang, Petitioner and Activist, Sent to Re-education through Labor

April 20, 2008 Comments Off

Zheng Mingfang, Petitioner and Activist, Sent to Re-education through Labor (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 20, 2008)- Zheng Mingfang (郑明芳), petitioner turned activist from Ji County, Tianjin, has been secretly sent to Re-education through Labor (RTL) for two years. According to Zheng’s family, who obtained information from a detainee released (read more…)

Villager Detained during Forced Eviction to Make Way for Olympics Venues

April 17, 2008 Comments Off

Villager Detained during Forced Eviction to Make Way for Olympics Venues Authorities must cease housing rights violations related to the Games (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 17, 2008) – Wang Lianmin (王连民), resident of Yangshan Village which lies at the heart of the Olympics Village, was taken into custody by (read more…)

Jail Sentence Upheld for Writer/Activist Lu Gengsong

April 17, 2008 Comments Off

Jail Sentence Upheld for Writer/Activist Lu Gengsong Chinese authorities must end criminalization of free expression and release Lu immediately. (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 17, 2008) – In a closed trial on April 14, the Zhejiang Provincial High Court rejected the appeal of Lu Gengsong (吕耿松), a Hangzhou-based freelance writer (read more…)

China Human Rights Briefing April 1-15, 2008

April 15, 2008 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 1-15, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS In the most blatant act of politicizing the Olympics, Chinese authorities sentenced human rights activist, Hu Jia, to three-and-a-half years in prison and one year’s deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power.” (read more…)