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A Hangzhou court sentenced Zou Wei and Zan Aizong for meeting on the Qiantang River on 13 July 2024, the seventh anniversary of Liu’s death, to commemorate the intellectual, one of the promoters of Charter 08, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 for his nonviolent commitment to human rights. Despite his death, he continues to inspire fear among China’s rulers today.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—February 17, 2026) On February 13, 2026, a Chinese court sentenced two human rights defenders to prison on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Activist Zou Wei and writer Zan Aizong had participated in a seaside commemoration of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in custody in 2017. A court in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province sentenced Zou Wei to three and a half years and Zan Aizong to three years.
The China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group also reacted to the verdict, calling for the release of the 78-year-old Catholic leader and editor of Apple Daily, imprisoned under Hong Kong’s infamous national security legislation.
“Given his age and the length of the sentence, Lai is at heightened risk of dying in prison,” reads a report by the group. “Jimmy Lai has committed no crime and should be released immediately,” said Angeli Datt, CHRD’s research and advocacy coordinator.
A 20-year prison sentence typically means actual imprisonment of at least 13 years and 4 months, assuming maximum remission. The sentence is thus plainly calculated to keep Lai behind bars for the rest of his life. It was assailed by human rights organizations across the globe, with Amnesty International labeling it a “grim milestone” and a “cold-blooded attack on freedom of expression.” The organization officially designated Lai, who is in ill health, a prisoner of conscience. Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, The Committee to Protect Journalists, Chinese Human Rights Defenders and the International Press Institute, among others, all issued statements condemning the sentence, requesting that the UK and US governments intervene on humanitarian grounds.
Pekín, 9 feb (EFE).- La red de oenegés Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) y la Alianza Interparlamentaria sobre China (IPAC) reclamaron hoy la liberación del magnate mediático hongkonés Jimmy Lai tras ser sentenciado a 20 años de prisión por conspiración con fuerzas extranjeras y difusión de publicaciones consideradas sediciosas.
Several international advocacy groups, including Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders, condemned the sentence. Angeli Datt, the research and advocacy coordinator of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, expressed concern that Mr. Lai’s health issues would not be treated. “Beijing has shown its willingness to let defenders die in detention, an extreme tactic to try to silence their peaceful advocacy for human rights,” she said.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—February 8, 2026) CHRD calls for the release of Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old Hong Kong-British prodemocracy activist and owner of the shuttered newspaper Apple Daily, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison today.
Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said that human rights experts have long suspected that Schellenberg’s death sentence was the result of geopolitical tensions between China and Canada.
“It’s hard to ignore the timing of Carney’s recent visit and this development on his case,” she said. “A retrial is a chance to grant him a fair trial.”
Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said that human rights experts have long suspected that Mr. Schellenberg’s death sentence was the result of geopolitical tensions between China and Canada. “It’s hard to ignore the timing of Carney’s recent visit and this development on his case,” she said. “A retrial is a chance to grant him a fair trial.”
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders — February 4, 2026) On February 1, Chengdu Public Security Bureau officers detained renowned journalist Liu Hu while he was traveling to Beijing. On February 2, Liu’s family learned that Chengdu authorities had placed Liu under criminal detention on suspicion of “making false accusations” and conducting “illegal business operations,” according to Chinese-language site Rights Defense Network (RDN).
According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, which is a coalition of Chinese and international activists and groups, Liu had planned to take a train from his home city of Chongqing to the capital Beijing on Sunday when he went missing.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders— January 27, 2026) Human rights activists wrongfully detained by Chinese authorities are being denied adequate medical care in prison and then blocked from receiving treatment after they are released.
Organizing a candlelight vigil to call for justice for victims of a massacre and democracy in China is not a threat to national security – it is a form of expression and assembly guaranteed by international human rights law. This trial is a sham, designed to make repression appear legitimate. If Hong Kong authorities actually follow the law, their only recourse is to drop all charges and immediately release the three organizers.
On Wednesday, Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), said in a statement: “Organising a candlelight vigil to call for justice for victims of a massacre and democracy in China is not a threat to national security – it is a form of expression and assembly guaranteed by international human rights law.
Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, condemned the trial as a “sham”.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 22, 2026) In the past month, courts in China convicted a pro-democracy activist, a renowned writer, and a former police officer on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” imposing sentences between 2.5 and 3.5 years. CHRD finds no publicly available evidence that the three individuals violated laws.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—January 21, 2026) A democracy group and its leadership that organized Hong Kong’s now-banned vigil for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre are set to face trial on January 22. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and its former chair Lee Cheuk-yan and vice-chairs Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho have been charged with “inciting subversion of state power” under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law (NSL). Lee, Chow and Ho face up to ten years in prison if convicted. The case will be heard at the Court of First Instance and the trial is expected to last 75 days.
Chinese Human Rights DefendersLocations negotiable; full timeJanuary 20, 2026 The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is seeking applicants for the position of Development Officer. The development officer will work in close cooperation with the co-Executive Directors. Key responsibilities: Qualifications include: Education: Bachelor’s degree and five years’ relevant work experience. Professional experience: Related skills […]
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—January 16, 2026) A popular online secondhand bookstore called Confucius Old Books has reportedly removed some old Chinese-language books about Tibet, Southern Mongolia and the Uyghur region according to the Rights Defense Network (RDN).
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 9, 2026) On January 6, Sichuan police detained at least ten people associated with the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu from their homes or the church premises in a coordinated raid. Six remain in custody and have been criminally detained, according to a well-informed CHRD source.
In October 2024, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) and the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) issued the Joint statement on so-called “short-term enforced disappearances”that described them as a “grave human rights violation.” This follows a 2016 statement ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, in which the two groups of experts wrote, “There is no time limit, no matter how short, for an enforced disappearance to occur. Every minute counts when a person is put outside the protection of the law.” In 2011, the WGEID raised concerns about a wave of enforced disappearances by Chinese authorities during the “Jasmine Crackdown,” which sought to extinguish human rights activism. “Even short-term secret detentions can qualify as enforced disappearances,” the group said.
Heng Guan is a Chinese citizen from central China. In 2020, he read about mass detentions and other human rights abuses against Uyghurs in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, and he decided to go see for himself. The video he put on social media in 2021 provided valuable confirmation of widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang, which the US government said amounted to genocide that very same year. Now, Guan is in ICE detention, facing the possibility of being deported to Uganda. Human rights advocates say this would put Guan in grave danger and that his case for asylum is a textbook example of why the US created this pathway to citizenship in the first place. The World’s Matthew Bell reports.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—December 17, 2025) Chinese authorities are arbitrarily detaining an artist and a writer in retaliation for artwork and books critical of the government. The laws invoked in both cases violate the Chinese government’s obligations under international human rights law.
Today, British citizen Jimmy Lai has been found guilty in his trial in Hong Kong, on two national security law charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. He faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment. He has been imprisoned for 1,800 days, most of which in solitary confinement. He is 78 years old and in failing health. Unless he is released, he will almost certainly die in prison.
人權備受打壓的香港，其居民日益成為國際組織在世界人權日爭取釋放的對象。在是世界人權日的今(10日)天，國際特赦組織聯合國際工會聯合會等27個關注人權狀況的組織發表聯合聲明，呼籲港府撤銷以《港區國安法》控告多年來舉辦悼念六四活動的支聯會之前主席李卓人和前副主席鄒幸彤，並立即釋放二人。
（中国人权捍卫者——2025年12月10日）非政府组织中国人权捍卫者（CHRD）于12月10日国际人权日之际呼吁中国政府结束对人权捍卫者的长期监禁。多年来，中国当局对和平行使或捍卫人权的人士动辄判处10年或更长的刑期，试图让世界遗忘这些人及他们的抗争。
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—December 9, 2025) On International Human Rights Day, December 10, CHRD calls on the Chinese government to end its practice of long-term imprisonment of human rights defenders (HRDs). Authorities impose prison sentences of 10 years or longer to silence peaceful dissent, and to try to ensure that these people and their struggles are forgotten.
Crime: “conspiracy to commit subversion” Length of Punishment: 10 years Court: High Court, Hong Kong SAR Trial Date: 6 February 2023-May 30, 2024 (113 days) Sentencing Date: November 19, 2024 Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: January 6, 2021 (arrest), January 7, 2021 (bail), February 28, 2021 (charged) Place of Incarceration: Stanley Prison, Hong Kong Verdict: HKSAR v NG Ching-hang & Ors HKSAR v Tai […]
Crime: “inciting separatism” Length of Punishment: 14 years Court: Kardze Intermediate Court, Sichuan Province Trial Date: Unknown Sentencing Date: Unknown date in September 2022 Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: March 2021 detained, date of arrest and indictment unknown Place of Incarceration: Unknown Gangkye Drubpa Kyab is a Tibetan writer and teacher whose published works include a book detailing the 2008 protests, A Year Written […]
Crime: “separatism,” “leaking state secrets,” and “organizing an illegal demonstration” Length of Punishment: Life sentence, reduced to 19 years and 8 months Court: Urumqi Intermediate Court Trial Date: Unknown date in April 2010 Sentencing Date: Unknown date in April 2010 Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: July 14, 2009 (detained), arrest and indictment dates unknown Place of Incarceration: Xinjiang No. 2 Prison, Urumqi Gulmira Imin […]
Crime: Unknown Length of Punishment: 20 years Court: Lhasa Intermediate Court, Tibet Trial Date: Unknown Sentencing Date: Unknown date in 2010 Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: Forcibly disappeared in 2008, exact date of criminal detention, arrest, and indictment unknown Place of Incarceration: Unknown Kunchok Nyima is a Tibetan monk and scholar from the Drepung Monastery. The Lhasa Intermediate Court sentenced him to 20 years […]
Crime: Unknown Length of Punishment: 20 years Court: Shigatse Intermediate Court, Tibet Trial Date: Unknown Sentencing Date: Unknown date in September 2020 Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: Detained in August or September 2019, exact date of criminal detention, arrest, and indictment unknown Place of Incarceration: Unknown Choegyal Wangpo is a Tibetan monk from the Tengdro Monastery. In September 2020, the Shigatse Intermediate Court in […]
Crime: “separatism” Length of Punishment: Life sentence Court: Unknown intermediate court in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Trial Date: Unknown date in December 2018 Sentencing Date: Unknown Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: Forcibly disappeared in December 2017, exact dates of criminal detention, arrest and indictment unknown Place of Incarceration: Unknown Appeal hearing date: Unknown Appeal court: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region High People’s Court Appeal ruling: […]
Three years ago this week, people across China, outraged by a deadly fire in Urumqi and profoundly frustrated by the government’s harsh “zero-COVID” policies, took part in impromptu protests, some of the most visible expressions public discontent since the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy demonstrations. Most chose to simply hold aloft blank pieces of white paper – in and of itself a comment on the dire state of free expression.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 25, 2025) — Chinese website Rights Defence Network reported in recent days that 83-year-old Falun Gong practitioner Zhao Wenxiu died in March 2025 while serving a 7.5-year prison sentence in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Zhao was wrongfully prosecuted in 2019 for exercising her right to religious freedom and given a lengthy prison sentence despite her age. Media reports alleged that she had been subjected to torture during previous prison terms, which were also related to her Falun Gong beliefs.
Radio Free Asia, founded nearly three decades ago to report on China and other Asian countries without independent media, said Wednesday it will halt production after the US government ceased funding.
The broadcaster had already laid off or furloughed more than 90 percent of staff and drastically scaled back production since President Donald Trump’s administration in March axed most money to US government-funded media.
CHRD joined 91 other civil society organizations and individuals to call on the governments of the G7 and EU/EEA members to exert diplomatic pressure on the Hong Kong government to release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan immediately and unconditionally.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 27, 2025) – The Chinese government’s October detentions of dozens of Christians from house churches indicate an acceleration of its campaign against religious freedom. Over the past two years, church leaders and congregants across the country appear to be increasingly targeted for arbitrary detention, unfair trials, and sentences of up to 15 years on baseless charges.
Beijing’s biggest fish bazaar is a briny-smelling maze of stalls stocked with massive crabs from Russia, purple lobster from Australia and yellow croaker fish from China’s southeastern coast.
What’s increasingly hard to find at Jingshen Seafood Market, however, are products from Canada: the casualties of a punishing trade war between Ottawa and Beijing.
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) addressed the Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, extolling his government’s support for many aspects of women’s rights. Yet having grown up in China, my vivid memories over the past few decades paint a starkly different picture of how women have fought to change the way they have been treated and were persecuted by the government.
We, the undersigned press freedom, journalists’, human rights, international organisations, strongly condemn the Chinese government’s ongoing arbitrary detention of Swedish publisher and writer Gui Minhai on the 10th anniversary of his kidnapping.
米兰（亚洲新闻/通讯社）—中国人权捍卫者关注被拘留在海南省三亚的年轻律师张文鹏（Zhang Wenpeng）的命运。他于2025年7月14日被控“寻觅滋事”－这是一项用来压制一切形式异见的罪名。根据中国人权捍卫者（CHRD）网络报道，人们担心他随时可能被判处重刑。
Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Human rights defenders in China are concerned about the fate of Zhang Wenpeng, a young lawyer detained in Sanya, Hainan province. Charged with ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’ – a charge used to suppress all forms of dissent – he was indicted on 14 July 2025 and, according to the Chinese Human Rights Defender (CHRD) network, there are fears that a heavy prison sentence could be handed down at any moment.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 13, 2025)—Chinese authorities should immediately release Gui Minhai, a Swedish publisher disappeared, arbitrarily detained, and wrongfully prosecuted since 2015, and allow him to leave China.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—October 9, 2025) The proposed revisions to the Prison Law entrench the Chinese government’s disdain for its international human rights obligations, especially around the prohibition of torture, and enshrine vague “national security” restrictions limiting freedom of expression and other rights.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 8, 2025)–Human rights lawyer Zhang Wenpeng is likely to soon be tried on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in Sanya, Hainan Province. Prosecutors indicted him on July 14, 2025, and transferred the case to court. Under Chinese law, a verdict should be issued within two to three months of the court accepting the case, meaning that a verdict for Zhang could be rendered as early as October 14.
A Chinese citizen journalist who was jailed after reporting from the frontlines of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan is to face trial for a second time, according to human rights activists and media freedom groups.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—September 17, 2025) After over a year in pre-trial detention, Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan is reportedly to face trial on Friday, September 19 at the Pudong New District Court in Shanghai.
Uighurs and rights advocates on Tuesday decried lame global action over a damning 2022 UN report detailing torture and sweeping abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.
Members of China’s Uighur minority joined non-governmental organizations on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, to urge UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to step up pressure on Beijing.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—August 28, 2025) Closing statements in Hong Kong authorities’ politicized prosecution of pro-democracy activist and former media owner Jimmy Lai concluded today. The three judges hearing the case are expected to hand down a verdict before the end of the year.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—August 27, 2025) Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the most recent arrest of Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan for her online writing and activism, CHRD is calling for her immediate and unconditional release, and for the Chinese government to end its restrictions on journalism and free expression.
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders has co-signed a letter to Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China, calling for an end to the unfair trial and the release of human rights lawyer Xie Yang.
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, together with 72 other human rights organizations, calls on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to secure the release of publisher Jimmy Lai. A 77-year-old British citizen, Lai’s health has dangerously deteriorated after more than 1,680 days in detention in Hong Kong.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—August 12, 2025) Ahead of the eighth anniversary of the disappearance of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, CHRD calls on the Chinese government to clarify his whereabouts and status, and to publicly commit to ending its practice of forcibly disappearing human rights defenders. Gao has not been seen since August 2017.
At a time when authoritarian governments are assaulting international human rights law as never before, Argentina’s highest criminal court has taken an extraordinarily positive step. On June 18, the Federal Court of Criminal Cassation held that a case brought by Uyghurs against Chinese government officials for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide should proceed. While there are many challenges ahead, the court’s decision offers a critical source of hope to the victims and survivors who are seeking justice for Beijing’s ongoing atrocities in Xinjiang. It also refocuses the world’s attention on the Uyghur genocide, an issue often overshadowed by media coverage of atrocities and war crimes in other parts of the world, and enhances the prospect of legal accountability for responsible Chinese officials.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—July 30, 2025) On July 30, 2025, the Changsha Intermediate Court in Hunan Province tried human rights lawyer Xie Yang behind closed doors on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” Those charges stem from Xie Yang’s remarks online and to foreign journalists about political and legal affairs, and human rights violations, in China. Authorities convened the trial after Xie Yang had been held in pre-trial detention for over three and a half years, during which he alleged he was repeatedly tortured.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) has documented deepening repression under Chinese President Xi Jinping since he assumed power in late 2012, including significantly curtailing the human rights of seven million Hong Kong people. Although Beijing’s tactics there include an attempt to gut Hong Kong’s legal protections for human rights, it is critical to recall that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) still applies in Hong Kong, and that Beijing also itself has broad obligations under a number of international human rights treaties.
China’s national online ID service went into affect earlier this month, promising to increase user privacy by reducing the amount of data collected by private-sector companies, but privacy and digital rights activists continued to criticize the measures as increasing government control over citizens’ online lives.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—July 22, 2025) CHRD and 16 partners wrote to European Union (EU) leaders ahead of the EU-China Summit to call for human rights to be prioritized at the bilateral discussions. The group called for the EU to announce new strategies at the summit, to be held in China on July 24, to address grave and worsening human rights violations by Chinese authorities.
Ahead of the upcoming EU-China Summit in China on July 24–25, 17 organizations wrote to President Costa and President von der Leyen, urging them to prioritize human rights and use the Summit as an opportunity to ensure justice for victims and survivors of Beijing’s violations. We call on the EU and its member states to confront a growing human rights crisis, which increasingly impacts not only people across China but also people worldwide.
China has officially launched internet identification requirements that rights groups have warned will further curtail online anonymity and increase the risks for freedom of speech in what is already one of the world’s strictest online censorship and surveillance systems.
TOKYO — In the decade since China’s widespread crackdown on human rights lawyers and advocates, Beijing has enhanced the national security apparatus to further suppress civil society.
According to anonymous sources, the dissident who publicly challenged “dictator Xi Jinping” in October 2022 and inspired the “blank paper” protest against the zero-COVID policy has been tried and convicted. Human rights groups are calling on Beijing to disclose his whereabouts and provide details about his trial. The case comes ten years after the crackdown on 9 July 2015 against Chinese civil rights lawyers, which continues to this day.
(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—July 8, 2025) Sources yesterday reported that Peng Lifa, who has been forcibly disappeared for more than two years, has now been handed a sentence of nine years on charges including “arson” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Peng was detained on October 13, 2022, after hanging banners on a Beijing bridge criticizing Xi Jinping.
In 2015, a nationwide campaign rounded up hundreds of rights advocates. Since then, suppression has become more systematic and less visible, lawyers say
（2025年7月7日）－中国政府大举镇压人权律师十年后，关切此事的各国政府和联合国应当针对中国政府压迫公民社会展开独立的国际调查。中国当局严重侵犯律师与人权捍卫者的权利，但至今未被追究责任，导致中国政府更加明目张胆实施日益普遍且有系统的人权侵犯。据联合国指出，其中在维吾尔地区实施的迫害行为可能构成危害人类罪。
(July 7, 2025) Ten years after the Chinese government’s widespread crackdown on human rights lawyers, concerned governments and the United Nations should establish an independent, international investigation into Beijing’s persecution of civil society. No Chinese authorities have been held accountable for grave rights abuses against lawyers and human rights defenders, emboldening the government to commit increasingly widespread and systematic human rights violations. Those include possible crimes against humanity in the Uyghur region, according to the UN.
(25 June 2025) New Chinese government Internet identification requirements will further constrict online anonymity, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and ARTICLE 19 said today. The new mechanism, developed by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), goes into full effect on July 15.
Hong Kong (CNN) — China has mastered the craft of policing the internet, operating one of the world’s most extensive online censorship and surveillance regimes. With mandatory identity checks on every online platform, it has become almost impossible for users to stay anonymous.
Ahead of the 36th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) pays tribute to the victims and survivors and calls on the Chinese government to release those jailed for participating in or commemorating the events of 1989.
在1989年6月4日天安门大屠杀三十六周年前夕，中国人权捍卫者网络（CHRD）向遇难者和幸存者致以敬意，并呼吁中国政府立即释放因参与或纪念六四而被任意羁押的良心犯。
（CHRD – 2025年6月2日）在1989年6月4日天安門大屠殺三十六週年前夕，中國人權捍衛者網絡（CHRD）向遇難者和倖存者致以敬意，並呼籲中國政府立即釋放因參與或紀念六四而被任意羈押的良心犯。
（CHRD – 2025年6月2日）在1989年6月4日天安门大屠杀三十六周年前夕，中国人权捍卫者网络（CHRD）向遇难者和幸存者致以敬意，并呼吁中国政府立即释放因参与或纪念六四而被任意羁押的良心犯。
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—June 1, 2025) Ahead of the 36th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) pays tribute to the victims and survivors and calls on the Chinese government to release those jailed for participating in or commemorating the events of 1989.
Thirty years ago today, Chinese authorities disappeared a six-year-old Tibetan boy and his family. They haven’t been heard from since – but the impunity enjoyed by the Chinese government continues to fuel threats to religious freedom, collective punishment, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention.
Prime Minister Mark Carney faces a host of urgent and challenging policy issues. The first is trade with the United States, and support for sectors of the Canadian economy affected by tariffs. But the prime minister is also a person of empathy and values, and those are expected to be central to his policies, including his new approach to foreign policy leadership.
One policy priority that will reflect the prime minister’s values: significantly stepping up efforts to protect human rights in China and to end Beijing’s human rights violations in Canada. Carney laid down markers when he identified the Chinese government under Xi Jinping as Canada’s biggest security threat, and committed himself to countering Chinese foreign interference.
We, the undersigned press freedom and human rights organisations, strongly condemn the Chinese government’s ongoing arbitrary detention of journalist, human rights defender and former lawyer Zhang Zhan, on the 5th anniversary of her arrest.
We, the undersigned civil society and human rights organizations, strongly condemn the Hong Kong government’s escalating repression of activists in exile and their family members in Hong Kong.
(New York) – Hong Kong authorities’ unjust arrests of the father and brother of the prominent US-based activist Anna Kwok is an escalation of the Chinese government’s use of cross-border repression, 87 international and diaspora rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, said today in two joint statements.
(May 1, 2025) In new reports sent to United Nations treaty monitoring bodies, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) responds to the Chinese government’s rejection of key human rights recommendations made by UN experts. CHRD highlights Beijing’s resistance to genuine cooperation with the UN to improve human rights, and its ongoing threats to human rights defenders trying to engage UN human rights mechanisms.
In its May 2023 concluding observations of the ninth periodic report of China, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women asked the government for information on progress towards fulfilling four recommendations. Those recommendations were meant to have been fulfilled by May 2025. CHRD’s analysis of Beijing’s efforts follows below, finding little to suggest the authorities are complying with its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Beijing-backed “GONGOs” have transformed the Palais des Nations into a hostile environment for critics of President Xi Jinping.
In the “capital of peace,” the palatial grounds of the United Nations Office at Geneva were meant to embody the 20th-century ideal of a postwar world — when countries might seek to avert conflict through diplomacy. During the thousands of meetings held at the Palais des Nations each year, delegates press openly and passionately for their convictions. And yet for 15 human rights activists in March 2024, the U.N. complex held risks.
We urge the Chinese government to immediately release Mr. Hada, a prominent Southern Mongolian dissident and long-time political prisoner. He has disappeared since February 6, 2025 following his hospitalization by Chinese authorities for an alleged “urgent medical condition.” His current whereabouts and well-being remain unknown. This latest development is part of a 30-year long persecution by the Chinese government in response to his unwavering advocacy for the rights of the Southern Mongolian people.
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As organizations that work on issues relating to freedom and human rights in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), we are writing to express our strong opposition to the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate U.S. funding for Radio Free Asia (RFA). RFA serves as a critical source of information on the situation in the PRC and is an effective counter to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggression and malign influence in the Indo-Pacific region. We call on the Trump Administration and members of Congress to restore U.S. funding for RFA as soon as possible before irreparable harm is done.
In its March 2023 concluding observations of its third periodic review of China, the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights asked the government for information on progress towards fulfilling four recommendations. Those recommendations were meant to have been fulfilled by March 2025. CHRD’s analysis of Beijing’s efforts follows below, finding little to suggest the authorities are acting to comply with its obligations under the treaty and the review process.
Two jailed human rights defenders, Quan Shixin (全世欣) and Shi Tingfu (史庭福), are the recipients of the 11th Annual Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The 2025 award recognizes Quan and Shi for their courageous human rights activism. Despite the risks they faced from state reprisals, their efforts sought to hold the Chinese government accountable for violations of its international human rights obligations.
经“曹顺利人权捍卫者纪念奖”发起机构公开向社会征集推荐名单并表决，决定将2025年第十一届“曹顺利人权捍卫者纪念奖”颁发给中国大陆人权捍卫者、良心犯全世欣女士和史庭福先生。
“Sitting in a prison cell waiting for daybreak”: this is how Chinese legal activist Xu Zhiyong described the prospect of enduring a 14-year prison sentence, handed down by a Shandong court in 2023. Xu’s “crime”? Advocating for civil liberties.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – March 5, 2025) Chinese authorities have arbitrarily detained thousands and convicted 1,545 prisoners of conscience in the past six years for peacefully advocating or exercising human rights, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said today in a new report.
人权组织「中国人权捍卫者」(China Human Rights Defenders，简称CHRD)根据本身和其他组织的资料整理後，在昨(5日)天发表名为《牢房中等待黎明：中国的任意羁押可能构成危害人类罪》的报告，指中国以任意拘留来压制批评者和惩罚人权捍卫者的范围和规模在领导人习近平治下扩大了，由2019至去年底的六年内，中国内地以不符合人权标准的罪名拘留了数千人，并将当中1422名因和平表达意见或行使人权的政治犯判处入狱；而当政治良心犯的代价亦十分高，一般良心犯的平均刑期是六年，涉及国家安全罪名的，平均刑期则增至七年，当中48人被判囚十年或以上；另有五人被判死刑或终身监禁。
非政府组织“中国人权捍卫者（CHRD）”3月5日发布关于中国任意羁押人权捍卫者的报告，题为《牢房中等待黎明：中国的任意羁押可能构成危害人类罪》。报告综合CHRD政治犯数据库和对话基金会等其他五个关于人权捍卫者的数据库，以及对家属亲友的采访，统计并分析了2019年至2024年间在中国被判刑的人权捍卫者。据统计，六年内至少1545位人权捍卫者被羁押， 1422人被判刑，平均刑期长达6年。
China arbitrarily detained thousands and convicted 1,545 “prisoners of conscience” in the last six years in what could constitute “crimes against humanity”, a rights group alleged.
The prisoners were jailed for “peacefully exercising or advocating for human rights”, Chinese Human Rights Defenders said in a report on Wednesday.
人權組織「中國人權捍衛者」（CHRD）周三（5日）發表名為《在監獄中等待黎明》的報告，顯示2019年至2024年間，中國以不符合人權標準的罪名，囚禁1,545名因和平表達意見或行使人權的「政治犯」；而香港情況更嚴重，香港民主委員會（HKDC）的一項統計顯示截至 去年底，一共有 1,917 名政治犯。
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Chinese authorities have arbitrarily detained thousands of people for peacefully defending or exercising their rights over the past six years and convicted 1,545 prisoners of conscience, a rights group said on Wednesday.
非政府组织“中国人权捍卫者”(CHRD)星期三(3月5日)发表一份报告《牢房中等待黎明：中国的任意羁押可能构成危害人类罪》。内容显示，过去六年来，中国当局大规模任意羁押数千人，其中至少1545人因为和平表达意见或行使人权而遭判刑入狱。报告认为，这种行为的广泛性与系统性，可能已构成危害人类罪。
（人权捍卫者 – 2025年3月5日）非政府组织「人权捍卫者」（CHRD）今天发布的报告指出，在过去六年中，一共有1,545位因和平表达意见或行使人权遭中国当局羁押的良心犯被判刑入狱。
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – March 5, 2025) Chinese authorities have arbitrarily detained thousands and convicted 1,545 prisoners of conscience in the past six years for peacefully advocating or exercising human rights, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said today in a new report.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 5, 2025) Between 2019 and 2024, Chinese authorities arbitrarily detained thousands and convicted 1,545 prisoners of conscience for peacefully exercising or advocating for human rights. They were sentenced and imprisoned on charges that stem from laws that are not in conformity with the Chinese government’s domestic and international human rights obligations. Their cases proceeded through the full criminal justice system, with police, prosecutors, and courts arbitrarily depriving them of their liberty in violation of their human rights.
Following the fifth anniversary of the ‘Xiamen Gathering’ crackdown, Chinese Human Rights Defenders and 37 other civil society organizations and activists across the world signed a joint statement, reaffirming our solidarity with Chinese human rights defenders and lawyers persecuted for advocating for human rights.
在“厦门聚会”镇压五周年后，人权捍卫者与全球其他37个公民社会组织及活动人士共同签署了一份联合声明，声援因倡导人权而遭受迫害的中国人权捍卫者和律师。
CHRD “人权小额资助” 旨在支持遭受迫害的人权捍卫者，为其提供法律援助和人道援助，同时推动公民维护和倡导人权的行动。本项目致力于敦促中国政府履行《世界人权宣言》及已签署批准的国际人权公约，促进国内法符合国际人权标准，从而推动公民、政治、经济、社会、文化权利的保护。
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and ARTICLE 19 issued an analysis of the proposed Internet ID Measure in China. Although not yet adopted, if enacted, the measure will further restrict online freedom of expression and access to information, hinder the work of human rights defenders, breach international human rights standards, and risk adding to increasingly repressive internet governance norms internationally.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses interrelated threats to the United States’ national security, economic interests, and human rights. But for decades, policymakers have elevated national security and economic interests over human rights. This has led to worse outcomes in all three areas, particularly for people across China. The Trump administration should devise a strategy that addresses these challenges in tandem, as the safeguarding of human rights will be central to any effective strategy to counter the CCP.
(January 2, 2025) – Sophie Richardson, a veteran human rights advocate and a leading scholar of Chinese politics, human rights, and foreign policy, has been named the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders’ Co-Executive Director, the organization said today. Dr. Richardson assumes the position on January 2, 2025.
他们挺身而出 捍卫 #我们的权利 被强迫失踪 被羁押、被判刑 你知道 #他们的名字 吗 #世界人权日 更多良心犯请见：中国大陆良心犯资料库
成都秋雨圣约教会12·9教案 六周年，教会仍持续遭当局打压！ 王怡牧师于2018年12月9日被捕，两天后教会发布他为被捕提前所写的声明，表示将继续信仰上的抗命！2019年12月30日被以煽动颠覆国家政权罪判刑9年。
三年前的12月3日，四川民主人士陈云飞被变更罪名判刑4年，他于2021年3月25日第二次被捕入狱，对此他曾表示“到哪里都是工作”。 此前2015年3月25日，陈云飞与四川维权公民为六四死难学生扫墓，回程途中被捕；2017年3月31日被以寻衅滋事罪判刑4年，狱中曾被酷刑！
据维权网报道，10月18日，北京人权捍卫者张宝成被彻底取消全部低保待遇！他已提出行政复议！ 张宝成因参与新公民运动 ，上街拉横幅要求官员财产公开，2014年被以聚众扰乱公共场所秩序罪判刑2年； 2020年被以寻衅滋事罪，宣扬恐怖主义、极端主义罪判刑3年6个月。 中国政府必须停止对人权捍卫者的持续报复打压！
至今李翘楚与许志永的通信权仍未被保障！ 许志永曾绝食抗争，要求恢复与其未婚妻李翘楚的通信权。 许志永， 公盟创始人，新公民运动发起人。2023年4月10日，被以颠覆国家政权罪判处14年有期徒刑，目前在鲁南监狱服刑。
据维权网报道，11月18日，张展被以涉嫌寻衅滋事罪正式批捕！ 今年5月13日，张展刚刚刑满出狱，获释后一直在声援维权人士；8月赴甘肃营救张盼成，返回老家后被警方带走。
《是我》 大巴翻车的是我， 生病拒诊的是我， 徒步百里的是我， 崩溃跳楼的是我， 火灾被困的是我。 如果这些不是我， 那么接下来就是我。
Beijing Must End Punishment of “Blank Paper” Protesters (Chinese Human Rights Defenders – November 25, 2024) On the two-year anniversary of Chinese authorities’ crackdown on the peaceful “Blank Paper” demonstrations, Chinese Human Rights Defenders calls on Beijing to release all wrongfully detained protesters. We urge the international human rights community to press the Chinese government […]
On the two-year anniversary of Chinese authorities’ crackdown on the peaceful “Blank Paper” demonstrations, Chinese Human Rights Defenders calls on Beijing to release all wrongfully detained protesters. We urge the international human rights community to press the Chinese government to fulfill its human rights obligations to protect freedom of peaceful assembly, expression, and the right to fair trials.
The undersigned organizations are gravely concerned by the arrest of Gao Zhen and call for his unconditional and immediate release. His detention is not just a violation of his rights but a blatant abuse of power and an attack on the fundamental human freedoms of all Chinese people who have the right to learn the truth about dictator Mao Zedong.
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are deeply concerned about this case and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Yu and Xu, as they have been sentenced solely for the exercise of their human rights including the right to freedom of expression.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) sent communiqués to UN human rights special procedures, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Working group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, alleging violations of human rights of Xie Yang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, requesting urgent action and review by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Concerns are growing about the health of Xu Zhiyong, China’s most prominent imprisoned human rights lawyer, who is thought to have been on hunger strike for nearly a month.
A Chinese human rights lawyer has started a hunger strike in protest against his treatment in prison where he is serving time for “subversion of state power”, rights groups say.
被中国当局以“颠覆国家政权罪”判刑14年的“新公民运动”领导人许志永传出10月4日开始在狱中绝食，已经连续21天，以抗议遭到不人道待遇与监狱人员的违法行为，导致其体重急降和健康恶化。
非政府组织中国人权捍卫者(CHRD)呼吁，联合国人权机构与关切的国家政府应紧急对北京施压，要求其提供挽救生命的医疗照顾、并应立即释放生命垂危的良心犯许志永。
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – October 24, 2024) CHRD is alarmed that imprisoned legal advocate Xu Zhiyong is in life-threatening condition after being on a hunger strike since October 4 to protest the ill-treatment and violations of his rights at Lunan Prison, Shandong Province. We call on the Chinese authorities to provide Dr. Xu with adequate medical care during his hunger strike in peaceful protest, and we renew our call for his immediate and unconditional release from wrongful detention. Concerned governments and United Nations human rights bodies should urgently press Beijing to provide life-saving care and to release Dr. Xu.
We, the undersigned, representing civil society and human rights organisations across the UK,
urge British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to use his official visit to Beijing and Shanghai to
raise concerns about the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) in Hong Kong: in
particular, its extraterritoriality clauses, which allows the law to be wielded as a threat against
Hong Kongers in the UK under the British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme, an act which
can credibly be described as transnational repression.
More than a quarter of century after signing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Chinese government has unrelentingly refused to ratify it, instead, aggressively violating the rights enshrined in the treaty. This can be illustrated in the government’s incessant persecution of human rights lawyer Xie Yang, which further reflects a systematic campaign to suppress human rights defenders with no accountability.
“I’m profoundly saddened by Xie Yang’s ordeal. He has spent most of the prime years in his life and almost all his energy confronting this authoritarian state that relentlessly persecutes him,” said Chen Guiqiu, Mr. Xie’s ex-wife.”
As the United Nations Human Rights Council meets on September 26 to hear the latest reprisals report from the UN Secretary General’s office, the Chinese government will be named a violator. For the tenth consecutive year, it has relentlessly persecuted human rights defenders for their interactions with UN human rights bodies. UN member states should seize the opportunity to call for a special council session on China and consider the appointment of a country-specific mandate to investigate human rights abuses in China.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and The Rights Practice (TRP) sent communiques to UN human rights special procedures, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, alleging arbitrary detention of two human rights defenders, Ji Xiaolong and Chen Pinlin, for exercising their right to freedom of expression about the Chinese government’s COVID-19 pandemic policies, requesting Urgent Action and Working Group on Arbitrary Detention review.
中国当局使用强迫或非自愿失踪作为一种策略，从首都到偏远地区，在民众心中制造恐怖，威胁任何敢于在网上或街头挑战政府的人。根据联合国的记录，截至去年，中国共有168起未解决的强迫失踪案件。根据CHRD的记录，自2019年以来，至少有30名异议人士确认失踪。在强迫失踪受害者国际日（8月30日）之际，CHRD敦促中国政府停止使用强迫失踪，这在国际法下是严格禁止的。中国政府应该签署并批准《保护所有人免遭强迫失踪国际公约》。
Chinese Authorities are using enforced or involuntary disappearances as a strategy to strike terror in the hearts of the population, intimidating anyone who challenges the government online or in the streets, in the nation’s Capital or the hinterlands. The UN documented 168 outstanding cases of forced disappearances in China as of one year ago. At least 30 dissidents are currently known to have disappeared, according to CHRD records since 2019. On the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared, August 30, CHRD urges the Chinese government to stop the reprehensible practice of enforced disappearances, which is strictly prohibited under international law, and to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
我們是以下連署之人權團體，於貴機關發布《聯合國維吾爾人權報告》兩週年之際特此致信。這份報告具有里程碑意義。其中，基於中國官方檔案以及受害者與倖存者的訪談，此報告證實了酷刑、大規模無理拘禁等侵害的發生，造成無數家庭分離，並進一步推斷出，中國政府的行為「可能構成國際犯罪，尤其是危害人類罪」。
We, the undersigned human rights organizations, write to mark the second anniversary of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)’s publication of its Assessment of Human Rights Concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China. That landmark August 2022 report, based on Chinese government documents and on interviews with victims and survivors, substantiated abuses including torture, mass arbitrary detention, family separations, and concluded that Chinese government actions “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”
Mr. President,
This is a joint statement, in solidarity with the victims of human rights violations committed by the Chinese government.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – July 5, 2024) Nine years after the Chinese government launched its sustained assault on human rights lawyers, CHRD renews urgent calls on Beijing to cease its campaign to crush the human rights legal profession in China. We stand with the victims of the government’s rights abuses and continue to demand that UN member states hold Beijing accountable for its systematic human rights violations.
The Chinese government’s rejection of recommendations to end its deepening human rights crisis reflects its disdain for international human rights reviews at the United Nations, the undersigned human rights nongovernmental organizations said in a joint statement released on June 25, 2024.
华盛顿 — 直言不讳针砭时弊的中国人权律师余文生和妻子许艳被捕一年多，被控煽动颠覆国家政权罪，不久前从北京送进江苏省苏州市看守所。近日，一位律师到苏州会见了余文生。美国之音通过知情者了解到，余文生并不担心他自己的政治案子，但是担心刚满19岁的独子余镇洋。消息人士称，患有严重抑郁症的余镇洋已试图自杀十多次，至少两次送医急救。人权组织和海外人士呼吁中共当局基于人道理由立即释放余文生夫妇，以便他们能够照顾孩子并挽救他的生命。
While China is systematically erasing the memory of the brutal repression of student protests on 4 June 1989, 14 prominent participants of that movement are still behind bars, rearrested for their struggle for democracy. Chinese Human Rights Defenders issued an appeal for their release. In Hong Kong there is concern for Jimmy Lai’s health.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 31, 2024) Ahead of the 35th anniversary of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Massacre, CHRD urges the Chinese government to release 27 individuals involved in the pro-democracy movement as participants, supporters, or advocates for accountability. The 27 are currently in detention or prison on the mainland or in Hong Kong.
（CHRD，2024 年 5 月 31 日）在 1989 年六四天安门大屠杀 35 周年之际，CHRD 强烈要求中国政府释放目前被拘押的27 名89年民运的参与者、支持者、继续追求公正拒绝遗忘的行动者。
China is imposing “collective punishment” on activists and their families, in violation of its own Constitution and international law, according to a US-based advocacy group that cited emblematic cases also taken up by UN rights watchdogs based in Geneva.
he children of human rights advocates in China are being punished for their parents’ activism as Beijing intensifies a crackdown on civil society, a rights group warned on April 15.
德国之声中文网）非营利组织“中国人权捍卫者”（Chinese Human Rights Defenders）週一（4月15日）发布一份标题为《如果我不服从，我的家人就会受苦》的调查报告，指出北京持续对异议人士亲属进行集体惩罚。
國際非政府組織「中國人權捍衞者」（Chinese Human Rights Defenders）周一（15日）發表一份題為《中國人權捍衞者家庭集體懲罰：如果我不服從，我的家人將受罪》的調查報告。報告內容提及香港，港府於2023年7月懸紅通緝身處美國、歐洲等地的海外港人，自2020年強推「港區國安法」後，接近50萬居民離開香港。
台北 — 在美国华府的人权组织中国人权捍卫者(Chinese Human Rights Defenders)4月15日发布最新调查报告称，中共加大对公民社会的镇压和迫害。受迫害的人说，中共维权人士等政治犯为“新黑五类”，“株连”其子女和家人，人身骚扰，剥夺子女求学或出国，关进精神病院，手段残酷，无所不用。
The children of human rights advocates in China are being punished for their parents’ activism as Beijing intensifies a crackdown on civil society, a rights group warned on Monday.
According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, authorities do not hesitate to target the children of Chinese human rights defenders to break any attempts at resistance.
China continues to unlawfully target the families of activists and dissidents, despite a pledge to end the practice of collective punishment, a Chinese human rights group has said in a report.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — A U.S.-based human rights organization says Chinese authorities have been “collectively punishing” families of human rights defenders in recent years, warning that the persecution appears to be part of a “state policy.”
中国当局使用“株连”或“连坐”来惩罚包括儿童在内的人权捍卫者的家庭。这类惩罚没有任何法律依据，但对中国及海外侨民社区的人们带来了严重的后果。
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 15, 2024) CHRD releases its annual report on the situation of human rights defenders (2023), “If I Disobey, My Family Will Suffer: Collective punishment of human rights defenders’ families in China.”
For two years Chinese authorities secretly detained the newborn baby, her siblings, and their parents.
Their whereabouts and wellbeing remained unknown to family members or lawyers until word began to trickle out in July 2022: the baby and her sister, then 6 years old, had been kept in a psychiatric hospital since October 2020. Their brother, who turned 8 that year, had been sent, without the parents’ consent, to be fostered by a local police informant.
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are deeply concerned about this case and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Yu Wensheng and his wife, activist Xu Yan, as they have been detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights including the right to freedom of expression.
我们，以下署名的民间社会组织，对此案深表关注，并呼吁立即无条件释放余文生及其妻子、人权活动人士许艳，因为他们只是因为和平行使包括言论自由在内的人权而被拘留。
GENEVA, March 22 (Reuters) – China interrupted an attempt by several non-governmental groups on Friday to pay homage to a late Chinese human rights activist in a tense incident at a U.N. rights body that exposed divisions between Western countries and supporters of Beijing.
Ginebra, 22 mar (EFE).- Varias ONG coordinadas por el Servicio Internacional de Derechos Humanos (ISHR) lograron rendir un breve homenaje en la sede europea de la ONU a la activista china Cao Chunli, fallecida hace 10 años en prisión, pese a que la delegación del Gobierno chino intentó boicotear este acto conmemorativo.
据路透社报导，周五，在联合国人权理事会发生的一起紧张事件中，中方外交官打断了多个非政府组织向一位已故中国人权活动家的悼念发言，这暴露了西方国家与北京支持者之间的分歧。
中国外交人员星期五（3月22日）在联合国日内瓦办事处打断了几个非政府组织（NGO）纪念已故中国人权活动人士曹顺利的活动。
（法新社日内瓦22日电） 中国今天试图阻挠维权人士在联合国人权理事会发表针对已故异议人士曹顺利的声明，但西方各国捍卫发言权，维权人士得以顺利发言悼念曹顺利。
China tried Friday to block a statement before the UN Human Rights Council about a dissident who was detained and died after trying to travel to the council a decade ago.
We, the undersigned organizations, firmly oppose the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill, commonly referred to as “Article 23,” set to be enforced in Hong Kong this Saturday, March 23. We condemn the Hong Kong S.A.R. government’s plan to dismantle Hong Kong’s autonomy under the guise of “national security,” which further exacerbates the existing crackdown on human rights.
Ten years ago, Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli died in custody. She had pressed the Chinese government to consult civil society when preparing for its UPR, and shared information on extralegal detention and torture with the UN. She was wrongfully detained trying to leave China for Geneva in September 2013, denied adequate medical care, and died of multiple organ failure on 14 March 2014.
日内瓦 — 国际人权服务组织（ISHR）3月14日星期四在日内瓦主办中国人权捍卫者曹顺利逝世十周年纪念活动，呼吁国际社会关注中国当局打压人权捍卫者的行为。
今年 3 月 14 日是中国人权捍卫者曹顺利在被拘留期间受折磨而去世十周年。联合国专家周四(14日)谴责中国当局始终未能调查其死因并将责任人绳之以法。他们说：“我们感到遗憾的是，自上次呼吁对曹顺利女士的死亡进行独立、公正和全面调查以来，过去五年（当局）似乎没有采取任何行动。”
Pekín, 14 mar (EFE).- Hace este jueves una década que la abogada Cao Shunli murió en un hospital de Pekín tras seis meses en prisión por pedir mayor transparencia y participación de la sociedad civil en China, reflejando las dificultades que afrontan los defensores de las libertades fundamentales en el país asiático.
2024年3月14日是 #曹顺利 逝世 10 周年忌日！我们缅怀这位勇敢的中国女性人权捍卫者 ， 感谢 @thefakepan and @ArtforHumanRights将她的故事变成了图画。
GENEVA (14 March 2024) – A decade after the death in custody of human rights defender Cao Shunli, UN experts* today condemned the continued failure of Chinese authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death and bring those responsible to justice. “We regret that no action appears to have been taken over the last five […]
31 human rights organisations released a joint statement on the 10-year anniversary of ‘deadly reprisals’ against Chinese activist Cao Shunli.
A group of human rights defenders, “Support ‘The Chained Woman’ Focus Group,” is the recipient of the 10th Annual Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders.
We, the undersigned, representing civil society and human rights organizations across the world, condemn the Hong Kong government’s plans to introduce domestic security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law.
A top Chinese diplomat said Beijing would “earnestly study” 428 recommendations for addressing human rights submitted by U.N. members, calling them “objective and balanced.”
But leading experts said China “gamed” the once-every-five-year “universal periodic review” to avoid scrutiny of its rights abuses.
WASHINGTON — Human rights experts are dismissing Beijing’s latest claim, made again this week, that North Koreans fleeing into China are not political refugees but only illegal migrants seeking economic opportunities.
At the UPR, many states bravely bucked China’s pressure campaign and issued recommendations based on the human rights laws and standards that have drawn attention to China’s pressing human rights violations.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China’s human rights record will come under public scrutiny Tuesday as the United Nations Human Rights Council holds the fourth Universal Periodic Review Working Group from January 22 to February 2.
The Chinese government’s willingness to censor a documentary on the plight of migrant workers should cast doubt on how Beijing will portray its development progress at the UPR.
CHRD“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受迫害的人权捍卫者提供法律援助、人道援助； 为维护和倡导人权的公民行动提供支持。本项目同时致力于敦促中国政府兑现《世界人权宣言》并落实已经批准加入的各项国际人权公约，推动国内法的制订和实施符合国际人权标准，以促进公民、政治、经济、社会、文化人权的保护。
Crime: “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” Length of Punishment: Court: Wuhan Hanyang District Court Trial Date: November 10, 2023 Sentencing Date: Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: February 17, 2023; news of arrest and indictment on April 1, 2023 Place of Incarceration: Hanyang District Detention Center After losing his father to COVID-19 in 2020, Zhang Hai became one of China’s foremost activists seeking […]
A United Nations review of China’s human rights record set to occur in January should shine a light on Beijing’s atrocity crimes. But there are three ways in which this Universal Periodic Review (UPR) may actually worsen rather than improve the human rights situation inside China.
1. The present report was prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21, taking into consideration the periodicity of the universal periodic review and the outcome of the previous review.1 It is a summary of 162 stakeholders’ submissions2 for the universal periodic review, presented in a summarized manner owing to word-limit constraints.
We, the undersigned, representing Hong Kong civil society and human rights organisations across the world, condemn the Hong Kong National Security arrest warrants and bounties announced on 14 December 2023.
As United Nations Member States prepare for China’s January 2024 UPR, they should firmly and clearly focus on the goal of making positive changes inside the country at a time when rights are under severe attack.
The Yahoo Human Rights Fund was intended to support imprisoned Chinese dissidents. Instead, a lawsuit alleges that only a small fraction of the money went to help former prisoners.
On the eve of the EU-China Summit in Beijing on December 7, CHRD calls on visiting EU leaders to publicly call for the immediate release of former human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, rights defender, Xu Yan.
A Uyghur film-maker has alleged he was tortured and forced to give a false confession during detention in Xinjiang province.
Ikram Nurmehmet, 32, appeared on trial at Ürümqi people’s intermediary court on 27 October and is accused of organising “terrorist” activities and participating in an “East Turkestan separatist” group, sources close to him told the Guardian.
59 NGOs urge you, President Biden, to prioritize concerns about Beijing’s lack of concrete human rights improvements in your discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.
Taipei, Taiwan – The China Project, an independent media company known for its influential coverage of Chinese politics and society, has announced that it will shut its doors due to funding problems caused by “politically-motivated attacks”.
Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei has been nominated for the South Korean Gwangju Prize for Human Rights for his steadfast defence of activists targeted by the Chinese authorities.
On the anniversary of Peng Lifa’s detention, his current whereabouts, wellbeing, and charges against him remain unknown.
Nee from Chinese Human Rights Defenders says Southeast Asia has become a danger zone for Chinese dissidents attempts to reach safety.
In a joint letter, CHRD joined 80+ other NGOs in firmly opposing the candidacy of the People’s Republic of China for re-election to the UN Human Rights Council.
On September 23, 2023, Rights Defense Network reported that Song Ze’s family was told by Wuhan state security officials that Song Ze had been formally arrested, but they would not give the family a written arrest notice or say what crime he was accused of.
Dear Mr. President,
We, the undersigned international human rights groups, urge you to take immediate actions in response to the case of independent publisher Jimmy Lai, who will have been in prison in Hong Kong for 1,000 days on September 26, 2023.
TAIPEI — Two prominent Chinese activists were tried for subversion Friday in Guangzhou in a closed-door proceeding, while supporters and activists criticized Chinese authorities for putting on a “sham trial” and calling for their immediate release.
A Chinese dissident who has taken refuge in a Taiwan airport during a stopover has said he is prepared to wait months if needed, in order to get safe passage to a third country.
Huang Xueqin, the journalist, and Wang Jianbing, a labor activist, have been accused of inciting subversion as the authorities expand a campaign to quash dissent.
Huang Xueqin, a feminist who was due to move to UK, and Wang Jianbing charged with ‘inciting subversion of state power’
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — A Chinese dissident known for regularly commemorating the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square fled to Taiwan on Friday and pleaded for help in seeking asylum in the United States or Canada.
CHRD condemns the Chinese government for its sham trial of Huang and Wang and urges the government to immediately and unconditionally release the two human rights defenders.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A Chinese dissident known for regularly commemorating the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square fled to Taiwan on Friday and pleaded for help in seeking asylum in the United States or Canada.
Hong Kong (CNN) — Two Chinese activists held without trial for the past two years are expected to appear before a judge in a closed doors hearing on Friday as the ruling Communist Party ramps up its effort to dismantle what remains of the country’s civil society.
CHRD“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受迫害的人权捍卫者提供法律援助、人道援助； 为维护和倡导人权的公民行动提供支持。本项目同时致力于敦促中国政府兑现《世界人权宣言》并落实已经批准加入的各项国际人权公约，推动国内法的制订和实施符合国际人权标准，以促进公民、政治、经济、社会、文化人权的保护。
A little-known United Nations body, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, is helping to shine a light on the extent of China’s enforced disappearances in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
We call on the Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng (高智晟) ahead of the sixth anniversary of his disappearance on August 13.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — The arrest of Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei in Laos late last month highlights the risks Chinese dissidents face when they flee China through Southeast Asia.
Despite his holding valid visas for Laos and the United States and a valid Chinese passport, Laotian police arrested Lu while he tried to board a train for Thailand on July 28. He was planning to board a U.S.-bound flight in Bangkok to reunite with his wife and daughter.
據報導，老撾當局自 2023 年 7 月 28 日起逮捕並拘留了著名的中國人權律師盧思位。我們對盧律師面臨被強制遣返中國，並很可能因而受到酷刑和其他虐待，表示嚴重關切。
(1 August 2023) Lao authorities have reportedly arrested and detained well-known Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei since 28 July 2023. We are gravely concerned that he is at serious risk of forced repatriation to China where he faces the high likelihood of torture and other ill-treatment.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders— July 31, 2023) Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has claimed to champion women’s equality. Chairman Mao Zedong famously proclaimed that “women hold up half the sky,” and the first PRC Constitution––adopted in 1954–– provided that “Women in the People’s Republic of China shall enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life: political, economic, cultural, social and familial” (Art. 48). While women in China have made significant strides toward the goal of achieving equal rights with men, since Xi Jinping’s ascendancy as China’s top leader in 2012, they have faced increasing risks when engaging in any activity, including speech, aimed at promoting and defending women’s rights, as well as other human rights.
“We strip you naked to crush your spirit!” Gender-based State Violence & Reprisals against Women Human Rights Defenders in China Table of Contents Executive Summary Background Chapter 1. Gender-based Violence against Women Human Rights Defenders Chapter 2. Women Rights Defenders Face State Violence in Reprisals Chapter 3. Conclusion and Recommendations […]
BANGKOK (AP) — When Gao Peng landed in Thailand on July 3, he was not expecting to be accused of making bomb threats, to be put on an EU travel blacklist, or to see his mother and 16-year-old sister detained and threatened with deportation back to China.
This report was prepared by the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), for the 4th periodic review of the People’s Republic of China. It is a summary of the information collected by CHRD since the 3rd UPR.
A joint statement is calling for urgent global attention to the Chinese government’s new wave of repression against human rights lawyers unfolding over the past three months.
Starting on July 9, 2015, the Chinese government launched an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on human rights lawyers. In the following few months, police interrogated and detained over 300 lawyers and paralegal assistants and raided three law firms. Dozens of lawyers and legal assistants and activists were detained, and 15 were eventually convicted.
Their three young children have been left without parental care, and their families have been refused permission to visit them. We are deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of these children.
Dear President Biden,
We, the undersigned Hong Kong diaspora organizations and our allies, write to express grave concern about reports that the United States government is considering granting a sanctions waiver to allow John Lee, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, to enter the U.S. for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, set to be held in San Francisco in November.
Australian human rights activist Drew Pavlou claims that a $50,000 Bitcoin bounty was placed on his mother by the Chinese Communist Party.
Dear Secretary Blinken,
We write on behalf of 42 nongovernmental organizations that report on and advocate for human rights in China, Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang regarding your forthcoming trip to Beijing starting on June 18.
At a time when the Chinese government is committing widespread and grave human rights violations both inside and outside China, it is crucial for you to use the opportunity of your visit to inform your counterparts that the United States intends to work alongside other concerned governments to seek accountability for Chinese government abuses.
The Chinese government’s mishandling of Chang Weiping’s case so far has epitomized the government’s multiple failures to abide by its treaty party obligations under the international Convention against Torture and demonstrated an unwillingness to end its systematic torture in China.
CHRD reiterates its calls on the Chinese government to allow independent investigation of the massacre, seeking truth and justice for victims and their surviving family members, and holding criminally accountable those responsible for opening fire on unarmed civilians.
A confluence of factors could cause havoc and create new risk for companies trying to operate businesses in China, William Nee writes.
CHRD urges the Chinese government to take seriously its human rights obligations under international law to eliminate discrimination against LGBTIQ+ individuals and protect NGOs working to promote LGBTIQ+ rights in China.
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, and as a new wave of detentions of media workers has emerged, CHRD calls for the immediate release of journalists and publishers.
Ji Xiaolong was detained shortly after criticizing Shanghai’s Party Secretary, Li Qiang, and calling on him to step down and take accountability for that lockdown, and the “humanitarian disaster” it caused.
Lu Shaye, China’s controversial ambassador to France, caused a diplomatic uproar over the weekend, as he implied that post-Soviet countries did not really have a right to exist in international law.
虽然《消除一切针对妇女的歧视公约》委员会有督促中国政府落实具体的工作去推进反家暴，但是执行情况如何，各地是否有政策或措施出台？针对这一疑问笔者对近年来各地的政策进行了搜集分析整理。
国家和地方政策反家暴政策内容及其存在的问题主要体现在以下几个方面：
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to immediately release human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife Xu Yan, who have been criminally detained and denied access to lawyers of their choice.
Xu Zhiyong’s dream is for China to become a democratic country that is “beautiful, free, fair and happy.” It is a simple wish, yet in the eyes of the authorities, his vision is dangerous and subversive.
The 50-year-old human rights lawyer and champion of social equality was sentenced to 14 years in jail earlier this month, along with fellow activist and lawyer Ding Jiaxi, who was jailed for 12 years. Both were convicted of the crime of “subversion of state power.”
In a press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress on March 7, 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said, “China is moving closer to the center of the world stage. … But we don’t have enough microphones, and our voice is not loud enough. Some are still hogging the microphones, and there are quite many noises and jarring notes about China.”His statement makes it seem like a chaotic brawl at a karaoke parlor.
(The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 10, 2023) We condemn the Chinese government’s sentencing of Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong, two of China’s most notable human rights defenders. “Their sentencing once again demonstrates the Chinese government’s hostility to peaceful advocacy of democracy and human rights, and marks a new low in the Chinese government’s human rights record,” said Ramona Li, Senior Researcher and Advocate for the group.
Two prominent Chinese human rights lawyers, including one who had called for leader Xi Jinping to resign, have been jailed for more than 10 years, an advocacy group and one of the men’s wives said.
“厦门聚会案”的两位主要被告丁家喜跟许志永在被关押超过三年后，週一被山东省一个法院以“顛復国家政权罪”判处12年与14年的刑期。家属痛批中国当局的作法，而专家也说，这显示任何在中国提倡自由与民主的人，都会受到严厉的打击。
SINGAPORE—A Chinese court sentenced two of the country’s most prominent human-rights activists to prison terms of more than a decade each for subversion, slamming the door on an era of activism that briefly carved out space for liberal values in the authoritarian country.
The Chinese government has failed to take effective measures to eliminate gender-based violence against women. As a State party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Chinese government is flouting its obligations under the Convention, which requires States to effectively address and provide a meaningful remedy for gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls. Indeed, Chinese state officials often perpetrate such violence–– ranging from policemen sexually abusing women human rights defenders to “family planning” officials in Xinjiang who carry out forced abortions and sterilizations to prevent Uyghur births.
中国政府没有采取有效措施来消除针对妇女的性暴力。作为《消除对妇女一切形式歧视公约》的缔约国，中国政府无视《公约》规定的义务，《公约》要求各国有效解决针对妇女和女童的基于性别的暴力（GBV）并提供有实际意义的补救措施。事实上，中国官方人员经常实施这种暴力—-从警察对女性人权维护者的性虐待到新疆的 “计划生育 “官员为防止维吾尔族人生育而实施的强制堕胎和绝育。
Foreign policy pundits have been calling for a rethink to counter Washington’s alleged groupthink. There’s a certain truth in that. But one element has been missing from the mainstream of the new doves on China: human rights. Without this, their words can end up sounding hollow—especially to the victims.
As Cao Zhixin’s lawyers and family are unlawfully being prevented from seeing her, Cao remains in incommunicado detention, and as such, is at high risk of torture and other ill-treatment.
The Hui are the second largest minority group in China, with a population of 11.4 million.1 Although this is greater than the population of Portugal, the Hui are an unfamiliar group to most outside of China. Yet over centuries, they have persisted in maintaining distinct communities and practices centered around Islam while residing throughout nearly every region of China.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders— March 22, 2023) The Hui are the second largest minority group in China, with a population of 11.4 million.1 Although this is greater than the population of Portugal, the Hui are an unfamiliar group to most outside of China. Yet over centuries, they have persisted in maintaining distinct communities and practices centered around Islam while residing throughout nearly every region of China. A few ethnically distinct Muslim groups in China are also classified as Hui by the Chinese government.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which recognizes the key role of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the realization of human rights and provides that each State has a responsibility and duty “to protect, promote and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms” (art. 2(1)). While the Chinese government violates the Declaration in its unceasing persecution of human rights defenders, HRDs nonetheless continue to fight to promote and advocate for human rights in China.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders— March 15, 2023) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which recognizes the key role of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the realization of human rights and provides that each State has a responsibility and duty “to protect, promote and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms” (art. 2(1)). While the Chinese government violates the Declaration in its unceasing persecution of human rights defenders, HRDs nonetheless continue to fight to promote and advocate for human rights in China.
Human rights defenders Xu Qin and Peng Lifa are recipients of the Ninth Annual Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The decision recognizes Xu Qin’s long-standing civil society activism to promote protection of human rights in China, and the brave civil disobedience by Peng Lifa to spur on democratic change. Both recipients are currently detained in China for their human rights activism.
The following 25 organizations call on the Chinese government to immediately and unconditionally release Cao Zhixin, Li Siqi, Li Yuanjing, and Zhai Dengrui and all other “blank paper” protesters, and to end its crackdown on free expression around the COVID-19 pandemic.
In China, life has returned to something like the pre-covid normal. You no longer need to show a green health QR code to enter public places or swab your throat every other day for mandatory PCR testing, and lockdowns are a thing of the past. But some of the people who pushed for the end of China’s “zero-covid” policy can’t enjoy these new freedoms.
Advocates of Huang Xueqin accuse authorities of ‘trying to exert mental pressure and physical torture’
Experts say Chinese authorities want to send the message that critical voices deemed a threat to the regime will be erased
中国新疆维吾尔自治区的回族人口——人数超过100万——一直是政府在该地区反恐运动中反人类罪的目标群体之一。从2014年开始，并在2017年升级，这也是一场针对维吾尔族、哈萨克族、吉尔吉斯族和其他突厥语群体的反恐运动，引起广泛的国际关注。
This report addresses the questions how the Chinese government has been doing in protecting economic, social, and cultural rights in the past few years. The report examines the structural defects that underpin the problems in protection of these rights. And the report sheds light on the systematic failures that many Chinese human rights defenders have documented in the government’s failures to protect these human rights.
The Chinese government’s replies to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ List of Issues (LOI) in relation to its State party report (E/C.12/CHN/3) currently under review, are, with only a few exceptions, inadequate, misleading, irrelevant and utterly divorced from reality (see (E/C.12/CHN/RQ/3))
China’s Hui population in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region—numbering over a million—has been among the groups targeted by crimes against humanity in the government’s counter-terrorism campaign in the region.
CHRD，由中国和国际人权非政府组织组成的联盟，致力于通过和平努力推动民主和法治改革，草根行动能力建设，促进人权保护
‘Blank Paper movement’ decrying government policies rekindles dissent after Xi Jinping’s decade of iron-fisted crackdowns
Group of legislators, activists and community workers are accused of holding unofficial pre-election primaries that authorities say constitutes subversion
Picked up in a dawn raid two years ago, the activists and politicians are charged over an unofficial primary they organised ahead of a legislative election, which was later postponed.
Washington, D.C. (Jan. 31, 2023) — Coalition of U.S.-based civil society organizations representing communities facing oppression of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) issue a joint letter to Secretary of State Blinken ahead of his upcoming visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The coalition calls for the Secretary to place human rights and political […]
CHRD urges the United Nations human rights experts to take urgent action, calling on the Chinese government to release all of the “Blank Paper” movement participants and remind the government of its human rights obligations.
World leaders urged to jointly press for all charges against him to be dropped and for him to be freed We urge the Mongolian government to immediately release Mr. Munkhbayar Chuluundorj who was arbitrarily arrested in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, by the General Intelligence Agency (GIA) of Mongolia on February 17, 2022. (1) Mr. Munkhbayar Chuluundorj is […]
In a systematic effort to cleanse the city of dissent, some leading human rights lawyers in Hong Kong have been arrested in the past two-and-a-half years and many others have come under the radar of the ruling Communist Party in China.
Crime: NA Length of Punishment: NA Court: NA Trial Date: NA Sentencing Date: NA Dates of Being taken away/Detention/Arrest/Indictment: October 13, 2022 Place of Incarceration: NA Indictment: NA Defense statement: NA Verdict: NA On October 13, 2022 in Beijing, just days ahead of the 20th Party Congress, Peng Lifa (penname Peng Zaizhou 彭载舟)engaged in a one-man protest on the Sitong Bridge ((四通桥)) in Haidian District. Peng spread […]
The pro-democracy figure has been subjected to a ‘travesty of justice’ because the Communist party regards his power as a threat, experts believe.
Media tycoon, 75, who has been denied bail, could face life in prison if found guilty of alleged ‘collusion’ with foreign forces.
On this International Human Rights Day, stakeholders in the international human rights community should appreciate that the protestors are showing us that not all hope is lost for a democratic China, where human rights and rule of law will be respected.
在12月10日国际人权日之际，我们为人权行动者的勇气和胆量倍感振奋，并再次呼吁中国政府停止违反自己承诺的保护人权的义务，释放那些因行使人权而被拘禁的人。我们敦促国际社会保持希望，继续支持站在最前沿的维权者。
The partygoers in formal wear walking to a holiday event at Apple’s spaceship-like headquarters this week may have noticed a flashing white light illuminating a picture, perched on a nearby sidewalk, of the company’s CEO Tim Cook with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Anyone who stopped for a closer look would have seen the leash drawn from Mr. Xi’s hand to Mr. Cook’s neck, a crude illustration of the reason a pair of hunger strikers have taken up residence on the street corner in Cupertino, Calif.
We, the undersigned, call on the Chinese government to strictly abide by its obligations under the Chinese Constitution and the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as well as its commitment as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and respect peoples’ basic rights to privacy, freedom of expression, press, association and peaceful assembly.
We at CHRD are seriously concerned that detained protestors are at high risk of being forcibly disappeared and subjected to torture and deprivation of due process rights.
中国警方正在对中国各地的街头抗议者进行系统性报复。全国各地过去几天的集会示威，呼吁结束不人道的“清零政策”、哀悼11月24日乌鲁木齐公寓火灾受害者以及要求政治变革。
A recent report by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai found that 30 percent of U.S. companies plan to increase their investments in China.
CHRD urges the Chinese government to scrap any unnecessarily burdensome and harmful measures and immediately end the “Zero COVID” policy.
An exodus of workers from the world’s largest iPhone factory has drawn new attention to China’s draconian COVID policy and should be a “red flag” for Apple on the state of labor rights in the country, activists say.
On November 1-3, over 30 influential global finance players will be in Hong Kong for the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit. CHRD calls on these bankers to bring up the deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong as a matter of the utmost urgency.
From U.S. relations to human rights to Uyghur repression, many experts see more potential trouble than hope.
Human rights defenders in China face arrest and lengthy detention for calling out Xi’s mistakes.
Almost three years have passed since the due date (9 December 2019) of the PRC’s latest State party report to the UN Committee Against Torture. We are writing on behalf of the people in the PRC, and human rights defenders worldwide, to request the submission of the above-mentioned report without further delay.
In the lead of to the Party Congress, many human rights defenders (HRDs) who have been prominent voices of a vision for a democratic China that respects international human rights principles have languished in pre-trial detention.
Crime(s): “”; “inciting subversion” Length of Punishment: Court: Trial Date: Sentencing Date: Dates of Arrest: June 4, 2021 for “” Date of Arrest: September 8, 2021 for “inciting subversion” On 4 June 2021, Chow Hang-tung was arrested for allegedly promoting an unauthorized assembly on the 32ndanniversary of the pro-democracy Tiananmen movement. Every year since 1989, the Hong […]
因向习近平画像泼墨而被中国当局三度送入精神病院的女子董瑶琼与外界失联超过一年后，她的父亲上周传出丧命狱中，尸体满是伤痕。有消息向德国之声透露确有此事。专家则指，此案显示北京为了打压高敏感人士可能无所不用其极。
CHRD and a coalition of 24 human rights NGOs urge for the release of Chinese investigative journalist Huang Xueqin, and labor rights advocate Wang Jianbing, who was taken away by police exactly one year ago for allegedly ‘inciting subversion of state power’.
The retired leader of the territory’s Catholic Church – and staunch critic of Beijing – is accused of failing to register a support fund.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first trip overseas since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will overlap with a visit by Pope Francis to Kazakhstan, although the Vatican says there are no plans for them to meet.
近期，中国维权律师李昱函与唐吉田纷纷传出在狱中健康恶化的消息。两人家属呼吁外界关注的同时，专家再指这些案件显示北京投入大量资源打压异议人士，“现在就是最黑暗的时刻”
CHRD welcomes the report assessing the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) by the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights but regrets the unconscionable delay in issuing the report.
The finding of the UN’s top human rights body that Chinese repression of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang could constitute “crimes against humanity” is a landmark in international scrutiny of Beijing’s conduct in the north-western region.
China committed “serious human rights abuses” — and potentially crimes against humanity — in Xinjiang, a top UN official said, bolstering international efforts to pressure Beijing to change its policies toward the region’s Muslim minority.
Governments urged to launch formal investigations after UN findings on treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang
On the International Day of the Disappeared, the international community must recognize and respond to the widespread use of enforced disappearances in the People’s Republic of China.
Over a year ago the United Nations Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet promised a report on the treatment of China’s Uyghur minority. As she is about to leave office, human rights groups are still waiting.
A sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Xinjiang led China’s government to send a delegation throughout the far-western region to implement controversial zero-COVID policies, further isolating residents there.
民间社会报告
提交联合国残障人权利委员会第27届会议
审议中华人民共和国第二次和第三次关于履约情况的合并定期报告 (CRPD/C/CH
Thousands of Hong Kong people – from common citizens to some of the territory’s most well-known names – have been arrested over the 2019 protests.
CHRD urges the Chinese government to end torture and mistreatment of detained or jailed human rights defenders with disabilities, lift restrictions on civil society organizations, and comply with its treaty obligations to protect disability rights.
The release of the UN Human Rights Office’s Xinjiang report is an important step in ensuring that the facts of the Chinese government’s atrocities in the region are recorded and documented so that justice may eventually be served. It should be issued immediately.
It’s easy to tell when a magazine cover is about China. The usual suspects appear: dragons, President Xi Jinping, the five-star flag, and red. A lot of red.
The July 26 trial of lawyer Chang Weiping in China is yet another incidence of travesty of justice. The Chinese government, in light of its international obligations to protect human rights, must immediately and unconditionally release Chang Weiping.
Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC) and the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) have written a joint submission to the UN Human Rights Committee, the treaty body responsible for monitoring the Hong Kong government’s compliance with the ICCPR, to aid in its review.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Wang Jianbing was being held arbitrarily, and that the government should take urgent action to ensure Wang’s “immediate unconditional release”.
By Fong Tak Ho for RFA Cantonese and by Kai Di for RFA Mandarin Originally published by RFA on June 22, 2022 The trial comes amid allegations that Xu and rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi were tortured while in detention. Rights groups called for the release of Chinese dissident Xu Zhiyong, who has reported being tortured in detention, […]
By Zeyi Yang Originally published by MIT Technology Review on June 18, 2022 A draft update of rules would dramatically increase the power of China’s censorship machine, but platforms will pay the price. China is fine-tuning its censorship machine, this time proposing changes in how to regulate the billions of online comments posted in the country every […]
By Hsia Hsiao-hwa for RFA MandarinOriginally published by RFA on June 17, 2022 Xu will stand trial for ‘subversion’ at the Linshu County People’s Court on June 22. Detained democracy activist Xu Zhiyong will stand trial for subversion in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong on June 22, lawyers and a rights group said on Friday. “Linyi Intermediate People’s Court […]
Upon learning about pre-trial hearings in the cases of detained human rights defenders Xu Zhiyong (June 17) and Ding Jiaxi (June 20), CHRD urges the Chinese government to immediately and unconditionally release the two human rights defenders.
Civil Society Report Submitted to The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for its Review at the 27th Session of the combined second and third periodic report of the People’s Republic of China (CRPD/C/CHN2-3) on its Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Submitter: Network of Chinese Human Rights […]
Since the Human Rights Committee raised its List of Issues for its review of the fourth periodic report for Hong Kong, China on August 26, 2020, the people of Hong Kong have experienced dramatic changes in the nature and scale of civil and political rights violations by political authorities.
Originally published by Bloomberg UK on May 30, 2022 Top scholar says Bachelet used Beijing’s propaganda language Trip came as hacked files gave new evidence of alleged abuse The United Nations’ human rights chief should resign for failing to condemn China after visiting its remote Xinjiang region where the US accuses Beijing of genocide, according […]
By Eva Dou Originally published by The Washington Post on May 29, 2022 SHENZHEN, China — U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet ended a long-awaited trip to China with cautious criticism of the country’s crackdown in the Xinjiang region, balanced with praise for Chinese authorities, in what rights advocates called a propaganda win […]
By Erin Hale Originally published by AL JAZEERA on May 24, 2022 Human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has been demanding ‘unfettered’ access to the region for years, but experts doubt she will get it. A Chinese national flag flies over a vehicle entrance to the inmate detention area at the Urumqi No 3 Detention Centre in […]
CHRD and Dialogue China urge UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to bring up the issue of zero accountability for the June 4th Tiananmen Massacre with Chinese authorities on her brief visit to China.
Originally published by Bloomberg News on May 19, 2022 Visit would be first by person holding the position since 2005 Beijing rejects accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang The United Nations’ human rights chief is planning to proceed with a landmark trip to China next week, people familiar with the matter said, in a […]
We write to nominate Hong Kong prisoners of conscience Chow Hang-tung, Gwyneth Ho, Jimmy Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Joshua Wong for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
These five are among about one hundred and fifty others who have been arrested under a National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong in mid-2020 by leaders of the Chinese government in Beijing. The five symbolize the hopes not only of millions of Hong Kong people who are worried about the fate of their city but also of countless people on the China mainland who cannot express their views.
By Guo Rui Originally published by South China Morning Post on May 06, 2022 Activist Wang Aizhong was taken into custody and charged by authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in May last year. Nearly a year later, he is still behind bars without having gone to […]
CHRD urges the Chinese government to save lives from unnecessary deaths, protect human rights, especially international human rights conventions with respect to COVID-19 prevention, and to be transparent about the numbers of infections and deaths – both COVID-19 related and other preventable deaths.
By Oliver Young Originally published by China Digital Times on May 03, 2022 While millions of Shanghai residents are locked in their homes due to pandemic-prevention and quarantine measures, other Chinese citizens are held in government detention on trumped-up political charges. A series of recent cases shines a light on the CCP’s continuing use of […]
Originally published by AL JAZEERA on April 29, 2022 Elon Musk’s $44bn bid to buy Twitter puts the world’s richest man in the crosshairs of censorship-prone governments such as China and India, raising questions about how the Tesla CEO might respond to demands to stifle dissent in countries where he does business. For Musk, with […]
Originally published by The Globe and Mail on April 28, 2022 As coronavirus cases spiked in Shanghai and the Chinese financial centre went into lockdown this month, sparking food shortages and chaos at hospitals across the city, Harrison Li worried for his father. Kai Li has been locked up Shanghai’s Qingpu prison since 2018, on what […]
Detained human rights defenders continue to suffer from arbitrary detention and abuses of their legal rights throughout China. CHRD urges for their immediate release.
High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet must ensure her announced UN visit is credible, unfettered and meaningful, and that it is preceded by the prompt release of the much-awaited UN report on serious violations in Xinjiang, the Uyghur region
As the Hong Kong government punishes trade unions and cracks down on civil society, the business community must reassess risk levels in Hong Kong.
The Chinese government must protect the right to food and provide urgent care for the 26 million residents in Shanghai and many others in cities currently under COVID-19 lockdown. Authorities must immediately stop censoring affected residents’ expressions of outcries for help with basic necessities and concerns over government COVID-19 measures on Chinese social media platforms.
By Phelim Kine Originally published by POLITICO on Apr 13, 2022 Members of the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement protest China’s treatment of Uyghurs, during a protest near the State Department, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, in Washington. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo The China section of the State Department’s latest human rights report is a searing […]
“Being a journalist is not a crime.”
Read the defender portrait of Huang Xueqin, an independent journalist and #MeToo movement leader authorities in Guangzhou have held since September 2021 for “inciting subversion of state authority.”
Originally published by AsiaNews on 22 March, 2022 The Ukrainian crisis must not divert attention from the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime, say the signatories of an appeal to Europe. Abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, the Hong Kong democracy movement and dissidents in China are in focus. The EU must demand the release of all political prisoners. […]
We are writing to share our concerns and recommendations ahead of the forthcoming European Union (EU) – China summit.
Human rights defenders He Fangmei and Chang Weiping are recipients of the eighth Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The decision to give this year’s award to both Ms. He Fangmei and Mr. Chang Weiping recognizes their long-standing civil society activism to promote protection of human rights in China. Both recipients are currently in police custody in China for their work promoting and protecting human rights.
By Stephanie Nebehay Originally published by 7NEWS on 10 March, 2022 After years of negotiations about a visit, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet plans to travel to China in May. United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet says she has reached an agreement with China for a visit, “foreseen” in May, and that […]
8 March 2022 Madam High Commissioner, We, the undersigned human rights organisations, write to follow up on your commitment last year to release a report on grave ongoing human rights violations by Chinese authorities targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic communities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (the Uyghur region). The release of the report without […]
CHRD condemns the detention of a Chinese citizen who has attempted to engage in peaceful assembly to reflect his views on foreign policy issues, namely the military conflict in Ukraine.
By Stephanie Nebehay Originally published by Reuters on 8 March, 2022 GENEVA, March 8 (Reuters) – U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday that she has reached an agreement with China for a visit, “foreseen” in May, and that she had raised with Beijing the arrests of activists to support their freedom of expression. […]
By Rhoda Kwan in Taipei Originally published by The Guardian on 8 March, 2022 Jia Qingguo claims the proliferation of misinformation online has fuelled tensions between China and foreign countries An adviser to the Chinese government has called for new laws to ban “fabricating and disseminating fake information online”, blaming the rampant disinformation on the internet […]
CHRD launches our annual human rights report – “Zero Tolerance for Human Rights Defenders in the Year of “Zero COVID” – that lays out the key human rights trends in 2021 and beyond.
Throughout 2021, the Chinese state continued to tighten control over nearly all facets of society, often under the pretense of controlling the spread of COVID-19 and protecting national security. As in consecutive years past, government authorities took harsh reprisal measures against human rights defenders in China, Hong Kong, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and areas populated by Tibetans.
By Gao FengTranslated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 4 March, 2022 There are fears that Yu Wensheng may not regain his freedom, but remain subject to police restrictions. Chinese rights lawyer Yu Wensheng is incommunicado after his release from prison, while veteran rights attorney Jiang Tianyong has been under […]
Beijing’s attack on Hong Kong’s elite may have consequences that outlast the pandemic.
A massive spike, followed by a severe drop off: this seems to be how the highly infectious, but relatively less deadly, Omicron variant of COVID-19 has played out in many countries and regions around the world.
By Simone McCarthy, Selina Wang and Sandi Sidhu, CNN Originally published by CNN on 11 February, 2022 Beijing (CNN) – As Winter Olympians vie for gold in Beijing, global attention has turned to events in the extensive Olympic “bubble” — a zone sealing off visiting athletes, media and participants from the rest of the host […]
Originally published by nord on 8 February, 2022 Peking February 8 (ANI): China has used draconian surveillance laws to suppress dissent against the country’s communist leadership. Tens of thousands appeared to have been detained in China, under “a systematic and secret detention policy”, which allows authorities to keep anyone in jail for up to six months, […]
By Dan Wetzel Originally published by yahoo! news on 5 February, 2022 A day after the International Olympic Committee tried to claim these Games should be free of politics, the Chinese Communist Party staged an Opening Ceremony draped in dual-track political messaging for audiences both inside China and out that was as loud and clear as […]
By Dan Wetzel Originally published by yahoo! news on 4 February, 2022 The International Olympic Committee held a news conference Thursday in Beijing for its president, Thomas Bach. He also could have doubled as Chinese Communist Party spokesman. Bach is a smart guy. A 68-year old German lawyer who speaks four languages and has run […]
By Lisa Kim Originally published by Forbes on 2 February, 2022 Team USA athletes are arriving in China to compete in the Winter Olympic Games amid a global pandemic—not the only unusual element of the Games as athletes have been advised to use burner phones instead of their personal devices over concerns of possible surveillance, and […]
By Rhoda Kwan and Vincent Ni Originally published by The Guardian on 1 February, 2022 Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong expected to be charged with involvement in a meeting with activists in late 2019As millions of Chinese families gather this week to celebrate the arrival of the year of the tiger, Luo Shengchun is awaiting news […]
By Jonathan Walker Originally published by Vision times on 1 February, 2022 On Feb. 1, Japan’s lower house of parliament adopted a resolution that expressed concern about the Chinese communist regime’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur ethnic group in Xinjiang. The resolution was adopted just days before the 2022 Winter Olympics is scheduled to kick […]
Originally published by ANI on 29 January, 2022 New York [US], January 29 (ANI): 243 global groups including nongovernmental organisations have called for action against China over human rights concerns as Beijing Winter Olympics is set to begin in the first week of February. “The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open amid atrocity crimes and other […]
By Richard Finney Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 28 January, 2022 They are a source of pride, but their participation should not obscure China’s rights abuses, activists say. Two ethnic Tibetans and a Uyghur are competing this year on China’s national Olympics team in Beijing, prompting feelings of both pride and concern from […]
By Christian Shepherd Originally published by The Washington Post on 28 January, 2022 China said Friday it welcomes a visit by the U.N. rights commissioner to Xinjiang so long as it is an “exchange,” not an investigation — as human rights groups fear Beijing’s offer is a ruse to avoid scrutiny of abuses in the […]
Originally published by INDIA BLOOMS on 28 January, 2022 Beijing: The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open amid atrocity crimes and other grave human rights violations by the Chinese government, 243 nongovernmental organizations from around the world said today. The groups urged governments to join a diplomatic boycott of the Games, slated to begin February 4, […]
Originally published by The Guardian on 28 Jan, 2022 In the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics there have been two major side issues unrelated to sport: Covid, and human rights protests. Chinese authorities have implemented an ambitious “closed loop” system to try to keep the Games free of a coronavirus outbreak, or at least […]
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open amid atrocity crimes and other grave human rights violations by the Chinese government, 243 nongovernmental organizations from around the world said today. The groups urged governments to join a diplomatic boycott of the Games, slated to begin February 4, 2022, and for athletes and sponsors not to legitimize government abuses.
Originally published by ANI on 20 January, 2022 Chinese authorities are detaining human rights activists to strike out any potential dissent and criticism right ahead of the next month’s Winter Olympics. Free-speech advocate Yang Maodong was detained for undermining the Chinese authority on January 12, reported Wall Street Journal. Notably, Yang, who writes under the pen […]
Ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics on February 4 in Beijing, CHRD created this list of the top human rights concerns in China for spectators, journalists, commercial sponsors, government delegations, and athletes.
#1. Crimes against humanity in Xinjiang. Since 2017, Chinese authorities have committed systematic human rights atrocities in Xinjiang, a northwest region four times the size of California. The government targeted Uyghurs and members of other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups with severe restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The government has arbitrary detained up to an estimated one million in re-education camps. Survivors have reported systematic rape, torture, and deaths. The Chinese government says that many camp detainees have now been released, but investigations have uncovered mass transfers of detainees to forced labor in factories or to prisons, where they serve long criminal sentences. Authorities have sentenced many Uyghurs including poets, writers, doctors, and other professionals to long prison terms or to life and even to death. Meanwhile, children of the detained are separated from their families and forced into orphanages.
By Chao Deng Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on 19 January, 2022 Appeared in the January 20, 2022, print edition as ‘China Detains Activists Ahead of the Olympics.’ Detention of free-speech advocate Yang Maodong, missing since December, is confirmed days after wife’s death from cancer in the U.S. Lawyer Xie Yang, here outside […]
By Joseph Brouwer Originally published by China Digital Times on 19 January, 2022 Olympians may face punishment for speech crimes if they criticize China while competing in Beijing, a member of the Beijing Organizing Committee warned in a press conference Tuesday. Prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the International Olympic Committee banned acts of political protest […]
Originally published by France 24 on 11 January, 2022 Beijing (AFP) – The wife of a repeatedly detained Chinese human rights lawyer died of cancer on Monday in the United States after her husband’s pleas to be allowed to leave China and reunite with her went ignored, rights activists said. Zhang Qing fled to the United […]
Originally published by Expresso on 2 December, 2021 A acusação de abuso sexual feita pela tenista Peng Shuai a um ex-vice-primeiro-ministro obriga a comunidade internacional a olhar para os direitos humanos na China. O das mulheres em especial. Houve progressos, mas preveem-se recuos com Xi Jinping. A Comissão dos Direitos Humanos da União Europeia opõe-se […]
After the death on January 10 of Zhang Qing, the wife of prominent Chinese dissident intellectual Guo Feixiong, CHRD calls for Chinese authorities to release Guo and to finally end the cruel and inhumane practice of using family separation to intimidate and punish dissidents and human rights defenders, as well as Uyghurs and members of […]
In a series of calculated moves, taking advantage of a lull in international attention during the holiday period between Christmas and New Year, the Chinese authorities rushed through a number of acts in violation of human rights in the areas of freedom of expression, press freedom, and religious freedom. In Hong Kong, over 200 police officers raided one of the last remaining independent news outlets, Stand News. On the Mainland, authorities subjected a prominent dissident intellectual, Guo Feixiong, and human rights lawyer, Tang Jitian, to enforced disappearance, put on trial five Christians, a human rights activist, and a human rights lawyer.
By Oliver Young Originally published by China Digital Times on 30 December, 2021 While many look forward to relaxing during the December holiday season, the CCP typically leverages foreign distraction during this period to crack down on Chinese human rights defenders. Among those targeted in a recent wave of persecutions are prominent lawyers, activists, and […]
Originally published by ANI on 29 December, 2021 Washington [US], December 29 (ANI): Human rights activists have chided China’s infamous Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL), highlighting that Chinese authorities torture and forcibly hold people without providing them with the right to legal counsel. RSDL is a form of detention that is employed by Chinese […]
Originally published by New Delhi on 29 December, 2021 Campaigners say China has ‘systematised arbitrary and secret detention’ by holding thousands of people under ‘Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location’ (RSDL), Al Jazeera reported. Spain-based rights group Safeguard Defenders say that as many as 27,208 to 56,963 people have gone through China’s RSDL system since […]
Originally published by Aljazeera on 28 December, 2021 On September 24, Chinese authorities released Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig after detaining them for more than 1,000 days. The pair were not held in an ordinary prison but were instead placed in “Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location” (RSDL), conditions that have been compared with enforced disappearance […]
Originally published by RFA on 27 December, 2021 Legal scholar Xu Zhiyong (L) and human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi are shown in undated photos.RFA Two years after a Chinese human rights lawyer was detained on suspicion of “subversion” for taking part in a gathering in the southwestern Chinese city of Xiamen, his wife says she […]
Small Nonprofit Organization Opportunity: Social Media Campaigner The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) (/), a small non-profit organization that monitors human rights developments in China, seeks applicants for social media campaign work. Qualifications Education: At a minimum, a Bachelors degree, knowledge and experience in Internet security, website publication, social media, and other relevant skills, […]
Small Nonprofit Organization Job Opening: Finance & Office Administrator The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) (/), a small non-profit organization that monitors human rights developments in China, has a job opening for Finance & Office Administrator. Job title: Finance & Office Administrator Job description: The Finance & Office Administrator will perform general office […]
Chang Weiping (常玮平) Current Detention Criminal Charge: “Subversion of state power” Length of Punishment: 3.5 years Court: Feng County Court Trial Date: July 26, 2022 Sentencing Date: June 8, 2023 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 22, 2020 (detained under Residential Surveillance in a Designated Location); April 7, 2021 (formal arrest); July 26, 2022 (trial); June 8, 2023 (sentencing). Place of Incarceration: […]
Chinese authorities may use the lull around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to subject prominent human rights defenders to unfair trials while much of the international community is distracted, PEN America and China Human Rights Defenders warned today in a joint statement.
Originally published by Pen America on 20 December, 2021 Tactic known as “Christmas surprise” likely in case against Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi (New York, NY) — Chinese authorities may use the lull around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to subject prominent human rights defenders to unfair trials while much of the international community is […]
Originally published by Union of Catholic Asian News on 7 December, 2021 Chen Yunfei has been persecuted by authorities for years due to his staunch defense of human rights, groups say A court in southwest China has sentenced a prominent blogger and rights activist to four years in jail on charges of sexual misconduct, more than […]
CHRD calls for urgent international attention to recent developments in persecuting and clamping down on human rights lawyers in China, with criminal trials against three Chinese human rights lawyers – Li Yuhan, Qin Yongpei, and Hao Jingsong — and revocation of the licenses of two veteran lawyers – Liang Xiaojun, and Lin Qilei.
By Sun Cheng Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 6 December, 2021 Chen Yunfei gets a four-year jail term he says is linked to his research into compulsory education in China. A court in the southwestern province of Sichuan has handed down a four-year jail term to veteran […]
By Patrick Fok Originally published by NEWSY on 29 November, 2021 The tennis star seemingly vanished from the public eye after alleging she was coerced into having sex with a former government official. The case of Peng Shuai has put China’s #MeToo movement back in the spotlight. The tennis player made global headlines when she […]
By Emily Caron, Asli Pelit Originally published by Sportico on 24 November, 2021 While the tennis world, and particularly the Women’s Tennis Association, has been loud and clear in airing its concerns over the well-being of China’s Peng Shuai, much of the rest of the sports industry has remained silent. None of the upcoming Beijing […]
By Ians Originally published by Business Standard on 19 November, 2021 Beijing is facing a storm of its own making, as the global women’s tennis community rises up to challenge Chinese authorities for silencing one of its peers Beijing is facing a storm of its own making, as the global women’s tennis community rises up […]
By Nectar Gan and Steve George, CNN Originally published by CNN on 19 November, 2021 Hong Kong (CNN) – When tennis star Peng Shuai launched her explosive #MeToo accusation against a former Communist Party leader earlier this month, the Chinese government responded in typical fashion — by muffling her with blanket censorship. Now, more than […]
By Rohit Ranjan Originally published by Republic World on 19 November, 2021 Peng Shuai had gone incommunicado after accusing a Communist Party leader of sexual misconduct. Chinese media recently reported her safety, citing an email. The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), a US-based human rights group, raised questions on the authenticity of Chinese media reports claiming that tennis […]
Originally published by ANI on 19 November, 2021 A US-based rights group has cast suspicion over Chinese media reports which claim that Chinese star Peng Shuai is ‘safe’. Peng has been incommunicado since she accused a former ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader of pressuring her into a sexual relationship, Radio Free Asia reported.She expressed these […]
Originally published by SBJ on 19 November, 2021 WTA CEO Steve Simon reiterated the tour is “definitely willing to pull our business” in China as the world seeks answers in the disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai, and “deal with all the complications that come with it.” Appearing on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” on Thursday night, […]
By NEWS WIRES Originally published by France 24 on 18 November, 2021 The boss of women’s tennis has cast doubt on an email posted on China’s media purportedly from tennis star Peng Shuai, saying it “only raises my concerns as to her safety.” Steve Simon, chairman of the WTA, said in a statement that he had […]
By FRANCESCA REGALADO Originally published by Nikkei Asia on 18 November, 2021 TOKYO — The head of the global governing body for women’s tennis has raised fresh concerns about the well-being of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, after state media posted an email allegedly from the former Wimbledon doubles champion saying she was safe. The […]
Originally published by HONG KONG FREE PRESS on 18 November, 2021 Peng, a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion, alleged on the Twitter-like Weibo earlier this month that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had “forced” her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. The boss of women’s tennis has cast doubt on an email posted on China’s media […]
By Han Qing and Fong Tak Ho Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 18 November, 2021 The head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) says he has tried repeatedly and failed to reach Peng. Recent assurances from Chinese state media that tennis star Peng Shuai is safe and […]
“Peng Shuai’s latest statement – released through state media – should not be taken at face value. The Chinese government has a long history of arbitrarily detaining people involved in controversial cases, controlling their ability to speak freely, and making them give forced statements. Until Peng Shuai is free, the burden of proof should be on the Chinese government to prove she is not detained.”
Originally published by AFP on 5 November, 2021 Zhang Zhan traveled to Wuhan in February last year to report on the chaos at the epicenter of the first coronavirus outbreak. She is on hunger strike after receiving a 4-year jail sentence for “provoking trouble.” Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who was jailed for 4-years over […]
After a half a century, very few Chinese people have reconsidered the correctness of this war, just like back then the company of soldiers didn’t doubt the ‘wise policy decisions’ of their superiors.”
Originally published by Engadget on 26 October, 2021 Home Depot and Best Buy have pulled the products of Chinese tech surveillance makers linked to human rights abuses from their shelves, according to TechCrunch. Both US retail giants have stopped selling products from Lorex and Ezviz, while Lowe’s no longer carries products by the former. Lorex […]
Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 3 years and 6 months Court: Trial Date: December 30, 2022 Sentencing Date: Unknown Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: December 3, 2020 Summoned); December 4, 2020 (Given administrative detention for 15 days on charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”): December 18, 2020 (Placed in RSDL on charge of “inciting subversion of state power”); July […]
Ou Biaofeng 欧彪峰 Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: NA Court: NA Trial Date: Unknown Sentencing Date: Unknown Dates of Detention/Arrest/Indictment: December 3, 2020 Summoned); December 4, 2020 (Given administrative detention for 15 days on charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”): December 18, 2020 (Placed in RSDL on charge of “inciting subversion of state power”); July 22, 2021 (Arrested); […]
The mass detention of peaceful Uyghur intellectuals demonstrates the hidden human rights atrocity beneath the Chinese government’s absurd narrative that its suppression is necessary for “fighting terrorism”. The international community must speak out and take strong actions with a renewed sense of urgency
近日网络传出一首狱中王怡牧师给她的妻子蒋蓉的诗《与妻》，不知其来源，但秋雨教会的信徒以及关心王怡的朋友们一致认为是王怡狱中所创
Originally published by RFA on 23 September, 2021 Chinese writer Gu Xiao fully expects her son, the veteran pro-democracy activist Guo Quan, who recently stood trial for “subversion,” to go to prison, but told RFA in a recent interview that she enjoyed watching him defend himself in court. A former ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) […]
Originally published by Northeast Today on 22 September, 2021 In another case of repression of freedom of expression in China a journalist and an activist have gone missing for two days from the southern provincial capital of Guangzhou. Their colleagues and friends are apprehensive that they have been detained by the local police. According to […]
Human Rights Defenders, September 21, 2021) One journalist and one activist have gone missing for two days. Colleagues and friends fear that police took them into custody in Guangzhou. CHRD urges Chinese authorities to investigate their whereabouts and, if confirmed, release them immediately and unconditionally.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 21 September, 2021 Detained Chinese rights lawyer Chang Weiping, who is currently under investigation for “subversion of state power” after he attended a December 2019 gathering of dissidents in the southeastern city of Xiamen, has been tortured again, an overseas rights group said. Chang, who is currently being held under […]
On September 17th, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and a coalition of 44 human rights NGOs urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to exonerate and release Covid-19 reporter Zhang Zhan, who has been on hunger strike since May 2020, for which she was forced-fed.
CHRD condemns the Chinese government’s latest alleged torture of Chang Weiping and urges the international community to hold China to account for its blatant disregard of its human rights obligations
CHRD joined 61 other groups in calling on the Hong Kong government to drop all charges against leaders of the civic group that had been holding annual mass vigils in Victoria Park commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.
Originally published by Nikkei Asia on 16 September, 2021 HONG KONG — The organizers of Hong Kong’s annual commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown are deleting the contents of the group’s website and social media accounts under order of police. The move marks the first known instance of the city’s police invoking powers granted […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 15 September, 2021 A Beijing court has ruled against the complainant in a landmark #MeToo sexual harassment case, saying there isn’t enough evidence to support Zhou Xiaoxuan’s claims against state broadcaster CCTV anchor Zhu Jun. The lawsuit brought by former CCTV intern Zhou Xiaoxuan against former TV host […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 10 September, 2021 A court in Hong Kong on Friday denied bail to one of the organizers of a now-banned candlelight vigil for the victims of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen massacre, amid an international outcry at subversion charges laid against three of its key members. Chow Hang-tung, vice chair of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 10 September, 2021 A court in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu has tried Guo Quan, a former professor from Nanjing Normal University, for “incitement to subvert state power” after he criticized the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s response to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. […]
CHRD condemns the ongoing persecution against the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement of China (“the Hong Kong Alliance”), and in particular, the arrest on Thursday of chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, vice-chairs Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho on the charge of “inciting subversion”, which could carry a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
Originally published by Asia News on 8 September, 2021 According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders , Liu risks an unfair trial and torture once at home where he was already penalised for ties with human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong. Angela Merkel is the main backer of an EU-China investment agreement, held up by the European […]
Originally published by The Moguldom Nation on 8 September, 2021 A billionaire Chinese pig farmer was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in China, a charge commonly used against activists and protesters. Sun Dawu, chairman of Dawu Agriculture Group, was arrested earlier this year […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 30 August, 2021 Rights activist Li Qiaochu has met with a lawyer for the first time after nearly seven months’ detention in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, on suspicion of subversion, RFA has learned. Li is currently in COVID-19 quarantine in a hospital under the supervision of […]
It is no surprise that China under President Xi Jinping is becoming increasing hostile to freedom of religion.
However, recent cases show some of the main tactics the government is employing to control and suppress Christianity in China. This includes forcing independent churches to join religious organizations supervised by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), suppressing the transmission of religious knowledge to the next generation, isolating Chinese Christians from the broader global community of practitioners, detaining Christians that criticize the government, and banning the sale of the Bible.
Originally published by SCMP on 19 August, 2021 A Chinese human rights activist facing imminent deportation from Germany to China has won a stay, after authorities granted him an appeal against a rejected application for political asylum. Liu Bing was set to be deported to China next Thursday, where he claimed that he would “definitely […]
Originally published by The Globe and Mail 13 August, 2021 On Tuesday, a Chinese court in the northeastern city of Shenyang upheld the death sentence for Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg, who had been convicted of drug trafficking. Just a day later, a court in the nearby city of Dandong sentenced fellow Canadian Michael Spavor to […]
Originally published by DW on 10 August, 2021 After being in exile in Europe for almost two years, Chinese dissident Liu Bing could be deported back to China on August 26. Since several dissidents who joined that gathering that he participated in have been arrested and detained, human rights organizations worry that Liu could face […]
By William Nee On July 20, in the central plains of Henan province, one of China’s most important regional cities, Zhengzhou, received a record-shattering 622mm of rainfall within a 24-hour period. It was described as a “once in a millennium” event in Chinese media. As the rains fell, videos of unimaginable devastation and heroic rescue efforts poured on to […]
CHRD urgently urges the German government not to return activist Liu Bing to China, where he is at risk of torture and ill-treatment, as well as detention and unfair trial.
Originally published by Swarajya on 30 July, 2021 Snapshot Chinese billionaire Sun Dawu has been sentenced to 18 years in prison on various charges.Earlier, advocacy group Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) had said that it was a blatant attempt to punish Dawu for his support of human rights. The outspoken Chinese billionaire Sun Dawu was […]
Originally published by CBS News on July 29, 2021 Prominent Chinese billionaire Sun Dawu has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined nearly $500,000 after being found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in China, a charge frequently used against activists and dissidents, BBC News reported. The 67-year-old pig farming magnate was […]
Originally published by The Guardian on 28 July, 2021 Sun Dawu, a Chinese billionaire pig farmer and agricultural mogul, has been sentenced after weeks of hearings in secret to 18 years in prison and fined 3.11m yuan (£345,000) for a catalogue of crimes including “provoking trouble”, in a case observers believe was politically motivated. The […]
Originally published by The New York Times on 28 July, 2021 Western journalists reporting on a natural disaster met with public hostility in person and online that the Chinese state media openly encouraged. After extreme flooding in central China last week destroyed homes, engulfed subways and killed at least 73, the ruling Communist Party found a convenient […]
By Renee Xia July 24, 2021 He Fangmei was seven months pregnant when she, her husband, and their two young children were taken from their home in Henan province by authorities last October. They have not been heard from since. A 2018 scandal involving the Chinese vaccine manufacturer Changsheng Bio Company claimed hundreds of victims, […]
CHRD condemns the Changsha Municipal Intermediate Court’s secret sentencing of three mainland Chinese NGO workers Cheng Yuan (程渊), Liu Dazhi (刘大志), and Wu Gejianxiong (吴葛健雄). The verdicts were issued behind closed doors on July 20, according to information pieced together by Cheng Yuan’s wife, Shi Minglei. Concluding a legal process marked by intense secrecy and obfuscation, the court sentenced Liu Dazhi to two years imprisonment and Wu Gejianxiong to three years. The details of Cheng Yuan’s sentence are still unknown.
Orginally published by EFE on July 22, 2021 Javier Triana Pekín, 22 jul (EFE).- Shi Minglei asegura que, el día que detuvieron a su marido, hace hoy dos años, fue interrogada por la Policía, acusada de manera informal del mismo cargo -“subversión contra el poder estatal”-, le confiscaron el teléfono, el ordenador y le congelaron […]
Originally published by RFA on 22 July, 2021 Two years after three NGO workers were detained in the central Chinese province of Hunan, their families have received news of sentences handed down to two of them. Cheng Yuan, Liu Dazhi, and Wu Ge Jianxiong, who ran the Changsha Funeng NGO, were tried for “subversion of […]
Originally published by CNET on July 21, 2021 The Xinjiang region of China has become an increasingly tense topic for both world leaders and international businesses. Over a million Uyghur Muslims have reportedly been detained in “reeducation” labor camps within the territory. China has become more sensitive to accusations of human rights abuse and genocide, as […]
“We, a group of 71 international non-governmental organizations and individuals, are writing to call on your government to drop the charge of “inciting unauthorized assembly” against Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) and unconditionally release her. Ms. Chow is a barrister and vice president of the civil society group Hong Kong Alliance, which organizes the annual Victoria Park vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.”
An overview of the legal proceedings of three cases of human rights defenders in pre-trial detention demonstrates how the Chinese government counters dissent using the ever-stretchable criminal charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.
Originally published by CNET on 21 July, 2021 The Xinjiang region of China has become an increasingly tense topic for both world leaders and international businesses. Over a million Uyghur Muslims have reportedly been detained in “reeducation” labor campswithin the territory. China has become more sensitive to accusations of human rights abuse and genocide, as the US […]
Originally published by RFA on July 20, 2021 Agriculture billionaire Sun Dawu, who is currently standing trial in the northern Chinese province of Hebei on a slew of charges that rights activists say are politically motivated, was subjected to “cruel and inhumane treatment,” his defense team said. Sun, 67, is on trial at the Gaobeidian […]
Originally published by RFA on July 15, 2021 Authorities in the southwestern province of Sichuan have formally arrested a prominent rights activist on suspicion of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble,” a charge often used to target peaceful critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), RFA has learned. Xie Junfeng was detained last month […]
Originally published by AsiaNews on July 14, 2021 He stands accused of “fomenting unrest”. His family and numerous employees of his company are also facing trial. Sun is a champion of the fight against poverty. Punished for helping humanitarian activists like Xu Zhiyong. Xi Jinping continues to crack down on difficult tycoons. Beijing (AsiaNews) – […]
Originally published by RFA on July 14, 2021 Authorities in the northern Chinese province of Hebei are preparing to hold the trial of outspoken billionaire Sun Dawu on Thursday, as an overseas rights group called for his immediate release. Sun, a former farmer, was detained in April 2021 alongside dozens of Dawu Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Group employees, some of […]
CHRD condemns the prosecution of Sun Dawu, a prominent agricultural entrepreneur and philanthropist, as a blatant attempt to punish Sun for his support of human rights defenders.
Full Job Description Title: Chief Operating Officer Location: Remote The Opportunity The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) seeks a Chief Operating Officer. This leader will be directly responsible for the organization’s overall operations, guided by the organization’s core values, so that the organization’s staff can achieve maximum programmatic impact for promoting human rights in China. […]
Originally published by The Diplomat on 9 July, 2021 Starting from the early hours on July 9, 2015, police across China set out in teams to conduct a series of coordinated raids. Organized by the Ministry of Public Security, these police nabbed people from hotel rooms in the middle of the night. They shut off […]
709镇压六周年已经到来。 在这过去的六年里，中国人权状况持续恶化，人权律师队伍严重受创，中国法治继续恶化。表现为：“政治”案件全部由公安部成立专案组来办理，公检法沆瀣一气，严重涉嫌搞秘密关押、酷刑，以及对家属珠链、阻止律师介入人权案件。中国法治的冬天远远没有结束。
Originally published by University World News on July 3, 2021 Many scholars with decades of China expertise and scholars who conduct fieldwork in China from time to time say they are reluctant to return to China even after coronavirus restrictions are lifted, in part because of a deteriorating geopolitical climate, tightening ideological controls on universities […]
Originally published by Newstalk on July 1, 2021 Ireland South MEP Mick Wallace has said reports one million Uighur people are being detained by the Chinese Government are “grossly exaggerated.” On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Wexford politician doubled down on his claim that China looks after its people better than Europe. He said he […]
On this July 1st, which marks the 24th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover, the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the HK National Security Law, and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, we urge the international community to take effective actions to halt the rapid decline of civil-political liberties in Hong Kong at the behest of Chinese authorities
CHRD profiles on several individuals who have been sent to prison or Re-education through Labor in retaliation for their human rights activism or exercising their universal rights. Some of them have already been released.
Zi Su (子肃), a retired professor who formerly taught at a Chinese Communist Party School, was detained in his hometown of Chengdu, Sichuan Province in April 2017 just hours after he released an open letter arguing that President Xi Jinping was unsuitable to serve as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Xue Renyi 薛仁义 (released) Criminal charge: “Picking quarrels and provoking trouble” Length of Punishment: 3 years Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 1, 2018 (disappearance), July 31, 2019 (criminal detention); April 30, 2021 (released) Place of Incarceration: Dianjiang County Detention Center (Chongqing Municipality) Background Chongqing police forcibly disappeared activist Xue Renyi (薛仁义), the founder and head of […]
Wang Jing 王晶 (released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 4 years and 10 months Court: Jilin City Chuanying District People’s Court, Jilin Province Trial Date: April 20, 2016 Sentencing Date: April 20, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 9, 2014 (criminally detained); April 4, 2014 (released on bail); […]
Qi Chonghuai was a reporter and former Shandong Bureau Chief for the Fazhi Morning Post, and known for his articles exposing local corruption, social injustice, and human rights violations. In April 2007, Qi drew widespread attention when he posted photos and an article online about construction of luxury government office buildings in Shandong Province.
Liu Shaoming 刘少明 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 4.5 years Court: Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: April 15, 2016 Sentencing Date: July 2, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 29, 2015 (detained); July 6, 2015 (formally arrested); July 6, 2017 (sentenced); November 29, 2019 (released) Place of Incarceration: Guangzhou No. 1 Detention Center Indictment: Guangdong Provincial […]
今年是《禁止酷刑公约》的34周年纪念，我们以下联署团体及个人谨此呼吁国际社会团结一致并坚定不懈地监督中国的酷刑问题，这对推动中国政府正视其人权违反状况，至为关键
On this occasion of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we the undersigned issue this statement to call on the international community to stand united and resolute in tracking the issue of torture in China.
If Xi Jinping wants China to plausibly present itself to the world as a “credible, lovable, and respectable” country, he must end human rights violations.
Both China and the U.S. have profited from Beijing’s state violence. By Ramona Li Thirty-two years ago, the Chinese government began its crackdown on democracy demonstrations in Beijing. Though rarely discussed in the U.S., the legacy of June 4, 1989, is all around us. The start of China’s democracy protests shared much with 2020’s summer […]
许多坚持维权的大陆人权捍卫者都不能出境，这是不争的事实。但最近牵动人心涉及出境权利的两个事件，一是郭飞雄被限制出境，中共断然不顾他身患癌症妻子在美国需亲人照顾； 二是唐吉田被限制出境，他女儿孤独一人在日本昏迷不醒二十多天的现状没有让当权者拒绝放行的决定有任何的动摇。
Originally published by The Guardian on Jun 3, 2021 For the first time since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, there will be no formal commemoration event held in the Chinese-speaking world for the anniversary. Thirty-two years after soldiers crushed student protests in Beijing and killed anywhere from several hundred to several thousand people, a combination […]
CHRD“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受迫害的人权捍卫者提供法律援助、人道援助； 为维护和倡导人权的公民行动提供支持。本项目同时致力于敦促中国政府兑现《世界人权宣言》并落实已经批准加入的各项国际人权公约，推动国内法的制订和实施符合国际人权标准，以促进公民、政治、经济、社会、文化人权的保护。
Authorities have an obligation under both international and domestic law to respect the right of peaceful assembly, writes William Nee. By William Nee Ahead of the 32nd anniversary this year, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam must not let the memory of the Tiananmen Massacre die on her watch, and the government should retract its […]
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to immediately release activist Xing Wangli (邢望力) and end reprisals against rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong (江天勇). Xing Wangli has apparently been criminally detained because he visited lawyer Jiang Tianyong.
Chen Yunfei (陈云飞) (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble (2017); child molestation (2021) Length of Punishment: 4 years Court: Wuhou District People’s Court (Chengdu City, Sichuan Province) Trial Date: March 31, 2017 Sentencing Date: March 31, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 25, 2021 (detained); April 30, 2021 (formally arrested); December 3, 2021 (trial) March 25, 2015 (detained); April […]
The Chinese government, a party to the Convention against Torture, must immediately launch a prompt and impartial investigation of police officers accused of committing torture against a website administrator, Niu Tengyu.
CHRD denounces Chinese authorities for putting on trial two citizen journalists, Chen Mei and Cai Wei, on a charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” at Beijing’s Chaoyang District Court on May 11.
The Chinese government must end its egregious persecution of prominent poet Wang Zang (王藏) and its petty retaliation against his wife, Wang Li (王丽).
“It would be hard to take Xi Jinping’s flowery promises about respecting international law seriously while he is engaged in trampling on it in Hong Kong,” writes William Nee.
On April 2, CHRD sent a detailed communiqué to UN human rights bodies about the torture and other ill-treatment of lawyer Ding Jiaxi, legal activist Xu Zhiyong, women’s rights activist Li Qiaochu, and lawyer Chang Weiping.
Originally published by TRT World on April 30, 2021 Multiple Oscar-winning film Nomadland was directed by a Chinese director, but the film isn’t being celebrated in her home country. States can deflect criticisms of human rights abuses with ease, but it is far harder for governments to dull the impact of sincere, sympathetic works of art. […]
Originally published by New York Post on April 27, 2021 On April 9, Chinese political prisoner Guo Hongwei, 48 and serving a 13-year sentence in northeastern Jilin province, died under mysterious circumstances. The “crime” he was in prison for: supporting Hong Kong democracy. Authorities took Guo to the Guowen Hospital in Jilin with a brain […]
Originally published by SupChina on April 20, 2021 In mid-February, Chén Guójiāng 陈国江, who leads an alliance of food delivery workers in China numbering in the thousands, confronted the delivery platform Ele.me, owned by Alibaba, for its exploitative policies. He published a video accusing Ele.me of failing to deliver on holiday bonuses it had promised […]
Chinese authorities must cooperate with an investigation into the death of human rights defender Guo Hongwei (郭洪伟) and prevent the destruction of any evidence related to his death in custody.
During the year 2020, while the world was battling the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese authorities used the exceptional period to further tighten its grip over mainland society while abandoning its pledge to respect a high-degree of autonomy in Hong Kong, says CHRD in its 2020 annual report on the situation of human rights defenders, “Defending Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19.” Despite the heavily constricted space, as CHRD’s new report details, in many cases, Chinese human rights defenders continued to speak out – and bravely push for their rights and freedoms, even in the face of unrelenting persecution.
The year 2020 in China was marked by an escalation of restrictions of freedom of expression and access to information, including in relation to COVID-19. Early in the year, authorities blocked Chinese people from sharing information about the emergence of COVID-19. This action effectively prevented information from reaching medical professionals, the public, and the international community during a vital time for controlling the pandemic. When the outbreak became public in Wuhan in early 2020, millions of Chinese took to the Internet to share information, seek help, or report on the situation in Wuhan and other cities under lockdown. The government responded quickly: with harsh reprisals against whistleblowing doctors, outspoken critics, and citizen reporters at the frontlines. A surge in human rights violations and ongoing censorship and propaganda were linked to official efforts to combat the virus throughout the year.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 17) The Chinese government must immediately release labor organizer, delivery worker, Chen Guojiang (陈国江), who was detained on February 25 in Beijing. Chen, a popular social media activist, had frequently posted about the precarious working conditions of frontline delivery workers in Chinese cities and had recently called for delivery workers to boycott companies that allegedly withheld some bonus money for workers who could not meet high demand targets during the Chinese New Year period.
Originally published by RFA on March 16, 2021 Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong have formally arrested prominent rights activist Li Qiaochu, and are holding her in a psychiatric hospital in Linyi city, RFA has learned. Li, who was recently given the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for her rights activism, was initially detained […]
Originally published by RFA on March 12, 2021 Detained women’s rights activist Li Qiaochu and veteran rights campaigner Li Yufeng have been announced as the joint winners of a prestigious human rights prize made annually to Chinese activists mark the March 14, 2014 death in police custody of rights advocate Cao Shunli. Since Cao’s death […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—March 12, 2021) Human rights defenders Li Yufeng and Li Qiaochu are recipients of the seventh Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The decision to give this year’s award to both Ms. Li Yufeng and Ms. Li Qiaochu recognizes their long-standing civil society activism to promote protection of human rights in China. Both recipients are currently detained in China for their human rights activism.
Originally published by RFA on March 9, 2021 Chinese citizen journalist Fang Bin remains missing after being detained by police in the central city of Wuhan for reporting from the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Fang is being held incommunicado following his detention on March 5, 2020. RFA has learned that his family is under […]
Originally published by CNN on March 9, 2021 (CNN) Jeff Wasserstrom is a self-proclaimed China specialist who is seriously considering never returning to China — at least, he says, not while President Xi Jinping is in power. The American professor, who for decades made multiple trips a year to China and was last there in […]
An Investigative Survey Report on the Treatment of Detainees and Conditions in PRC Detention Centers Nationwide, by Chinese lawyer Huang Sha. All copyrights belong to the author. And the author is responsible for the contents of the report.
Originally published by La Prensa Latina Media on February 11, 2021 Istanbul, Feb 11 (efe-epa).- The 50,000-strong community of exiled Uighurs in Istanbul have in recent weeks stepped up their protests against the alleged repression by Beijing of their people in their western Chinese homeland of Xinjiang, amid fears that Turkish authorities’ traditional support for […]
The Chinese government must immediately end its detention of human rights defender Li Qiaochu (李翘楚). Ms. Li, a women’s rights and labor rights activist, was detained in likely retaliation against her for disclosing the details of torture suffered by her partner, legal scholar and civil rights advocate Xu Zhiyong. Without access to legal counsel of her choice, Li Qiaochu is now at high risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Originally published by Phayul Newsdesk on February 23, 2021 By Tenzin Dharpo DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 3: As the one-year countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics begins on January 4, a coalition of over 170 activist groups called on nations to boycott the premier sporting event to be held in Beijing. On Wednesday, five Tibetan activist groups […]
Originally published by SCMP on February 23, 2021 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has rejected claims of genocide or oppression in the far western region of Xinjiang and said China would welcome the UN human rights chief to visit the region. Wang’s statement comes as international pressure mounts over accusations of rights abuses in China.Addressing […]
CHRD joins 23 other organizations and individuals devoted to improving respect for human rights in China in an open letter to urge the Biden administration to make human rights a priority in US-China policy.
视频来自网络 《残障与我何干？》 你知道吗？在每个人的一生中，都可能因为一些原因而处于某种残障状态，比如受伤、生病、体弱等病理因素，年老、怀孕等生理因素，甚至包括提大件行李、抱小孩等生活因素。根据世卫组织的数据，在人口预期寿命超过70岁的国家和地区，平均每人有8年、11.5%的生命是在残障的状态下中度过的，而这些障碍是可以也应该被消除的。在传统观念里，”残疾 “一词意味着残缺和疾病，意味着能力不足，需要 “自强不息”、治病矫正，“早日融入主流社会”。这种过时的世界观把克服残疾障碍的责任推给了个人，但这种观念正在改变。 2008年，中国政府签署和批准了联合国《残疾人权利公约》，从那时起《公约》便在我国具有普遍的法律效力。《公约》认为残障之所以成为问题是因为社会存在各种障碍和歧视偏见，而非残障人个体，因此解决残障问题需要消除社会障碍。基于这样的原因，倡导者更多使用“残障”这个词而不是“残疾”。根据《公约》，政府、公共场所、企业和个人都有责任做出改变，增加无障碍设施，建立一个更加平等的社会，让每个人都有机会发挥全部潜力。
CHRD condemns the Chinese government for jailing independent publisher, entrepreneur Geng Xiaonan (耿潇男). Ms. Geng’s trial and conviction in Beijing this week marks a milestone in the escalation of the Chinese government’s persecution of its outspoken critics.
Originally published by National Post on February 10, 2021 Now that a rising global movement to move the 2022 Winter Games from Beijing is finally starting to pick up steam in Canada, there’s a debate worth having about it, and some difficult questions to be raised. Can the International Olympic Committee be made to reverse […]
Originally published by Ottawa Citizen on February 10, 2021 Now that a rising global movement to move the 2022 Winter Games from Beijing is finally starting to pick up steam in Canada, there’s a debate worth having about it, and some difficult questions to be raised. Can the International Olympic Committee be made to reverse […]
Originally published by The Guardian on February 10, 2021 A Chinese publisher who spoke out in support of a dissident academic has been jailed for three years in Beijing after she pleaded guilty to illegal business operations. Geng Xiaonan, 46, and her husband Qin Zhen, were arrested in September on suspicion of publishing thousands of […]
CHRD建议将下列问题列入委员会的问题清单，在审议中国政府的定期报告时，要求中国政府说明已采取哪些措施落实《消除对妇女一切形式歧视公约》中所规定的权利。
Originally published by Al Jazeera on February 3, 2021 A second Chinese lawyer who represented a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist has been stripped of his licence to practice, in a move that drew alarm from rights groups and condemnation from the United States. Ren Quanniu, who represented one of 12 Hong Kong activists who allegedly […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 2, 2021 China’s internet regulator has announced a crackdown on citizen journalism around the country, banning anyone from posting news-related information online without a license. The move was announced by Zhuang Rongwen, deputy director of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s central propaganda department, during a Jan. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 1, 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) investigators probing the origins of the coronavirus in China are unlikely to be allowed to meet with critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s handling of the early stages of the pandemic, an overseas-based rights group said on Monday. The […]
Vaccine safety advocates vanished; detained defenders allege torture; rights lawyers debarred, a 90-yaer protester detained, and more
Originally published by Zee News on January 25, 2021 The COVID-19 vaccine production is still limited and for now, only a few countries have been able to access it. Given the severity of the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is understandable that countries are eager to get their hands on a potential vaccine. […]
CHRD suggests the Committee include the following questions in the CEDAW List of Issues for the Chinese government to address as part of the CEDAW’s upcoming review process of China’s implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Originally published by Mind Matter News on January 20, 2021 Lawyer-turned-citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, 37, went missing on May 15 after documenting on Youtube, Twitter, and WeChat what she saw in Wuhan during the early days of the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) pandemic. She has now been sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and […]
中国人权捍卫者（CHRD）提交给经济、社会及文化权利委员会的问题清单供委员会审议 中华人民共和国履行《经济、社会及文化国际公约》情况第三次定期报告 (E/C.12/CHN/3)
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 14, 2021 Authorities in China’s Guizhou and Jiangsu provinces have jailed two journalists and one family member after they were critical of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). On Jan. 8, the Nanming District People’s Court in Guizhou’s provincial capital, Guiyang, jailed former journalist Zhang Jialong for […]
Mass Arrests in Hong Kong Under National Security Law Targets Democrats; Former Journalist Zhang Jialong Sentenced; Journalist Li Xinde Imprisoned for Five-Years; Administrative Punishment on Lawyers Widens; Strong Human Rights Safeguards Must be Included in EU-China Investment Agreement
Ahead of the upcoming Plenary session of the European Parliament, today a coalition of 36 civil society organisations (CSOs) have launched a Joint Appeal to the European Institutions calling for the inclusion of enforceable human rights clauses in the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).
We, the undersigned 35 groups and organizations dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights, condemn the arrests of over 50 pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong.
Chinese courts put a number of human rights defenders on trial around the holiday season in an apparent bid to avoid international scrutiny.
Originally published by Explica.co on January 4, 2021 SHANGHAI – Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday for “provoking altercations and seeking trouble” due to her reporting on the first coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily reported. That newspaper, which quotes one of his […]
Originally published by BBC on December 29, 2020 Umumenyeshamakuru w’Umushinwa yakoze amakuru igihe coronavirus yaduka mu gisagara ca Wuhan yaciriwe umunyororo w’imyaka ine. Zhang Zhan yagirijwe “guteza imigumuko n’uruhagarara”, ikintu abaharanira uburenganzira bwa muntu bakunze kwagirizwa muri ico gihugu. Uyu munyamakuru w’imyaka 37 yahoze ari umushingwamanza, yahagaritswe mu kwa gatanu, akaba amaze amezi atari make […]
Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat on December 28, 2020 A Chinese citizen journalist was jailed for four years for her livestream reporting from Wuhan as the Covid-19 outbreak unfurled, her lawyer said Monday, almost a year after details of an “unknown viral pneumonia” surfaced in the central China city. Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, was […]
Originally published by BBC on December 28, 2020 Gabar weriye ah oo u dhalatay Shiinaha taas oo soo tebisay dillaacitaankii coronavirus ee magaalada Wuhan ayaa lagu xukumay afar sano oo xabsi ah. Zhang Zhan waxaa lagu eedeeyay “muran iyo abuuridda dhibaato”, oo ah eedeyn uu inta badan Shiinaha u adeegsado dadka u dhaqdhaqaaqa xuquuqda dadka. […]
Originally published by AFP on December 28, 2020 A Chinese citizen journalist was jailed for four years for her livestream reporting from Wuhan as the Covid-19 outbreak unfurled, her lawyer said Monday, almost a year after details of an “unknown viral pneumonia” surfaced in the central China city. Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, was sentenced […]
Originally published by Brighton & Hove Independent on December 28, 2020 A journalist has been sentenced to four years in jail after reporting on the outbreak of Covid-19 in Wuhan, China, early this year. Zhang Zhan, a 37 year old independent journalist and former lawyer was arrested for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” and was […]
![[Briefing] Year’s End Brings No Letup in China’s Persecution of Rights Activists and Citizen Reporters](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CEF6951F-30B3-4D73-9397-0DB2B9E74794.jpg)
Citizen journalist Zhang Zhan will face trial; independent photojournalist Du Bin under criminal detention; rights activist Ou Biaofeng sent to residential surveillance in undisclosed location; and housing activist Ge Zhihui, with disabilities, stood on trial.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) for Consideration in Adopting its List of Issues on the Third Periodic Report of the People’s Republic of China Date: December 14, 2020 (read as PDF) 中文版本 CHRD suggests including the following questions in the CESCR List of […]
Originally published by The Guardian on December 10, 2020 A citizen journalist detained for more than six months after reporting on the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak has had a feeding tube forcibly inserted and her arms restrained to stop her pulling it out, her lawyer has claimed. Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, has been on […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on December 10, 2020 WASHINGTON – China opened the trial of a famous lawyer and veteran legal advocate on Thursday, International Human Rights Day, in a move that rights activists denounced as a show of Beijing’s defiance of human rights and universal values. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), a […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 10, 2020 Authorities in the Chinese capital have placed a number of prominent rights lawyers and their families under house arrest on Human Rights Day, RFA has learned. Beijing-based rights attorney Li Heping had been planning to take his children to school and walk the dog as […]
Originally published by The Guardian on December 9, 2020 The full text of a secret deal between Switzerland and China that allowed Chinese security officials access to the country at Swiss taxpayers’ expense has been revealed for the first time as the government pushes to renew it. The five-year “readmission agreement”, which was signed in […]
By Frances Eve | On International Human Rights Day, we can combat the CCP’s disinformation on COVID-19 by raising awareness of those detained in Chinese government’s crackdown on covid expression.
Originally published by BizNews on December 5, 2020 A few weeks ago, the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of China issued a statement explaining that 5,797 people had been arrested and 6,755 prosecuted for crimes related to the pandemic . Notable among the cases mentioned was the arrest of a supermarket customer who beat to death another […]
Originally published by HKFP on December 5, 2020 A Chinese activist has been detained by police after voicing his support on Twitter for “ink girl” Dong Yaoqiong, who defaced a poster of leader Xi Jinping in 2018. Police in Zhuzhou city in Hunan province are holding Ou Biaofeng in administrative detention for 15 days for […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 4, 2020 A landmark sexual harassment case involving a top Chinese state-run TV personality and a former intern that was inspired by the #MeToo hashtag campaign and the victims of Harvey Weinstein is mired in uncertainty amid an ongoing crackdown on the feminist movement in China. The […]
中国人权捍卫者（CHRD）为香港人制作了一个关于在国家安全法的威胁下怎样保护自己的简短指引。该20页的指引包括安全讯息传播、电邮和GPG加密的使用指导。该指引有中文和英文版。
Originally published by Breitbart on December 2, 2020 Dec. 2 (UPI) — A Chinese woman who said she was forcibly hospitalized twice after defacing a poster of Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2018 said she is the target of state surveillance and on the brink of a breakdown. Dong Yaoqiong published the video message Monday, […]
Originally published by Taiwan News on December 2, 2020 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Video surfaced on Monday (Nov. 30) of a Chinese streamer who disappeared after splashing paint on a poster of Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) two years ago, with the woman saying she has been released from a mental hospital and is subject […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 27, 2020 The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has rolled out an online ID system based on biometrics that is better able to track its citizens’ online activities than the current system, RFA has learned. The Ministry of Public Security is trialing an online ID card in […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) has produced a short guide for Hong Kongers on some practical steps to protect themselves online in light of the National Security Law. The 20-page guide includes instructions on secure messaging, email, and GPG. The guide is available in English and Chinese.
中國人權捍衛者（CHRD）為香港人製作了一個關於在國家安全法的威脅下怎樣保護自己的簡短指引。該20頁的指引包括安全訊息傳播、電郵和GPG加密的使用指導。該指引有中文和英文版。
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 24, 2020 Five prominent democracy activists are being held by state security police in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on subversion charges, rights activists and lawyers told RFA. State security police in Guangdong’s provincial capital Guangzhou detained Fan Yiping, Fan Wencheng, Lai Jianjun, Hu Tianfeng,and Qiao […]
![[Briefing] More Entrepreneurs Prosecuted in Crackdown on Outspokenness in Private Sector; HK National Security Crackdown Extends Further](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/25-Nov-CHRB-slide-show.png)
Activist Zhou Weilin Tried Behind Closed-Doors; Activist Zhang Baocheng Sentenced; Guangzhou National Security Police Launch New Crackdown; Entrepreneur Sun Dawu Detained; Chongqing Businessman Sentenced to 20 Years; Hong Kong Legislators Disqualified, Opposition Resigns; HK National Security Police Enter CUHK Campus; Three Days of Arrests of HK Dissidents
Originally published by Click Lancashire on November 20, 2020 Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, has been held in detention since she was arrested in May. She was accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”, an accusation frequently used against critics and activists inside China, after reporting on social media and streaming accounts. At […]
Originally published by NewKerala.com on November 17, 2020 London , November 17: In another move by China to curb freedom of expression, a citizen journalist from China, who has been detained since May for reporting the COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan, is facing a sentence of up to five years in jail after she was formally […]
Originally published by BBC on November 17, 2020 A Chinese citizen journalist who covered Wuhan’s virus outbreak is facing up to five years in jail, according to newly released documents. Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, has been held in detention since she was arrested in May. She is accused of “picking quarrels and provoking […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Communiqué on Behalf […]
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) (/), a small non-profit organization that monitors human rights developments in China, is hiring a full-time Researcher. Qualifications Education: At a minimum, a Masters degree, with a specialty in international relations, journalism, law, Asian Studies, or related area, is required. Experience: Minimum five years experience conducting investigative research into […]
Originally published by The Guardian on November 16, 2020 A Chinese citizen journalist detained since May for reporting on the coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan is facing up to five years in jail after being formally indicted on charges of spreading false information. Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, was arrested more than six months ago […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on […]
我们致信对程渊，刘大志，与吴葛健雄的安康深表关切。他们三位是致力于协助中国公民在不受歧视的条件下行使其合法权利而被拘留的社会服务人员。
We are writing to express deep concern about the well-being of detained social service workers Cheng Yuan (程渊), Liu Dazhi (刘大志) and Wu Gejianxiong (吴葛健雄), who have dedicated themselves to assisting Chinese citizens to exercise their legal rights without discrimination.
![[Briefing] Disappeared Human Rights Lawyer Denied Bail; Hong Kong Politicians and Journalists Arrested](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nov-5-2020-Flash-collage-1.png)
Disappeared human rights lawyer Chang Weiping will not be released on bail; labor activist Ling Haobo had received an 18-month prison sentence; Hong Kong Police Force arrested 8 pro-democracy politicians and 3 journalists.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on […]
Originally published by Breitbart on October 29, 2020 Chinese protester He Fangmei, whose daughter grew sick after receiving faulty vaccines, has been missing since her October 9 arrest for splashing ink on a government building in protest, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported this week. Human rights activists have expressed concerns for her safety after her […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 29, 2020 Authorities in Hong Kong have charged 19-year-old pro-independence activist Tony Chung with “secession” under a draconian national security law that took effect in the city on July 1. “Chung has been officially charged on one count of ‘secession,’ one count of ‘conspiracy to publish seditious […]
Hong Kong authorities must release student activist Tony Chung, who has been charged with “inciting secession” under the new National Security Law.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 27 October, 2020 Rights activists in China and overseas say they are increasingly concerned about the safety of He Fangmei, who ‘disappeared’ earlier this month after campaigning for compensation after her daughter was made sick by a faulty vaccine administered in the central province of Henan. Henan police […]
![[Briefing] Police Forcibly Disappear Rights Lawyer, Activist & Pastor; Publisher Geng Xiaonan Arrested](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/EkS2i1RXsAIks2e.jpg)
Geng Xiaonan Arrested; He Fangmei Disappeared; Chang Weiping Disappeared into RSDL; Pastor Missing; Activist Yuan Bing Forced to Submit to Miometric Data Collection after Prison Release; CCP Official Accused of “Slandering” the Party
We, the undersigned, condemn the arrest and detention of the 12 Hongkonger activists who are currently being held in incommunicado detention in mainland China, including three who were under 18 years old at the time of their arrest.
Originally published by Lawfare on October 21, 2020 Beijing Restricts Exports Related to National Security On Oct. 17, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed a new law to control exports of sensitive goods, which will apply to all companies in China. The law is focused on “dual-use” goods—products that are usually used in civilian […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Communiqué on Behalf of Liu Yanli and Zhang Jialong, Citizens […]
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances I. Identity of the person(s) subjected to torture 1. Family Name: Wang (王) 2. First and other names: Quanzhang […]
By Leo Lan When the 12 Hong Kong activists decided to cross the strait from Hong Kong to Taiwan, they may have understood the potential risks, including being caught by mainland Chinese, Hong Kong or Taiwan marine police, or a possible accident at sea. Yet, the 12 and their family members might not have been […]
Originally published by AsiaNews.it on October 14, 2020 Humanitarian organizations had called for its exclusion. Chinese accused of repressing ethnic minorities and democratic activists. Beijing defeated Saudi Arabia for the seat. Now the United Nations body is 60% composed of countries that do not respect the minimum standards of a democracy. Geneva (AsiaNews / Agencies) […]
投票支持中国加入人权理事会将浪费一个追责中国政府侵犯人权行为的机会，并进一步损害这个全球唯一处理人权问题的多边政治机构的信誉。
Originally published by Taiwan News on October 12, 2020 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Human rights groups are calling on UN member states to block China’s attempt to run for one of the open seats on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) given the regime’s appalling human rights record. On Tuesday (Oct. 13), the UN General […]
Originally published by The Guardian on October 10, 2020 The UN must be allowed to conduct an inquiry into possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, the shadow foreign secretary says Britain must oppose giving China a seat on the UN’s human rights body this week in protest at its abuse of Uighur Muslims, Lisa Nandy, […]
Originally published by RFA on October 8, 2020 International rights groups are calling on United Nations member states not to vote to allow China to retain its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, saying Beijing has tried to undermine the international human rights system and continues the mass persecution and incarceration of Muslims in […]
Originally published by RFA on October 8, 2020 The former website of jailed Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti containing thousands of articles has been restored seven years after it was shut down by authorities in China ahead of his 2014 arrest and sentencing to life in prison for “separatism,” according to a group that advocates for […]
Originally published by AsiaNews.it on October 8, 2020 According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders , Chinese authorities have not implemented the recommendations made by the United Nations in the area of human rights. The rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, other ethnic minorities, Hong Kong citizens, political and civil activists, women, LGBT people, journalists, lawyers and doctors […]
Voting for China to sit on the Human Rights Council would squander an opportunity to hold the government accountable for its rights abuses and further damage the credibility of the world’s only multilateral political body addressing human rights issues globally.
![[Briefing] Chinese Courts Punish Peaceful Expression while Environmental Activists Detained and 12 Hongkongers Charged](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Li-Genshan.png)
7-year prison sentence for selling Christian books online; Ren Zhiqiang sentenced to 18-years for criticizing Xi Jinping; Chen Jianfang reportedly sentenced to 3-years for tribute to Cao Shunli; environmental activists arrested in Ningxia after accusing police of sheltering poachers
Originally published by RFA on October 5, 2020 A court in Shanghai recently handed down a secret sentence of three years’ imprisonment to detained rights activist Chen Jianfang, a Chinese rights website reported. “We learned on Oct. 2, 2020 that Shanghai human rights defender Chen Jianfang has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for incitement […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 5 October, 2020 A court in Shanghai recently handed down a secret sentence of three years’ imprisonment to detained rights activist Chen Jianfang, a Chinese rights website reported. “We learned on Oct. 2, 2020 that Shanghai human rights defender Chen Jianfang has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for […]
Originally published by Jewish News on 1 October, 2020 The Chinese government has reacted angrily to a Jewish News petition opposing its brutal treatment of Uyghur Muslims – signed by 150 parliamentarians and set to be delivered to Downing Street next week – branding it “deplorable slander”. Responding to the campaign launched by this newspaper, a spokesperson […]
Guangzhou Baiyun District police took labor activist Ling Haobo (凌浩波) away for interrogation on May 29, 2019 after he tweeted his support for fellow activist and independent film maker Deng Chuanbin (who was detained ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre). He was forcibly returned to his hometown in Hubei Province, though Ling returned to Guangzhou on June 14, 2019. Afterwards, his landlord in Baiyun District informed him that he needed to move at the request of the police.
Originally published by RFA on September 24, 2020 Police in Hong Kong have arrested prominent democracy campaigner Joshua Wong in connection with an “unauthorized assembly” during last year’s protest movement. “Joshua is arrested when reporting to Central Police Station at about 1pm today,” a tweet from Wong’s Twitter account read on Thursday. “The arrest is […]
Originally published by VOA on 22 September, 2020 A court in Beijing Tuesday gave Chinese property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang, who once referred to China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, as a “clown,” an 18-year prison sentence and a fine of $620,000 after finding him guilty of corruption, bribery, embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power […]
![[Briefing] NGO Staffers and Xi Jinping Critic Put on Trial While Publisher Detained](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Screenshot-2020-09-11-at-11.07.37.png)
Secret trial of Changsha Funeng NGO workers held on unknown date; police detain publisher Geng Xiaonan and her husband Qin Zhen for “illegal business activity”; outspoken businessman Ren Zhiqiang tried but no verdict pronounced
全球321个公民社会团体组成的联盟今天发表公开信表示，联合国应紧急建立一个独立的国际机制来解决中国政府的侵犯人权行为。
The United Nations should urgently create an independent international mechanism to address the Chinese government’s human rights violations, a global coalition of 321 civil society groups said today in an open letter.
![[Briefing] Crackdown on Free Expression: Blogger, Poet, Activist & Citizen Journalist in Custody](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Screenshot-2020-09-08-at-13.10.51.png)
Court Rejects Blogger’s Appeal Against 4-Year Sentence; Missing Poet and his Wife Confirmed to be Under Arrest; Labor Activist Secretly Tried and Sentenced; Citizen Journalist Awaits Appeal Against 9-Year Sentence
Shanghai police criminally detained citizen journalist and activist Zhang Zhan (张展) on May 15, 2020, on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” She had initially gone missing on May 14 in Wuhan. On June 19, 2020, Pudong New Distict Procuratorate approved the formal arrest of Zhang. She is being held at Pudong New District Detention Center in Shanghai. Zhang Zhan had travelled to Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, in early February. She reported numerous stories including the detentions of other independent reporters and harassment of families of victims seeking accountability from the epicenter via her WeChat, Twitter and YouTube accounts.
Haidian District police in Beijing criminally detained Chen Zhaozhi for “fabricating and deliberately disseminating fake information” on March 11 over his online speech about the COVID-19 pandemic. Chen’s family hired a lawyer when he was first seized, but the lawyer’s requests for visit were denied until April 23, 2020. On April 14, the Beijing police changed the charge and formally arrested Chen for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”. Chen is being held at Haidian District Detention Center.
過去八週以來，中國共產黨在香港實施了《國家安全法》，當局已行使了該法律，全面升級鎮壓香港居民的人權及香港法治體系。
过去八周以来，中国共产党在香港实施了《国家安全法》，当局已行使了该法律，全面升级镇压香港居民的人权及香港法治体系。
Eight weeks since the Chinese Communist Party imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong, authorities have deployed it in an escalated crackdown in violation of Hong Kong residents’ human rights and the city’s rule of law system.
We, the 71 undersigned organizations dedicated to the promotion of universal human rights and/or the fight against corruption, welcome the United Kingdom’s successful promulgation of its Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations and initial tranche of 49 sanctions designations, as well as the United States’ recent actions under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program to designate senior Chinese leaders and entities responsible for egregious human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Uyghur Region) against Uyghurs and other Turkic and Muslim-majority peoples.
Originally published by The Telegraph on August 16, 2020 China is suspected of orchestrating a sinister campaign to suppress prominent critics living in Britain from speaking out against the ruling Communist Party by harassing, intimidating, and surveilling them while they are in the UK, the Telegraph can reveal. Simon Cheng Man-kit, a former British consulate […]
We at CHRD stand firmly by our research report “China: Massive Numbers of Uyghurs & Other Ethnic Minorities Forced into Re-education Programs,” released two years ago, on August 3, 2018.
Originally published by Latin Times on August 2, 2020 Sanctions have been imposed by the United States on a top Xinjiang-based company and its two officials for allegedly abusing the human rights of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in the area. According to a report, the top-ranking company Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps or XPCC has been blacklisted by the U.S. […]
Together with 16 other organizations, CHRD releases a joint open letter to foreign ministers of over 40 governments, calling for condemnation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong imposed by China’s National People’s Congress.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 31, 2020 Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam on Friday announced the postponement of elections to the Legislative Council (LegCo) by one year, in a move that was immediately slammed by pro-democracy lawmakers as questionable, and tantamount to a political coup. Lam said the 2020 LegCo election, originally […]
Originally published by New York Times on July 30, 2020 On the day of his release from prison, Wang Quanzhang, one of China’s most prominent human rights lawyers, thought he was finally free. After being held for nearly five years on charges of subversion of state power, Mr. Wang was escorted by the police to an […]
多个捍卫人权及新闻自由的非政府组织团体集结在一起，极力呼吁您特赦记者黄琦。他曾两度获得无国界记者新闻自由奖，目前健康状况岌岌可危，若持续受到监禁，他可能很快会失去性命。
中文版本 Mr. Xi Jinping President People’s Republic of China The State Council General Office 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu Beijingshi 100017 Paris, July 22nd, 2020 Mr. President, As a collective of non-governmental organizations defending human rights and freedom of the press, we urge you to pardon journalist Huang Qi, two-time laureate of the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Award […]
![[Briefing] Reports of Torture; Teachers Fired for Political Views; Graduate Student Expelled for Online Comments Written Overseas](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Screenshot-2020-07-21-at-09.03.51.png)
etails of torture in Chinese detention facilities in 2 HRD cases; mainland teacher fired for comments on Korean War, Hong Kong teachers face retaliation; graduate student expelled for online comments about Nanjing Massacre written while in US.
Guiyang County Court in Hunan Province on April 30, 2020 convicted journalist Chen Jieren (陈杰人) of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” “extortion and blackmail,” “illegal business activity,” and “bribes” and handed down a 15-year prison sentence and 7.01 million RMB ($990,000 USD) fine. The case relates to Chen’s blogging on official corruption.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 17, 2020 Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hunan have secretly indicted the “Changsha Three” non-governmental organization (NGO) workers, family members and rights groups said. Cheng Yuan, Liu Dazhi, and Wuge Jianxiong were indicted in secret for “subversion of state power” by prosecutors in Hunan’s provincial […]
![[Briefing] NGO Staff Indicted for “Subversion”; Lawyer Detained for Online Speech; Netizen Imprisoned for Using VPN](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Screenshot-2020-07-15-at-12.57.27.png)
Changsha prosecutors indicted 3 staff from NGO Changsha Funeng; Ningxia police criminally detained lawyer Ma Wanjun; another activist forcibly disappeared into COVID-19 quarantine; activist to be tried for campaigning for better food safety standards in schools; constitutional law professor Xu Zhangrun dismissed by Tsinghua University
By Renee Xia | The world outside Geneva may have not noticed when a draft resolution initiated by China was passed at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on June 22. Too much is at stake to let this event slip off our radar screen.
Originally published by Aljazeera on July 10, 2020 By Ng Han The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Chen Quanguo, a member of China’s powerful Politburo, and three other senior officials, accusing them of serious human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority in a move likely to further increase tensions between Washington and Beijing. […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on 6 Jul, 2020 By Leo Lan As a citizen, imagine you are assured by a regime that you will be abundantly fed but you don’t have the right to choose your state leaders. Imagine also that you are detained after you attempt to attend a human rights […]
Ke Chengbing (柯成兵), Wei Zhili (危志立), Yang Zhengjun (杨郑君) (released) Criminal charge: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: January-March 2019 (detention; see specific dates in text); February-April (Residential Surveillance in Designated Location, RSDL; see specific dates in text); August 2019 (arrest; see specific dates in text) […]
From Guangdong Province, Huang Wenxun was arrested in Hubei while on an “advocacy tour” called “Enlightening China,” which was intended to encourage citizen activism and spread democratic ideas and rule of law. The tour, initiated by Huang, began in April 2013 and had stopped at nine cities before arriving at Chibi City, where Huang was detained along with other activists during a rally in May. Police initially put Huang under administrative detention for “unlawful assembly,” but then later criminally detained and arrested him on a different charge. Huang was reportedly tortured with electric shocks while in detention.
Yue Xin, a 2018 graduate of Peking University, has emerged as a leading voice in China’s #MeToo movement as well as a strong advocate for workers’ rights. She was disappeared on August 24, 2018, when police raided an apartment complex in Shenzhen and seized her and about 50 other students who had come to Guangdong to support Jasic Technology factory workers dismissed in late July for trying to unionize. Yue had served as a representative of the students, who were mainly from her own university as well as Renmin University and Nanjing University. The students had organized themselves under the name Jasic Workers Solidarity Support Group, espousing Marxist ideology with an emphasis on social justice and allegiance to constitutional democracy. By late September, at least 14 students and other activists remained in custody for supporting the workers’ demands for better wages and improved labor conditions.
Originally published by AsiaNews on June 25, 2020 Chinese police have formalized charges and arrests against Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, two leaders of the New Citizens Movement. Activists Ge Jueping, Chen Jiahong and Zhang Guiqi were also arrested for subversion. Before being tried, all had already served years of pre-trial detention. The danger for […]
Originally published by AFP on June 25, 2020 Chinese authorities have formally arrested two detained activists, including one who called for President Xi Jinping to step down over COVID-19, relatives and fellow campaigners said Thursday. Prominent figures Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong attended a secret meeting involving lawyers and human rights activists in Fujian province […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 25, 2020 By Gao Feng A court in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu has handed a four-and-a-half year jail term to a prominent rights activist after finding him guilty of “incitement to subvert state power.” Ge Jueping was sentenced by the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court after being […]
This week, while the Chinese government is poised to impose a national security law in Hong Kong, it also prosecuted a number of mainland human rights lawyers and activists on “inciting subversion of state power” charges, exemplifying how the government uses “endangering national security” crimes, with increasing frequency, to silent dissent and punish critics.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 23, 2020 By Xue Xiaoshan China’s state security police have formally arrested dissident Xu Zhiyong for subversion after he called publicly on President Xi Jinping to resign. Xu, who has already served jail time for his spearheading of the New Citizens’ Movement anti-corruption campaign, penned an open […]
China presented a “mutually beneficial cooperation” resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, which was debated on June 22. The resolution directly taken from Chinese Communist Party propaganda and modeled on its authoritarian governance would silence criticisms of rights abuses at the council’s mechanisms.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 22, 2020 By Qiao Long Authorities in Shanghai have formally arrested a lawyer-turned-citizen journalist who reported on the emerging coronavirus epidemic in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Zhang Zhan, who lives in Shanghai but who traveled to Wuhan in early February, was taken away from Wuhan’s Caiguang […]
CHRD has documented 12 cases of detained HRDs being denied access to their lawyers and families, including virtual meetings, on coronavirus grounds. The Chinese government must ensure their rights to legal counsel and family visitation and stop using the pandemic as the excuse to violate their rights.
Liu Yanli, 45, was formerly an employee at a bank in Jingmen City, Hubei province and a blogger. In recent years, she has repeatedly posted comments online calling for support for the army veterans who fought during the Anti-Japan (Second World) War. She also called for disclosure of officials’ assets. She established over 160 WeChat groups to raise awareness about social justice issues.
The wife of Lawyer Yu Wensheng, Xu Yan, received news from the People’s Procuratorate of Xuzhou City in the morning of 17 June 2020 that Lawyer Yu – who went through a secret trial back in May 2019 – has already been sentenced to four years in jail, in addition to deprivation of his political rights for three years for “inciting subversion of state power”. His family and his defence lawyers had not been informed in advance of any hearing, and were only notified of the outcome afterwards.
CHRD joined 85 other organizations to call on the National People’s Congress to halt its moves to impose a national security law on Hong Kong.
A Chinese court secretly handed down a four-year prison sentence to lawyer Yu Wensheng for “inciting subversion of state power.” The persecution of Yu Wensheng in reprisal for exercising and defending human rights and the grave injustices involved in this case demand his immediate and unconditional release.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 17, 2020 By Ng Yik-tung and Sing Man Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu have handed a four-year jail term to human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng on subversion charges. Yu was sentenced by Jiangsu’s Xuzhou Intermediate People’s Court after it found him guilty of “incitement to subvert state power” […]
Nanming District Sub-Bureau officers from Guiyang City Public Security Bureau seized former journalist Zhang Jialong from his home on August 12, 2019 and the next day put him under criminal detention on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Police formally arrested him on September 13, 2019 and Nanming District Guiyang City Procuratorate indicted him on November 27, 2019.
Originally published by The Guardian on June 15, 2020 The Australian man sentenced to death in China over alleged drug trafficking has been the subject of repeated Australian government representations, Scott Morrison said on Monday. It comes as the family of the man, Karm Gilespie, released a statement pleading for privacy, and for friends to stop […]
Originally published by The Guardian on June 11, 2020 Three prominent human rights activists have accused Zoom of disrupting or shutting down their accounts because they were linked to events to mark the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre or were to discuss China’s measures to exert control over Hong Kong. Lee Cheuk Yan, a veteran activist […]
Police in cities across China disappeared, detained, and harassed activists during the period around the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.
On May 28, 2019, police disappeared Liu Jinxing, aka Zhui Hun (追魂), along with five other artists in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, where they had gone to sell their artwork. Liu was criminally detained the next day. Police officers searched Liu’s home in Beijing on May 29, confiscating works of art and printed materials.
Li Qiaochu, a Beijing activist focusing on women’s and labor rights, was taken into custody in the early morning of February 16, 2020, and then forcibly disappeared. Both her location and case details, including any criminal charges, remain unknown. Li’s case is believed to be linked to her human rights activities and ties to her boyfriend, the prominent professor and activist Xu Zhiyong (许志永). Li was seized from Xu’s residence in Beijing, and just hours after Xu himself had been taken into custody in Guangzhou in Guangdong Province.
Chengdu police reportedly took away activist Chen Yunfei from his home in the Wenjiang District on May 31, 2020.
Database of Cases CHRD has documented 897 cases involving Chinese Internet users penalized by police for their online speech or information sharing about coronavirus between January 1 and March 26, 2020. The full bilingual Chinese and English list can be found here. Reports/Statements China: Stop Using COVID-19 for Unnecessary Restrictions on Detainees’ Visitation Rights, June […]
Originally published by Express on June 3, 2020 Politicians in the region are due to resume a debate today on a bill which could, among other things, make it illegal to disrespect China’s national anthem. A survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) showed that over 53 percent of respondents were “very concerned” […]
The Chinese Communist Party iron-fisted grip on power has perpetuated its leaders’ enjoyment of impunity for the Tiananmen massacre of pro-democracy protestors for 31 years. Victims and their families have never received justice. Photo by David Chen.
Yunnan police seized poet Wang Zang on May 30, 2020. They accused him of “inciting subversion of state power” and raided his home.
Guangdong police detained activist Xiao Yuhui and several other members of a WeChat group that reposted “One Message per Person to Save Hong Kong.”
Chengdu police detained activist Xie Junbiao on May 10, 2020 following his protest that morning outside the Sichuan Provincial People’s Assembly.
Beijing police detained a local Shandong government official for distributing flyers and then sent her back to her hometown and forcibly committed her to a psychiatric hospital.
Beijing activist Quan Shixin has been indicted and faces trial on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” for using Twitter. Wang Yong and Gao Jinbiao were recently tried, convited, and given prison sentences for using Twitter.
Originally published by VOA News on May 8, 2020 Press freedom advocates say China’s censorship of a letter co-authored by 27 European Union ambassadors that contained a reference to the origins of the coronavirus is another example of how the lack of press freedom in the country has caused problems for the world. A sentence in the […]
Originally published by The Guardian in 28 May 2020 Move paves way for anti-sedition laws that rights advocates say threaten freedoms, as US opposition builds China’s legislature has approved controversial national security laws for Hong Kong, dealing what critics have called a “killer blow” to the city’s autonomy and freedoms. Delegates of China’s National People’s Congress broke […]
Originally published by Guardian on May 28, 2020 China’s legislature has approved a decision to force a controversial national security law on Hong Kong, in an extraordinary and unprecedented move aimed at bringing the semi-autonomous territory further under Beijing’s control. On Thursday, China’s National People’s Congressvoted and passed a draft decision that paves the way for anti-sedition […]
Originally published by RFI on May 28, 2020 China’s National People’s Congress ended on Thursday with the adoption of the first-ever Civil Code and controversial legislation on Hong Kong. But to what extent does China’s lawmaking body, officially presented as an example of “socialist democracy,” defend the citizens of China? On 28 April, just three […]
中國政府必須撤回對香港實施《國家安全法》的決定。在香港強制實施中國人大起草的《國安法》，無疑是在剝奪香港居民目前享有的人權和基本自由。
The Chinese government must reverse its decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong. Imposing a CCP-drafted national security law in Hong Kong would mean stripping away any remaining human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 20, 2020 Commentators have been raising concerns over Twitter’s recent hiring of artificial intelligence (AI) star Fei-Fei Li, who has links to the Chinese Communist Party. Twitter appointed Stanford professor and former Google vice president Li to its board as an independent director earlier this month, citing […]
Xi’an Police seized prominent journalist Jiang Xue on May 18. Her whereabouts and the criminal charges against her are unknown.
Shanghai police criminally detained citizen journalist and activist Zhang Zhan on May 15, 2020, on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” She had been reporting from Wuhan since February about the coronavirus pandemic.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 18, 2020 Police from Shanghai have detained a lawyer-turned-citizen journalist who reported on the emerging coronavirus epidemic in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Zhang Zhan, who lives in Shanghai but who traveled to Wuhan in early February, was taken away from Wuhan’s Caiguang Hotel near Hankou […]
On May 15, 2019, Anhui police seized Shen Liangqing near his residence in the evening while he was walking his dog. Shen later told his lawyer that unknown men grabbed him and put a black hood over his head, making him believe he was being kidnapped, before police officers showed identification. Police confiscated Shen’s cellphone and computer, claiming “to preserve evidence for investigation.” The police then criminally detained Shen for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” on May 16. On June 25, Shen’s family received the notification for his formal arrest from the Baohe Branch of the Hefei City Public Security Bureau in which it said Shen had been formally arrested for the same charge on June 20.
Originally published by WORLD ISRAEL NEWS on May 17, 2020 They were evidently “disappeared” because they were searching for, and telling the truth about, what happened, as well as the Chinese regime’s attempt to bury it. By Giulio Meotti, Gatestone Institute Three Chinese internet activists have disappeared and are believed to have been detained by police. […]
Originally published by HKFP on May 16, 2020 By Leo Lan A 12-year-old boy who aspired to be a journalist went to cover the protests in Hong Kong on Mother’s Day. He found himself surrounded and scoffed at by police officers in full gear. Citizens in this city are shocked in disbelief. It’s not only […]
Originally published by The Guardian on May 15, 2020 Residents from a famous village perched 800 metres up a cliff are among thousands being relocated by the Chinese government into apartment complexes as part of a national poverty alleviation program. Atulie’er village in Sichuan province drew worldwide fame in 2016 after images emerged of the residents […]
Originally published by AFP on May 15, 2020 by Patrick Baert A journalist who had worked for some of China’s most powerful propaganda outlets has been jailed for 15 years after being accused of attacking the ruling Communist Party, court documents showed. The sentence handed down on Chen Jieren is one of the harshest moves yet […]
Liaocheng City police seized poet Lu Yang on May 1. For the next two weeks, police subjected him to forced disappearance. On May 13, police notified his family that Lu Yang had been criminally detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion” for comments made online.
Originally published by Vice News on May 14, 2020 Just before midnight, on Sunday, June 9, last year, Zhang Jialong tweeted a picture of his one-day-old daughter lying in a hospital cot, wrapped in layers of pink. “Every life is precious,” Zhang said. That was Zhang’s final message on Twitter, but over two months later, […]
Originally published by University World News on May 12, 2020 Two Chinese academics are under investigation by their universities and a third has been arrested in recent weeks for criticising the handling of the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown in China. COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, in China’s central Hubei province, at the end of last year. […]
By Frances Eve | Former journalist Zhang Jialong faces trial on May 13. He has been charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” for sending fewer than 200 tweets. Meanwhile, the Chinese government freely uses Twitter for its propaganda and disinformation.
Shanghai police seized lawyer and former professor Zhang Xuezhong from his home in the early morning of May 11. Two days prior to being detained, Zhang had written an open letter to all the delegates of the National People’s Congress.
On May 16, 2019, Sichuan police took Deng Chuanbin (aka Huang Huang, 晃晃), from his home in the evening and criminally detained him the next day. Police detained him after he tweeted (and later deleted) a post about the upcoming June Fourth anniversary, arriving at his home just 30 minutes after he sent the tweet. Police returned to his home on May 20 and confiscated electronic items, including three mobile phones, a computer, laptop, iPad, memory cards, and a camera. He was among the 25 individuals who were detained, disappeared or forced to travel during the 30th anniversary of Tiananmen Crackdown, according to CHRD’s documentation.
Originally published by Vice News on May 7, 2020 Around dinner time on Thursday, February 6, Chen Qiushi set out from his hotel near the train station in the Hongshan District of Wuhan to attempt to film at one of the temporary hospitals Chinese authorities had built to cope with the massive influx of COVID-19 […]
By Frances Eve | The Chinese government has treated Huang Qi and Pu Wenqing with utter disregard for their human rights and human dignity. It should take a first step to right the wrong by granting this dying woman her wish and let her see her son.
Originally published by Eleconomista on May 5, 2020 ¿Quién es Huang Yanling?. En la clandestinidad de las redes sociales chinas, perseguidas por la voraz censura de Pekín, esta investigadora del Instituto de Virología de Wuhan (WIV, por sus siglas en inglés), se postula desde comienzos de año como la verdadera paciente cero de un Chernóbil […]
Originally published by Express on May 5, 2020 Chen Zhaozhi was detained for “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble” – a charge frequently used by authorities to gag peaceful critics of the ruling party. Mr Chen is a former professor at the Beijing University of Science and Technology. Police swooped on him on April 14 […]
Chinese police persecuted two HRDs for their online speech. Hunan activist Liu Yanli received a four-year prison sentence on April 22 and former prisoner of conscience Xie Wenfei was criminally detained on April 29.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 4, 2020 Authorities in the Chinese capital have formally arrested a retired professor who called COVID-19 a “Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus,” as supporters of the ruling party unleash a political backlash against its critics and the authorities investigate supporters of Wuhan Diary author Fang Fang. Beijing police formally […]
Originally published by CNN on May 1, 2020 Hong Kong (CNN)A former Chinese state media journalist turned anti-corruption bloggerhas been sentenced to 15 years in prison.Chen Jieren was detained in mid-2018 after he published two articles on his personal blog claiming corruption by Hunan party officials. On Thursday, a court in the southern province jailed him for “picking quarrels and […]
Originally published by The Irish Times on May 1, 2020 A Chinese journalist and anti-corruption blogger has been jailed for 15 years after being accused of criticising the Communist Party through commentaries and investigative reports posted on social media platforms. Chen Jieren has been detained since 2018 after he published two blog articles claiming corruption by […]
Originally published by Deutsche Welle on May 1, 2020 A Chinese journalist has been jailed for 15 years after being accused of attacking and vilifying the Communist Party, court documents showed. According to a statement posted online from Hunan province’s Guiyang County Court, Chen Jieren was convicted on Thursday for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” […]
Originally published by Het Parool on May 1, 2020 Chen Jieren werd door justitie in de provincie Hunan veroordeeld wegens ‘provocatie en het veroorzaken van moeilijkheden, afpersing, illegale bedrijfsvoering en omkoping’. Ook kreeg hij een boete van 7 miljoen yuan (ongeveer 900.000 euro). De organisatie Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) riep Peking in een verklaring op de […]
Originally published by AFP on May 1, 2020 Um jornalista chinês acusado de “denegrir” o Partido Comunista e o governo foi condenado a 15 anos de prisão, anunciou um tribunal em comunicado. É uma das sentenças mais severas contra uma pessoa crítica ao governo do presidente Xi Jinping, alvo de acusações há semanas por sua […]
Originally published by Vijesti on May 1, 2020 Čen i nekoliko njegovih članova porodice uhapšeni su u ljeto 2018. godine, odmah po emitovanju na njegovom sajtu nekoliko tekstova u kojima su lokalni zvaničnici optuženi za korupciju Kineski novinar i bloger Čen Đeren, koji je prema pravosuđu kritikovao Komunističku partiju na vlasti i vladu, osuđen je […]
Originally published by TV8 on May 1, 2020 Un jurnalist chinez, care – potrivit justiţiei – a denigrat atât Partidul Comunist, la putere, cât şi guvernul, a fost condamnat la 15 ani de închisoare, potrivit Digi24. Bloggerul Chen Jieren, fost angajat al Ziarul Poporului, a fost condamnat joi. Jurnalistul a fost condamnat pentru incitare la revoltă, […]
Originally published by Newsweek on May 1, 2020 Chinese journalist Chen Jieren was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday, for publishing negative information about China’s Communist Party. According to the South China Morning Post, a court in the central Hunan province released a statement which said that Chen was convicted for “picking […]
![[Briefing] COVID-19 Arrests & Victims Threatened for Seeking Compensation; Lawyer Punished](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/56F40CD5-DF79-4295-9409-45C7FAF3BF48.jpg)
Crackdown on free expression tied to COVID-19 continues as retired professor arrested for criticising CCP and three young volunteers detained for documenting censored news. Victims and families threatened for seeking compensation over government failures in handling the virus. Lawyer punished for representing another rights lawyer.
Chinese authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Chen Jieren and his family members and associates, who have been prosecuted over Chen’s exercise of his right to free expression. A Hunan court handed Chen a 15-year prison sentence on April 30 in apparent punishment for his political speech.
Chinese police intimidated and harassed potential plaintiffs in litigation against Wuhan and Hubei governments for failure to release vital information about the novel coronavirus in a timely manner, which resulted in deaths and damages.
Beijing police formally arrested retired professor Chen Zhaozhi on April 14 for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” over his online speech about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three young volunteers of “Terminus2049” Github website documenting censored news and information about COVID-19, Chen Mei (陈玫), Cai Wei (蔡伟), and Cai’s girlfriend Xiao Tang (小唐) went missing on April 19, 2020 and later confirmed detained by Beijing police, according to their family, friends and employers.
The Chengdu City Lawyers’ Association, a state-run agency, handed out a “professional reprimand” to discipline human rights lawyer Lu Siwei (卢思位) on April 24, 2020.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 24, 2020 Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hubei have formally arrested a woman on public order charges after she organized local people to protest against price-gouging on essential goods during the coronavirus lockdown. Police in Hubei’s Yingcheng city formally arrested Zeng Chunzhi on suspicion of “picking quarrels and stirring […]
中国政府必须采取有效措施，停止对湖北居民和非洲移民的歧视。这种歧视性的待遇已违反了中国法律和国际人权法。
The undersigned organizations write today to emphasize the fundamental importance of ensuring transparency and adequately assessing the human rights impact of any public-private partnerships that the United Nations (U.N.) may enter into, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic poses many unique challenges which must be addressed in order to effectively reach the global community and advance international cooperation during an unprecedented global health crisis.
Beijing Filmmaker Forcibly Disappeared on “Inciting Subversion” Likely for Making Documentary about Xu Zhiyong; Hubei Woman Arrested After Neighborhood Protest Against Price Hikes in Lockdown; Hong Kong Police Arrest 15 Democracy Leaders in Connection to 2019 Protests
Originally published by The Economic Times on April 21, 2020 NEW DELHI: Chinese authorities have been allegedly harassing lawyers and activists who are speaking about coronavirus outbreak and its management. A “cynical and orchestrated” campaign by the Chinese authorities to stop the country’s 1.4 billion citizens from even discussing the COVID-19 outbreak, according an investigative […]
The Chinese government must take effective steps to end discrimination against Hubei residents and African migrants. Discriminatory mistreatment violates Chinese law and international human rights law.
Originally published Daily Mail on April 18, 2020 The fearsome knock on the door came after nightfall. Outside were two men in hazmat suits who told businessman Fang Bin they had come to take him into medical quarantine. But the textile trader, a gangly man in his early 40s, wasn’t ill and the men outside […]
（人权捍卫者网络CHRD — 2020年4月1日）中国政府必须释放被羁押的公民记者和直言不讳的批评者，并结束自新冠肺炎爆发以来对网络言论自由的新一轮镇压。中国当局打着抗击新型冠状病毒的幌子，通过屏蔽独立报导、疫情信息共享和对政府应对措施的批评意见，加大了对网络言论信息的压制力度。攻击性的网络警巡和侵入性的在线监测，在政府最初掩盖疫情和阻碍重要信息流通方面发挥了关键作用，也造成了对紧急应变的严重延误和生命损失。
Chen Jiahong 陈家鸿 Crime: “Inciting subversion of state power” Length of Punishment: 3 years Court: The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Yulin Intermediate Court Trial Date: June 22, 2020 Sentencing Date: December 14, 2021 Dates of Detention/Arrest: April 29, 2019 (criminal detention), unknown date (criminal indictment) Place of Incarceration: Yulin City Detention Center (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region) Background Chen Jiahong (陈家鸿), a rights lawyer […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 10, 2020 A lawyer in the central Chinese province of Henan who was disciplined for writing on social media about the number of dead bodies being cremated in the central city of Wuhan has abandoned her appeal against the sanction. Liu Yingying became the subject of a […]
Originally published by Byline Times on April 7, 2020 Taking personal information from social media accounts, stepping up facial recognition and collecting biometric data without consent are just a few of the ways in which governments around the world are taking surveillance to a whole new level. Although, in some democratic countries, surveillance is being used […]
Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang is expected to be released after completing his sentence on 5 April 2020. Wang Quanzhang was arrested during the 709 Crackdown in 2015. After being secretly detained for more than 1200 days, he was tried behind closed doors on 26 December 2018, and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison in January 2019, as well as deprivation of political rights for five years.
Originally published by Express on April 5, 2020 Beijing is cracking down on those who challenged the official propaganda that president Xi Jinping had handled the outbreak with transparency and expertise. Many people from Wuhan have expressed their anger at the central government’s negligence, especially after the death of the doctor who originally broke the […]
Originally published by VOA on April 2, 2020 WASHINGTON – It was a familiar phone number, from secret police officer Sun. “Where are you? Send me a GPS location,” said Sun, a member of the guobao, an arm of China’s domestic security force tasked with monitoring dissidents and keeping them in line, said. Gao Fei, 32, a native of Huanggang, Hubei province, was a welder in Guangdong province. He got in trouble and met Sun in 2014 for participating in human rights activities. […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—April 1, 2020) The Chinese government must release detained citizen journalists and outspoken critics, and end the new crackdown on free expression online since the start of COVID-19 outbreak. Under the guise of fighting the novel coronavirus, authorities in China have escalated suppression online by blocking independent reporting, information sharing, and critical comments on government responses. Aggressive cyber policing and invasive online surveillance have played a key role in the initial government cover-up of the outbreak and hampering vital information flow, contributing to significant delay of emergency responses and loss of life.
普遍定期审议（UPR）是一个独特的程序，涉及对所有联合国成员国的人权记录进行审议。普遍定期审议是一个由人权理事会主持并由国家主导的程序，每个国家借此机会公开其为改善国内人权状况而采取的行动及其履行人权义务的情况。作为人权理事会的一个重要特色：普遍定期审议旨在确保一视同仁地评估每个国家的人权状况。
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on […]
Qin Yongpei (覃永沛), a disbarred rights defense lawyer from Guangxi Province, was detained in October 2019 in apparent retaliation for criticizing on social media the corruption of high-level Chinese officials. Qin has also long advocated for fellow persecuted lawyers. More than 10 Nanning City police officers seized Qin from the office of Baiyongming Legal Consulting Services Co., Ltd. (百永鸣法律咨询服务有限公司). Qin had been serving as the director of Baiyongming, which had formerly been a law firm until it was forced to dissolve and turned into a consultancy. Police criminally detained Qin and searched both the company’s premises and his home, seizing several of his personal possessions. Qin, who has been held incommunicado during his entire detention, was formally arrested in December 2019, and police transferred his case for indictment to the Nanning City People’s Procuratorate in March 2020.
Three activists—Dai Zhenya (戴振亚), Li Yingjun (李英俊), Zhang Zhongshun (张忠顺)—were seized on December 26, 2019, in operations by police from Yantai City, Shandong Province who detained and interrogated more than a dozen human rights defenders across China. The operation also ensnared Beijing-based activist Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) who had previously served a prison sentence for his activism tied to the New Citizens’ Movement. Individuals were swept up in Beijing and the provinces of Fujian, Shandong, Hebei, Sichuan, and Zhejiang, with authorities forming a task force to target individuals who attended a private gathering held on December 7-8 in Xiamen City in Fujian. The participants allegedly discussed politics and ideas for China’s future and their civil society experiences. Dai and Li, both from Fujian, were taken into custody at their homes in Xiamen and Zhangzhou, respectively, after attending the event; Zhang was detained in his hometown of Yantai in Shandong. Lawyer Chang Weiping was briefly detained in January and put under RSDL before being released.
Originally published by The Union Journal on March 13, 2020 Chinese lobbyists Wang Heying as well as Zhang Jianping have actually won a respected civils rights honor in memory of a civils rights advocate that passed away in authorities apprehension after being rejected accessibility to ample healthcare. The honor, which comes amidst an ever-widening suppression […]
Originally published by National Observer on March 13, 2020 The police came for Dr. Li Wenliang in the middle of the night on the first day of the year. Just days earlier, Li, a physician in Wuhan, China, had sent a message to his medical school alumni group on WeChat informing them that a cluster of patients […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—March 13, 2020) Human rights defenders Zhang Jianping and Wang Heying win the sixth Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The decision to give this year’s award to both Mr. Zhang and Ms. Wang recognizes their long-standing grassroots activism to promote protection of human rights in China.
Originally published by BuzzFeed News on March 11, 2020 People on WeChat, the Chinese messaging app, are evading censors by translating a viral interview from a Wuhan, China, coronavirus whistleblower by rewriting it backward, filling it with typos and emojis, sharing it as a PDF, and even translating it into fictional languages like Klingon. The heavily shared interview […]
Originally published by The Diplomat on March 9, 2020 Over the past month, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has marshalled the country’s public security apparatus to track down and detain known activists and ordinary citizens who have shared information about the coronavirus outbreak, provided on-the-ground updates from the epicenter, or reflected upon the epidemic’s implications […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on March 7, 2020 WASHINGTON – The death last month of China’s whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, weeks after he warned of a new, unnamed coronavirus in an online chatroom, triggered an outpouring of calls for free speech in the world’s most populous authoritarian country. In online chatrooms, many mourned […]
CHRD“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受人权侵犯的受害者（尤其是人权捍卫者）提供法律援助； 人道援助； 为维护和倡导人权等公民活动提供支持。本项目同时致力于敦促中国政府兑现《世界人权宣言》并落实已经批准加入的各项国际人权公约，使得国内法的制订和实施符合国际人权标准，以提升公民的政治、经济、社会、文化等方面的基本权利。
Originally published by World Magazine on February 27,2020 By June Cheng With Wuhan, China, on lockdown, Pastor Mark Song has spent most of the last month pastoring his church and serving the city from his apartment. Every morning he livestreams prayer meetings for the 140 members of his church, prepares his Sunday sermons (also livestreamed), video chats with […]
Communiqué on Behalf of DING Jiaxi, ZHANG Zhongshun, DAI Zhenya, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China,
Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Enforced Disappearance,
Deprivation of Rights to Expression, Assembly, and Association, and Reprisals against a Human Rights Defender
We, the undersigned human rights organizations, write to you in regard to the arrest of five human rights observers whilst conducting their work at assemblies in Hong Kong in November 2019 and January 2020. The arrests contravene the Hong Kong SAR government’s international human rights obligations to respect, protect and facilitate the legitimate work of human rights observers in monitoring all aspects of assemblies within the territory. We believe that the arrest of the five was arbitrary, since they only exercised their legitimate human rights work and that, therefore, the Hong Kong Police Force should immediately cease criminal investigations into all five in relation to their arrests whilst deployed as monitors, drop all charges and return all their personal belongings and monitoring equipment, undamaged and with comprehensive information whether and if so how these items have been used for evidence-gathering purposes in the meantime.
中国人权捍卫者(CHRD) 建议将下列问题列入委员会的问题清单，在审议中国政府的定期报告时，要求中国政府说明已采取哪些措施落实《残疾人权利公约》中所规定的权利。
CHRD suggests including the following questions in the CRPD List of Issues to for the Chinese government to answer as part of the CRPD’s upcoming review process of China’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Originally published by Daily Maverick on February 24,2020 By Mark Heywood The danger of a virus that could rapidly spread across the world and potentially kill millions of people has long been warned of. As far back as 1996, the World Health Organisation was warning that 17-million people a year were dying prematurely because of infectious diseases and […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on […]
Originally published by New York Times on February 14 ,2020 By Vivian Wang HONG KONG — The beige van squatted outside of a Wuhan hospital, its side and back doors ajar. Fang Bin, a local clothing salesman, peered inside as he walked past. He groaned: “So many dead.” He counted five, six, seven, eight body bags. “This is too many.” That moment, in […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 13,2020 By Wang Yun Chinese president Xi Jinping is building a “dystopian digital surveillance state” to promote his brand of totalitarian rule, according to a recent report by a human rights group. “Pushing for his vision of a dystopian digital surveillance state, Xi wielded his largely unfettered powers to suppress those aspiring for and […]
By Frances Eve | Originally published in The Guardian | The WHO is ignoring Chinese government suppression of human rights regarding the coronavirus outbreak, including severe restrictions on freedom of expression.
In 2019, human rights defenders in China and its peripheral regions braved cruel punishment in challenging the Chinese government’s human rights abuses and draconian laws. They refused to back down from the rising totalitarian rule of President Xi Jinping.
Originally published by Sky News on February 11, 2020 The coronavirus outbreak has infected thousands and killed hundreds – but there has been secrecy surrounding many of the cases. So what do we know so far about the victims, and are Chinese authorities trying to silence discussion? What do we know about the victims? The […]
Originally published by AL JAZEERA NEWS on February 9, 2020. Sichuan, China – Orders issued by China’s top health authority for the swift cremation of the remains of coronavirus victims at facilities near the hospitals where they died appear to be an overreaction and unnecessary to curb the transmission of the disease, top epidemiologists have said. […]
Originally published by The Observers on February 07,2020 By Marie Genries As the coronavirus epidemic continues to spread across China, a few courageous citizens have braved government censorship to document what is happening. One of them is a man known only as Fangbin, a Wuhan resident who was arrested on February 1 after sharing rare videos of the city’s overcrowded hospitals. Fangbin […]
Originally published by University World News on February 06,2020 By Mimi Leung and Yojana Sharma A well-known academic in China has this week criticised the government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, highlighting that it has caused widespread dissatisfaction in the country. The emergence of criticism by academics, medical personnel, and netizens silenced by the authorities for ‘spreading rumours’ could herald a new […]
（中国人权捍卫者—2020年1月31日）中国政府在应对2019新型冠状病毒爆发时必须尊重人权，包括取消审查、停止警方恐吓和任意拘留、放宽无差别的出行限制以及消除针对武汉和湖北省居民社会歧视。人权绝不能成为政府遏制新冠病毒爆发措施的牺牲品。据中国官方数据，截止到2月3日，新冠疫情已导致370人死亡，数百万人受到各种影响。媒体和互联网信息的自由流动、民间社会的参与以及便利的物资和急救人员的及时行动和调配，对于有效应对这次全球卫生紧急状况十分必要。
Originally published by Los Angeles Times on February 3, 2020 BEIJING — Masked men in hazmat suits came in the night and knocked on Fang Bin’s door in Wuhan, China, demanding to put him in quarantine. “You went to such a dangerous place, couldn’t you have been infected?” one of them asked. “What if your sickness spreads […]
Originally published by The Guardian on February 03,2020 By Lily Kuo A man stands next to a cart in a snow-covered field in Inner Mongolia, trying to carve a path. A drone hovers in the distance and a voice calls out: “Uncle, why are you still going out without a face mask? Don’t laugh. Hurry up and get in your […]
Originally published by Los Angeles Times on February 03,2020 By Sarah Cook As reports of new coronavirus infections soar, it’s becoming clear that Chinese government leaders have been putting their political interests ahead of public health. This is not a surprise but a long-established pattern. In recent days, medical experts have found evidence that the origin of the outbreak was not a […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—January 31, 2020) The Chinese government must respect human rights in its response to the 2019-nCoV coronavirus outbreak, including lifting censorship, ceasing police intimidation and arbitrary detention, easing indiscriminate restrictions on movement, and countering social discrimination against Wuhan and Hubei Province residents. Human rights must not be a casualty of the government’s work to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has killed nearly 200 people and affected millions. Free flow of information in the press and on the Internet, participation of civil society, and facilitated movement of supplies and first responders, are necessary for an effective response to this global health emergency.
Originally published by The Telegraph on January 26, 2020 China’s status as a major superpower clearly places it outside the “normal actions” of the World Health Organization, experts have warned, as the country’s coronavirus outbreak continues to spread. The novel virus has been detected in nearly every province in China and in at least seven other countries, infecting more […]
Originally published by Daily Mail on January 25, 2020 Experts are questioning why Chinese authorities have suddenly leaped into action, weeks after the first coronavirus case was reported. Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) has been left concerned about China’s transparency in light of the quarantine of victims of the virus, as well […]
Chongqing police detained activist Pan Bin in June 2017. He eventually received a 4-year prison sentence after being tried in November 2018. Pan had been accused of helping organize petitioners to present their grievances to government officials, but his incarceration is also likely tied to his pro-democracy advocacy, including as a member of the advocacy group Green Leaf Action (绿叶行动). The group has focused on abolishing China’s current medical insurance and social security systems, ending collusion between government and business, ensuring food safety, and strengthening environmental protection.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 17, 2020 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have release women’s rights activist and independent journalist Sophia Huang, also known as Huang Xueqin, on “bail,” ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations at the end of the month, rights groups said. The Chinese Feminists group posted […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 15, 2020 China is continuing a nationwide crackdown on rights activists, detaining lawyer Chang Weiping at an unknown location, while pressing “terrorism” charges against Zhang Baocheng, activists told RFA. Chang was detained by police in the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi and placed under “residential surveillance” at an […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders—January 15, 2020) In an indication of escalation of the December rounding-up of lawyers and activists, Chinese police detained human rights lawyer Chang Weiping in Shaanxi Province. Police told Chang’s family that he was put under residential surveillance in an unknown location on suspicion of “endangering national security.” Lawyer Chang’s detention came only days after police took into custody several lawyers and activists in Shandong, Fujian, and Beijing, starting on December 26, likely in connection to a private gathering in Fujian Province. CHRD urges authorities to release Chang Weiping and all the other lawyers and activists immediately and unconditionally. Punishing these activists for meeting peacefully violates China’s Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
By Frances Eve | Originally published in The Guardian | Mesut Özil should be applauded for speaking out for the plight of Uighurs in China and helping to raise awareness of one of the worst human rights atrocities of the modern era.
Huang Yunmin, an ex-judge-turned-legal advocate from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, was sentenced to 10 years in prison following a trial in September 2017. Kashgar Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court convicted him of “organizing, leading, and actively participating in a terrorist organization.” Police in Tumxuk (图木舒克), a city in Kashgar Prefecture, seized Huang in March 2017 when they suspected he planned to accompany farmers and ex-soldiers to Beijing to present grievances to central authorities during China’s major legislative sessions, specifically complaints against Tumxuk officials over perceived unjust court verdicts and rights violations. Huang’s prison sentence appears to be retaliation for not only this advocacy but for Huang’s online activities in the aftermath of the “July 5 Incident,” when ethnic unrest broke out in 2009 in Ürümqi, the capital city of Xinjiang.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Communiqué on Behalf of HUANG Xueqin, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, […]
Originally published by HKFP Media on January 7, 2020 An activist who filmed herself splashing ink on a poster of Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been released from a psychiatric facility more than a year after she was admitted, according to NGO Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) . On July 4, 2018, Dong Yaoqiong live-streamed a video […]
Originally published by HKFP on January 3, 2020 By Jing Xuan Teng Over a dozen Chinese lawyers and activists were detained or went missing in the final days of 2019 in a crackdown on participants of a private democracy gathering, rights groups said on Thursday. The Chinese government has severely reduced the space for civil liberties […]
Originally published by China Digital Times on January 03,2020 Following Beijing’s tradition of sentencing high-profile activists, rights lawyers, and dissidents during the week between Christmas and the New Year in an effort to minimize international media attention, more than 12 lawyers and activists were detained, arrested, or otherwise went missing in a crackdown. Several of those detained were participants in a recent pro-democracy gathering […]
Originally published by Expresso on January 2, 2020 A Chinese Human Rights Defenders indicou que, entre os detidos, conta-se o advogado Ding Jiaxi, um dos mais proeminentes membros do chamado Movimento dos Novos Cidadãos, um grupo cívico conhecido pela campanha de combate à corrupção Uma organização não-governamental (ONG) denunciou esta quinta-feira a detenção na China, nos […]
Originally published by Hyperallergic Media on January 2, 2020 PEN America demands the immediate release of Chinese artist Yang Licai, who has been detained by authorities in China for his alleged online support of the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests. Yang was arrested in the city of Shenzhen in southeastern China on December 11 on charges of inciting […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 2, 2020 Chinese police have launched a nationwide operation detaining at least eight people and questioning others, following a Dec. 13 meeting of liberal-minded activists and lawyers in the southeastern province of Fujian. Authorities in the eastern province of Shandong set up a police task force after the […]
Originally published by Deutsche Welle on January 2, 2020 More than a dozen Chinese lawyers and activists are reportedly missing or were detained by authorities in the final days of 2019 as part of the Chinese government’s year-end crackdown on pro-democracy campaigners. Human rights groups said Thursday the latest crackdown was linked to a meeting in […]
Originally published by AFP on January 2, 2020 BEIJING – Over a dozen Chinese lawyers and activists were detained or went missing in the final days of 2019 in a crackdown on participants of a private democracy gathering, rights groups said Thursday. The Chinese government has severely reduced the space for civil liberties since President Xi Jinping […]
Originally published by Abacus News on February 02,2020 While trawling through WeChat looking for ways to protect myself against the deadly new coronavirus plaguing China, I received a piece of advice: Drink vinegar. And that’s not all. It seems the social network is full of ways to stay protected, like remaining positive (“think of three […]
Originally published by DW on January 02,2020 The latest crackdown against over a dozen lawyers and activists was reportedly linked to a gathering in the city of Xiamen, where participants discussed China’s democratic transition. Rights groups slammed the arrests. More than a dozen Chinese lawyers and activists are reportedly missing or were detained by authorities in […]
In the last few days of 2019, Chinese police detained and summoned for questioning a dozen activists and lawyers in Fujian, Shandong, Beijing, Hebei, Sichuan, and Zhejiang. The raids appear to target individuals who attended a small, private gathering in Fujian on December 13. A similar gathering took place one year ago in Shandong, which may explain the lead Shandong police take in this raid.
Originally published by The Straits Times on December 31, 2019 Chinese state media outlets have come out in full-throated condemnation of the latest foreign reporting on detentions in Xinjiang, as Beijing tries to wrest control of the media narrative on its policy to build re-education camps, which it calls vocational training centres, in its far-western region. […]
Originally published by The Guardian on December 10, 2019 As China hosts hundreds of lawyers from around the world, dozens of prominent Chinese rights lawyers remain detained, according to rights advocates who have criticised the event as “a mockery”. On Tuesday China held the second day of the global lawyers forum, coinciding with human rights day, bringing more […]
Originally published by The Daily Targum on December 9, 2019 For much of the last decade, the Uighur people of Xinjiang have been subject to discriminatory surveillance, oppression, internment and many other forms of state-sponsored abuse at the hands of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Xinjiang party leader Chen Quanguo. In an effort to promote cultural, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 27, 2019 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have moved an independent journalist detained after covering the Hong Kong protest movement to an unknown location, RFA has learned. “After detaining #MeToo movement leader Sophia Huang Xueqin on 10/17,the Chinese gov’t transferred her to “residential surveillance in adesignated location,” […]
Originally published by The Irish Times on November 24, 2019 A road construction worker from Xinjiang who urged his colleagues to pray before meals and not to watch pornography was sent to jail for 10 years. Details of the case are contained in the leaked China Cables. The sentencing document for the 50-year old Uighur Muslim, who left education at […]
He Fangmei, an advocate for vaccination safety, was criminally detained in March 2019, after being forcibly returned to her home province of Henan from Beijing. Ms. He had been in Beijing demonstrating with other families whose children had been stricken with illness or disability due to faulty vaccines. Her detention was among a number that occurred around the time of the 40th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in March, which included scrutiny of China’s rights record under the Universal Periodic Review.
（2019年11月25日）聯合國人權高級專員、聯合國負責人權事務的最高級別官員米歇爾·巴切萊特（Michelle Bachelet）必須公開譴責香港政府系統性侵犯和平集會自由和言論自由權利，並譴責香港警方不必要和過度使用武力的行為。
（2019年11月25日）联合国人权高级专员、联合国负责人权事务的最高级别官员米歇尔·巴切莱特（Michelle Bachelet）必须公开谴责香港政府系统性侵犯和平集会自由和言论自由权利，并谴责香港警方不必要和过度使用武力的行为。
22 NGOs jointly call on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to publicly denounce the systematic violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong
Zhou Yuanzhi, a writer and editor from Hubei Province, was handed a four-and-half-year prison sentence in July 2019, for his alleged efforts to help petitioners organize to present grievances to Chinese authorities, and for making “politically sensitive” online comments. After Zhou was initially detained in November 2017, he was issued a 15-day administrative detention but then criminally detained after completing that punishment. Zhou’s prison term was calculated based on conviction for three separate crimes; the court issued a two-year punishment for “organizing illegal gatherings,” three years for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and 18 months for “libel,” due to his social media posts.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Communiqué on Behalf of ZHAO Haitong, Citizen of the People’s […]
Zhang Shaojie, a Christian pastor in Nanle County, Henan Province, had for years helped disadvantaged groups defend their rights and interests. In particular, he had accompanied members of his congregation from the “Three-Self” Patriotic Protestant Church to travel to Beijing to “petition” (present grievances) to central government officials over a land rights dispute with Nanle authorities. The church, for which Zhang had been the chairman and president, is officially sanctioned by the Chinese government. Zhang had also served as a member of the “Political Consultative” body of the Chinese Communist Party in Nanle County.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 29, 2019 Rights groups have called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party torelease an independent journalist held on public order charges after she covered the Hong Kong protest movement. Huang Xueqin, also known as Sophia Huang, was detained on Oct. 17 bypolice in Guangdong’s provincial capital Guangzhou, on suspicion […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 24, 2019 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have detained an outspoken writer and #MeToo movement activist after she published an article about the Hong Kong protest movement. Huang Xueqin, also known as Sophia Huang, was detained on Oct. 17 bypolice in Guangdong’s provincial capital Guangzhou, on suspicion […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia in October 21, 2019 Rights activists on Monday called for the release of Shanghai activist Chen Jianfang, who has been held incommunicado for more than six months on subversion charges, saying she is at high risk of torture. Chen was detained on March 20 alongside her husband, and the couple’disappeared’ for several months. Chen was formally […]
（2019年10月21日）国际人权组织敦促中国政府应撤销对人权捍卫者陈建芳的“颠覆国家政权”指控，并立即无条件释放她。陈女士已被单独监禁了6个多月，在当局指控她犯有危害国家安全罪后，她现在可能面临长期监禁。
任意拘留问题工作组、强迫或非自愿失踪问题工作组、促进和保护见解和言论自由权问题特别报告员、人权捍卫者处境问题特别报告员
International human rights NGOs urge the Chinese government to drop the “subversion of state power” charge against human rights defender Chen Jianfang and release her immediately and unconditionally.
（中國人權捍衛者— 2019年10月5日）香港行政長官林鄭月娥應撤銷其運用緊急權力決定訂立的《禁止蒙面規例》 （又稱“禁蒙面法”），該法於10月5日午夜正式生效。該規例援引自緊急法，迴避了立法程序，試圖阻止人們上街抗議，這無疑是一個危險的先例。當局製定了一個適用範圍過於廣泛的法規，也侵犯了《基本法》、《香港人權法案條例》和《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》所保障的和平集會權（ICCPR）。
（中国人权捍卫者— 2019年10月5日）香港行政长官林郑月娥应撤销其运用紧急权力决定订立的《禁止蒙面规例》 （又稱“禁蒙面法”），该法于10月5日午夜正式生效。该规例援引自紧急法，回避了立法程序，试图阻止人们上街抗议，这无疑是一个危险的先例。当局制定了一个适用范围过于广泛的法规，也侵犯了《基本法》、《香港人权法案条例》和《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》所保障的和平集会权（ICCPR）。
Originally published by The Guardian in September 28, 2019 Human rights advocates are calling for an investigation into the death of a Chinese activist who was arrested for holding up a placard calling for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to step down. Wang Meiyu (王美余), 38, was detained in July after he stood outside the […]
Originally published by The Telegraph in September 30, 2019 Activist Wei Xiaobing was held in detention for two weeks, harassed daily at work and is now confined with guards watching his every move, because he shared links online in support of the Hong Kong protests. “At the moment, I’m not allowed to go outside,” he […]
Originally published by University World News in September 12, 2019 As students in Hong Kong started the academic year with a class boycott, students from mainland China studying in the city’s universities have been uncertain about expressing an opinion about the protests that have gripped the city and are now entering their fourth month. As […]
Originally published by The Guardian in September 11, 2019 Chen Siming, a 58-year-old Chinese activist, has followed the protests in Hong Kong from afar, feeling inspired but also helpless. From across the border in the southern province of Hunan, Chen does what he can to support the thousands calling for greater democracy in Hong Kong. In late August, he […]
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam should reverse her decision to use emergency powers to introduce the Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation. The use of emergency powers to bypass the legislative system to deter people from protesting sets a dangerous precedent and violates the right to peaceful assembly.
Originally published by The New York Times in September 7, 2019 The Chinese government has built a vast network of re-education camps and a pervasive system of surveillance to monitor and subdue millions from Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. Now China is also turning to an older, harsher method of control: filling prisons in […]
2019年 9月 23日湖南维权人士王美余在衡阳看守所非正常死亡，其亲属称看到尸体时七窍流血，推断是被殴打至死。 至今所有的消息被官方封锁和压制。中国政府应立即调查这一酷刑致死的指控，并依法追究相关肇事者的刑事责任。在此同时，衡阳市政府必须停止限制王美余家人的人身自由，保障家属言论自由和寻求司法公正救济的权利。
Communiqué on Behalf of CHENG Yuan, LIU Dazhi, WU Gejianxiong, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention and Deprivation of Rights to Expression, Assembly, and Association
The Chinese government must investigate allegations of torture and the death in detention of human rights activist Wang Meiyu and hold the perpetrators criminally accountable
CHRD Assessment of China’s Implementation of Recommendations made in CERD’s Concluding Observations (2018)
(2019年9月9日) 16家非政府组织致函联合国成员国，呼吁它们在人权理事会第42届会议期间，关注被中国政府监禁的经济、社会和文化人权维护者，关注被政府关闭的推动平权、反歧视的民间组织。
Across the People’s Republic of China, human rights violations are a systemic reality. Over thepast year, the UN has once again documented legal and policy frameworks that fail to protect against discrimination; stigmatise Islam and stifle freedom of religious belief; undermine a wide range of socioeconomic rights and those who defend them; and permit gross violations of due process, including secret trials and arbitrary and incommunicado detention.
A group of NGOs have sent a letter to UN members states calling for action at the 42nd Session of the Human Rights Council over the Chinese government’s jailing of many human rights defenders protecting economic, social and cultural rights, and closure of civil society organizations promoting equal protection of those rights.
Originally published by AFP in September 3, 2019 One in 5 arrests made in China in 2017 took place in Xinjiang, although the region is home to just 2% of the country’s population, data from the local prosecutor’s office show BEIJING, China – The number of people arrested and imprisoned in China’s Xinjiang skyrocketed in […]
Originally published by The Telegraph in August 30, 2019 Chinese police are warning mainland students enrolled in university programs in Hong Kong to stay away from “illegal mass protests and street violence,” The Telegraph can reveal, as authorities try to suppress the unrest. Students received text message alerts from local police this week that said “please stand firm on […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment […]
By Frances Eve | The government’s battle for Hong Kong is also being fought in mainland cities. China is working overtime to threaten and detain mainlanders from sharing and commenting on the protests in Hong Kong for fear of what it may spark back home.
Originally published by AL Jazeera News in August 26, 2019 As anti-government protests in Hong Kong push on into their 12th week, Beijing is intensifying “intimidation tactics” on lawyers, journalists, and diplomats travelling to and from the mainland in an effort to contain the gravest threat to Chinese authority in decades. There has been a spike in […]
Originally published by The Indian Wire in August 26, 2019 Beijing, August 26: China ratcheted up its “intimidation tactics” of journalists, diplomats, and lawyers travelling to Hong Kong from the mainland in efforts to hold the gravest risk to the Chinese authority in more than ten years, as pro-democracy protests enter its 12th week. Chinese state-run news agency on Sunday […]
（人權捍衛者 – 2019年8月22日）香港警方對反送中運動抗爭者的強勢作為，直接威脅到香港人的集會自由，表達自由與人身安全，香港政府必須立即停止警方濫用暴力，依法追究責任。香港政府強推“逃犯條例”（又稱送中條例）修法，引發香港民間一連串的反送中運動，從6月9日103萬人示威遊行，已於2月未見降溫趨勢。雖然香港特首林鄭月娥宣布擱置修訂“逃犯條例”，但對於反送中運動的五大訴求，特首林鄭只回應送中條例已「壽終正寢」，但堅持不用「撤回」法律用詞。許多香港民眾不滿港府拒絕妥協，持續走上街頭進行抗爭。警察以武力強勢鎮壓，驅離抗爭者，甚至有黑道人士以暴力介入，毆打傷害民眾。根據不完全的報導統計，至8月15日為止，這場抗爭事件總共造成748人被捕，年齡介於15至61歲間，2人失明，5人自殺，更有多人在街頭上到不明人士砍傷。
(人权捍卫者—2019年8月22日) 香港警方对反送中运动抗争者的强势作为，直接威胁到香港人的集會自由、表达自由与人身安全，香港政府必须立即停止警方滥用暴力、依法追究责任。 香港政府强推《逃犯条例》（又称送中条例）修法，引发香港民间一连串的反送中运动，从6月9日103万人示威游行，已逾2个月未见降温趋势。虽然香港特首林郑月娥宣布搁置修订《逃犯条例》，但对于反送中运动的五大诉求，特首林郑只回应送中条例已「寿终正寝」，但坚持不用「撤回」法律用词。许多香港民众不满港府拒绝妥协，持续走上街头进行抗争。警察以武力强势镇压、驱离抗争者、甚至有黑道人士以暴力介入、殴打伤害民众。根据不完全的报导统计，至8月15日为止，这场抗争事件总共造成748人被捕，年龄介于15至61岁间、2人失明、5人自杀、更有多人在街头上遭到不明人士砍伤。
Hunan Province police criminally detained three staff members of an anti-discrimination NGO in Changsha—Cheng Yuan, Liu Dazhi and Wuge Jianxiong—in July 2019 on suspicion of “subversion of state power.” The precise reason the men have been deprived of their liberty is unknown. They were initially disappeared, and lawyers and family members inquired about their whereabouts on July 24 at Wangcheng District Public Security Bureau in Changsha. Wangcheng police denied that their bureau had ordered the detention, and the families only began to receive information from authorities on July 25 that national security officers had taken the men into custody. Wuge Jianxiong’s family is the only one to have received an official detention notice, which listed his detention location.
Originally published by New Age in August 6, 2019 In a bid to build an anti-Chinese coalition Washington would establish an annual meeting of foreign ministers and prominent representatives of civil society to discuss the state of religious freedom in various countries of the world. This year, the meeting took place in mid-July but ultimately failed […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia in August 2, 2019 Overseas governments and human rights organizations have strongly condemned the jailing of Chinese rights activist Huang Qi for 12 years on state secrets charges. The Mianyang Intermediate People’s Court in the southwestern province of Sichuan sentenced Huang to 12-years’ imprisonment on Monday, after finding him guilty […]
Originally published by AFP in July 29, 2019 China’s first “cyber-dissident”, whose website reported on sensitive topics including human rights, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for leaking state secrets. Huang Qi ran a website called 64 Tianwang – named after the bloody 4 June 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protesters. His sentence is one of […]
Originally published by The Guardian in July 15, 2019 In June, Ji Sizun received the news that he had won a prestigious human rights distinction, the Cao Shunli Memorial Award, in honour of the veteran Chinese activist who died in 2014 in police custody, after being denied needed medical treatment for months. It would be a […]
Originally published by Voice Of Asia on July 12, 2019 International rights groups and activists are calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of grassroots legal activist Ji Sizun. Ji died of cancer Wednesday in a police-guarded hospital in the southeastern province of Fujian, two months after his release from prison. Ji’s […]
Originally published by Le Figaro.fr on July 5, 2019 INFOGRAPHIE – Au nord-ouest de la Chine, le Xinjiang est la terre des Ouïghours, une minorité musulmane. Il y a dix ans, des affrontements intercommunautaires ont signé une première étape dans le renforcement de la répression chinoise dans cette région hautement stratégique pour Pékin. Il y a […]
（中国人权捍卫者――2019年7月25日）在深圳镇压佳士工人罢工一年后，中国政府继续迫害工人、劳工组织和劳工维权人士。 自2018年7月27日当局首度羁押佳士科技工厂的抗争工人及其支持者以来，政府便加紧了打压劳工运动，并对佳士罢工事件以外的人员，包含工厂工人、工运人士、研究人员、非政府组织工作者、社工，以及社群媒体编辑等人，进行羁押与骚扰。中国政府再次显示，对于劳工的社会经济权利，包括劳工争取平等工资、安全工作环境或独立工会的权利的保护缺失，当局没有诚意听取工人的诉求并改革现行政策和政府行为。 反之， 中国政府将劳工组织者和那些支持劳工的公民视为眼中钉，加以严厉惩罚或者禁止他们发声。
Chinese authorities should overturn the conviction of human rights defender Huang Qi and free him immediately. A Sichuan court convicted Huang of “intentionally leaking state secrets” and “illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities” on July 29 and sentenced him to 12-years in prison.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 18, 2019 Rights activists and former protest leaders have called on the UnitedNations to investigate human rights violations at the hands of the ruling Chinese Communist Party over the past three decades, specifically in relation to the crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy movement and massacre of civilians in and around Tiananmen […]
Originally published by Quartz on July 5, 2019 Numerous numbers of ethnic Uyghur Muslims are being held by Chinese authorities in western China’s Xinjiang under the guise of “re-education” against extremist thought—and the search for an accurate number of those detained remains elusive. The tightening control of a region home to one of China’s largest […]
Originally published by Herald Scotland on July 7, 2019 IT’S been described as the largest mass incarceration of the 21st century and a human rights issue much of the world has largely ignored. Foreign Editor David Pratt examines the sinister repression of China’s Uighur minority ethnic group. IT began in the most unlikely of places. It […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 12, 2019 The elderly mother of ailing human rights activist and website founder Huang Qi is incommunicado, while her son has yet to receive an official sentence following his trial, RFA has learned. Pu Wenqing, 86, is currently under house arrest at her home in Mianyang city, in the […]
The Chinese government has continued to persecute labor organizers and labor rights activists one year after suppressing a labor strike at the Jasic Technology factory in Shenzhen
Zhang Zhiru 张治儒 (released) Criminal charge: Gathering a crowd to disrupt social order Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for four years Court: Shenzhen Bao’an District Court Trial Date: April 24, 2020 Sentencing Date: April 24, 2020 Dates of Detention/Arrest: January 20, 2019 (detention); February 26, 2019 (formal arrest); May 7, 2020 (released) Place of Incarceration: Bao’an District […]
Wu Guijun 吴贵军 (released) Criminal charge: Gathering a crowd to disrupt social order Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for four years Court: Shenzhen Bao’an District Court Trial Date: Unknown Sentencing Date: Unknown Dates of Detention/Arrest: January 20, 2019 (detention); February 26, 2019 (formal arrest); April 22, 2020 (released) Place of Incarceration: Bao’an District Detention Center (Shenzhen, Guangdong […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Working Group on enforced and involuntary disappearances Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the […]
Fu Changguo 付常国 Criminal charge: Gathering a crowd to disturb public order Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: August 10, 2018 (detention); September 8, 2018 (formal arrest) Place of Incarceration: Current location unknown; previously detained at Shenzhen City No. 2 Detention Center Background Fu Changguo, a staff member with Shenzhen Dagongzhe Migrant Workers […]
使用国际人权机制可以加强这些倡导活动，效果会更好，例如，参与联合国人权机制的运作，向国际社会介绍中国的人权状况，与国际非政府组织合作，通过国际媒体扩散有关信息。
摘录：我们沉痛哀悼人权捍卫者纪斯尊，要求中国政府立即终止用剥夺适当医疗将被剥夺自由的人权捍卫者折磨致死的恶性做法，以此报复打压他们和平行使人权。
We mourn the death of human rights defender Ji Sizun and urge the Chinese government to end torturing human rights defenders to death by way of depriving them of necessary medical treatment in reprisal for their peaceful human rights activism
联合国人权理事会特别程序独立专家要求中国政府就侵犯佳士工人权利事宜答问
在“709打压”律师四周年之际，国际社会必须要对持续恶化的中国人权律师处境发出抗议的声音。
On the fourth anniversary of a widespread crackdown on legal rights defenders by the Chinese authorities, the international community must speak out against the continued deterioration of conditions for human rights lawyers in China.
我們就香港警察在2019年6月12日政府總部一帶對示威者使用武力，包括催淚氣體、使用槍械發射布袋彈和橡膠子彈、警棍、胡椒噴劑和水劑，要求香港政府就上述事宜盡快展開獨立、公正及有效的調查
We are writing to urge the Hong Kong government to carry out an independent, impartial, effective and prompt investigation into the use of force, including tear gas, guns firing bean bag rounds and rubber bullets, batons and pepper spray by the Hong Kong police against protesters at the vicinity of the Central Government Offices on June 12, 2019.
全球马格尼茨基法案是一项美国国内法，授权美国總統对侵害国际公认人权的肇事人及对腐败者实施制裁，例如禁止入境、冻结其在美国的财产。 这意味着，被认定的肇事人将由美国政府公开宣布为人权侵害者，将被拒绝进入美国，其在美国境内的所有资产都不能动用，所有在美国的企业和银行都会被禁止与他们或他们的企业進行商業交易。
(中文版本) The Global Magnitsky Act is a US domestic law that authorizes the US president to sanction perpetrators of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and corruption through US-based asset freezes and visa bans. This means that designated perpetrators are publicly announced by the US government as human rights violators, are denied entry into […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Originally published by Foreign Policy on August 22, 2018 Last summer, online links between China’s western Xinjiang region and the rest of the world began to go dark. Uighurs, who make up the largest ethnic group in Xinjiang, started cutting friends and family members abroad from their contacts on WeChat, the dominant online communication platform […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 4, 2019 Chinese security personnel flooded Beijing’s iconic Tiananmen Square on Tuesday, the 30th anniversary of the massacre of unarmed civilians by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that put an end to weeks of peaceful, student-led protests. One eyewitness said there was a bigger-than-usual security presence on […]
Originally published by The New York Times on June 3, 2019 BEIJING — As daybreak neared on June 4, 1989, Zhou Duo walked toward the ranks of soldiers bristling with guns. Behind him, thousands of protesters huddled on Tiananmen Square, terrified that the encroaching troops would slaughter them on China’s most hallowed political ground. The […]
Originally published by China Respondent on June 2, 2019 Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe said Sunday that the deadly crackdown on peaceful protesters in Tiananmen Square 30 years ago was “correct” and that it had ensured years of stability in the country. Mr Wei was responding to questions posed by the Telegraph at an annual security summit […]
Originally published by Reuters on June 17, 2019 GENEVA (Reuters) – More than 20 Chinese activists who took part in the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement called on Monday on the United Nations’ top human rights body to investigate Beijing’s deadly crackdown 30 years ago. Wang Dan and 21 others, backed by the group Chinese Human […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on June 17, 2019 TOKYO — Victims and survivors of the Tiananmen crackdown on June 4, 1989, have jointly submitted an official complaint to the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, and are demanding an investigation into events. With the assistance of nongovernmental organization Chinese Human Rights Defenders , 22 […]
Originally published by World Tribune on June 4, 2019 In a strong statement in support of massive demonstrations in Hong Kong, the U.S. State Department warned: “The continued erosion of the ‘one country, two systems’ framework puts at risk Hong Kong’s long-established special status in international affairs.” Hundreds of police clashed with demonstrators on June […]
Originally published by The Tibet Post on June 11, 2019 Paris-based international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), along with 73 other NGOs, urges Hong Kong to abandon the bill that would allow China to extradite journalists and their sources. In a letter sent on June 6th to Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on June 12, 2019 HONG KONG — Protests in Hong Kong against a proposed law that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China turned violent on Wednesday afternoon, with police firing rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse crowds that had surrounded the city’s main […]
Originally published by The Blade on June 5, 2019 BEIJING — Thirty years after Chinese soldiers killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of demonstrators in Beijing and other cities, memories of the violence remain fraught, with China detaining activists, tightening censorship, and denouncing calls for a full accounting of the bloodshed. The 30th anniversary of the June […]
Originally published by Associated Press on June 4, 2019 It was a Friday evening in May in the Nanxi district of Yippin, a Chinese city of around 4.5 million people, when Deng Chuanbin posted a picture of a bottle of wine on Twitter. The bottle’s label featured the word “ba jiu,” a near homophone of […]
Originally published by The New York Times on June 4, 2019 BEIJING — Thirty years after Chinese soldiers killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of demonstrators in Beijing and other cities, memories of the violence remain fraught, with China detaining activists, tightening censorship and denouncing calls for a full accounting of the bloodshed. The 30th anniversary of […]
Originally published by Associated Press on June 1, 2019 BEIJING (AP) — It has been three months since Chinese rock musician Li Zhi disappeared from public view. First, an upcoming tour was canceled and his social media accounts were taken down. Then his music was removed from all of China’s major streaming sites — as […]
Originally published by Sunday Independent on June 2, 2019 China has reportedly detained or threatened dozens of people as part of a “wave of persecution” targeting those seeking to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Tuesday will be the 30th anniversary of the infamous crackdown, which saw the Chinese army kill hundreds, possibly […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on June 1, 2019 Tucked away on the tenth floor of a Hong Kong commercial building sits the world’s only museum commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, the peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations shut down after Chinese soldiers opened fire on thousands. The 100-square-metre room is a time capsule – a pair […]
Originally published by The Independent on May 31, 2019 China has reportedly detained or threatened dozens of people as part of a “wave of persecution” targeting those seeking to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Tuesday will be the 30th anniversary of the infamous crackdown, which saw the Chinese army kill hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesterstaking […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 30, 2019 Chinese authorities have detained dozens of people as part of a ramped-up annual crackdown ahead of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Tuesday will mark 30 years since the bloody event, which saw Chinese authorities brutally shut down long running student protests, killing thousands of people […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 30, 2019 Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui have deprived aprominent dissident of sleep, toilet access and food following his detention ahead of a politically sensitive massacre anniversary. Former Anhui state prosecutor Shen Liangqing disappeared on May 15, less than a month before the 30th anniversary of the […]
Originally published by AFP on May 31, 2019 Chinese authorities have detained several activists ahead of the politically explosive 30th anniversary of the June 4 crackdown of Tiananmen protests, rights groups said Thursday. Discussions of the 1989 pro-democracy protests and its military suppression are taboo in China, and authorities have rounded up or warned activists, lawyers […]
借此纪念天安门民主运动和“六四”屠杀30周年的时刻，1989年学生领袖王丹与其他六四屠杀幸存者、目击者、89运动参与者，在非政府机构“人权维护者联网”协助下，向联合国人权理事会递交了一份申诉函，指控中国政府严重、系统、持续侵犯人权。
By Wang Dan and Frances Eve | Chinese government has refused to allow any independent investigation nor hold anyone accountable for the slaughter in 1989. This is why we have filed a complaint with the UN Human Rights Council.
22 student leaders and victims and survivors of the Tiananmen Massacre, with assistance from CHRD, have submitted a complaint to the Human Rights Council over a consistent pattern of gross human rights violations by the Government of China in relation to the 1989 Massacre.
Originally published by Daily Sabah on May 30, 2019 Saudi Arabia has chosen to ignore the persecution of the Uighurs and opted for appeasing China to maintain strong economic ties rather than standing together with the Muslim world Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent trip to China has caused disappointment among Muslims due to […]
Originally published by RSF News on May 25, 2019 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the release of Ma Xiao, a Chinese citizen-journalist who published a series of political prisoners’ interviews and has been detained for a month. Beijing-based citizen-journalist Xie Qiang, known under the pen name of Ma Xiao, was arrested on April 27 for “picking […]
Hong Kong authorities must stop using excessive force against unarmed and largely peaceful demonstrators and ensure protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Journalists must be able to freely report on the demonstrations and police actions.
Originally published by Artnet news on May 22, 2019 Chinese authorities have detained Deng Chuanbin, an independent filmmaker and activist also known as Huang Huang, for tweeting a photo alluding to the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. Early on the morning of May 17, just hours after posting the photo, authorities arrived at the filmmaker’s home in […]
Originally published by The Ghion Journal on May 15, 2019 Americans are being manipulated by a campaign to make us consent to what’s effectively a paradigm of constant war with China. It’s not a clearcut case of preparing the public for a direct military invasion against the targeted country, as was the case with the […]
CHRD joined 64 other NGOs to send a joint letter to Hong Kong’s government calling for it to withdraw proposed amendments to the city’s extradition laws. The proposed changes to allow for extradition to mainland China will put at risk anyone in the territory of Hong Kong who has carried out work related to the Mainland, including human rights defenders, journalists, NGO workers and social workers, even if the person was outside the Mainland when the ostensible crime was committed. We are calling on the Hong Kong government to immediately withdraw the bill to amend the FOO and the MLACMO
Chinese authorities are accused of subjecting human rights defender Ji Sizun to torture by denying him adequate medical treatment in prison and now under extrajudicial detention inside a hospital. His family fears for his life.
By Renee Xia | As government repression claims more victims, these victims and their supporters will keep fighting back. Their struggle is keeping the spirit of Tiananmen alive.
Chen Jianfang 陈建芳 Criminal charge/s: “Subversion of state power” Length of Punishment: 4 years and 6 months Court: Shanghai No.1 Intermediate people’s court Trial Date: 19 March 2021 Appeal: August 5, 2022 (verdict) Sentencing Date: August 5, 2022 (verdict) Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 20, 2019 (enforced disappearance); May 22, 2019 (formal arrest); August 30, 2019 (indicted); March 19, 2021 (trial), […]
On the eve of the 30thanniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, Chinese authorities took into custody activists and netizens to silence any expression or thwart any action aimed at commemorating the victims and mark the anniversary. So far, we have documented 10 individuals either detained or forced into disappearance in connection to the anniversary.
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, CHRD has documented 19 cases involving 1989 protests leaders and participants who are currently detained or imprisoned in China for post-Tiananmen human rights activism. In further incomplete figures, we have found 3 individuals have been persecuted to death, and 6 former 1989 pro-democracy figures have recently […]
By Renee Xia & Frances Eve | The US Administration is squandering an opportunity to hold the Chinese government accountable for its atrocities in the Xinjiang region under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Submission to: Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (reprisals team) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Working […]
To: Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Submitted by: China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group (CHRLCG) Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) Executive Summary This submission focuses on amendments between 2016 and 2018 to two Chinese administrative regulations, the Measures on the Administration of Law Firms and […]
By Frances Eve | Originally published in The Guardian | Five years ago today, Chinese activist Cao Shunli died in a Beijing hospital surrounded by police. No state agent has been punished for her death.
By Frances Eve | Originally published in The Guardian | Now is the time to act on China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Countries afraid of standing up to China on their own can speak out on 6 November on a UN platform, known as the universal periodic review (UPR).
By Frances Eve | Originally published in The Guardian | Quitting the UNHRC won’t make it disappear. It opens a leadership vacancy that China is happy to fill. The Trump administration has stepped back to allow China the space to dominate the council unchallenged.
Tsegon Gyal, a prominent ethnic Tibetan writer and activist, received a prison sentence in January 2018 in apparent punishment for comments he wrote on WeChat criticizing the Chinese government for failing to genuinely promote its policy of “ethnic unity.” The verdict came down over eight months after a Qinghai court held a closed-door trial during which Tsegon Gyal was not provided legal counsel. Police detained Gyal in December 2016, though the exact criminal charges were unknown until police formally arrested him two weeks later.
Henan activist Dong Guangping received a 3.5-year prison sentence in July 2018 in retaliation for advocating for justice for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre and for escaping persecution by fleeing to Thailand. Dong had fled to Thailand in September 2015 to escape police harassment. Authorities held Dong for over 30 months before putting him on trial and have held him incommunicado for the entirety of his detention.
Originally published by The Guardian on May 9, 2019 Every year in late May, Hu Jia is taken on a mandatory holiday to Qinhuangdao, a port city almost 200 miles from his home in Beijing. He is accompanied by police on walks in the park or by the sea and is always in view of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 6, 2019 Chinese writer and rights activist Xie Qiang, who signed a 2008 charter calling for sweeping political reform, is incommunicado, believed detained, after receiving an unexpected phone call from police, his friends said. Xie, who is better known by his pen-name Ma Xiao, sent out a […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 1, 2019 Rights activists and politicians in Taiwan have called on authorities in China to allow jailed rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang visits from his family and his lawyer, warning that his case should act as a “big red flag” to the people of Taiwan. Wang’s wife Li Wenzu, speaking in […]
This video is about ordinary human rights defenders from various parts of the world. Human Rights Day, marked annually, is this year dedicated to human rights defenders who battle against discrimination.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 26, 2019 Authorities in China are holding a prominent parent campaigner undercriminal detention after she helped to organized protests over faultyvaccines last month. He Fangmei, the mother of a baby made sick by a faulty vaccine, wasinitially detained by police from her home province of Henan on […]
Several human rights defenders working on socio-economic rights issues have been detained just days after the close of China’s 3rdUniversal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva on March 15 during the 40th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). The timing of the detentions indicates that authorities waited until after the end of the highly public scrutiny of China’s rights records at the United Nations to kick off a likely severe crackdown in a year marking many politically-sensitive anniversaries, including the 30thanniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. Persecuting social economic human rights defenders contradicts China’s self-claim as a champion in protecting social economic rights.
Ge Jueping, a Jiangsu activist who had taken part in an array of advocacy campaigns, was among a group of individuals seized while demonstrating outside the Suzhou City Intermediate People’s Court on September 8, 2016. The activists were protesting what they felt was the court’s mishandling of the case of Fan Mugen (范木根), who had been sentenced to eight years in prison in May 2015 for killing two crew members of a demolition team that destroyed his home. Some of the detainees, including Ge, also had allegedly posted “politically sensitive” messages online in the suppressive period before the G20 Summit, which was held in nearby Hangzhou the first week of September 2016. The detentions in Suzhou were the first cases in months-long police operations that collectively became known as the “908 Mass Detentions.”
Originally published by CNS News on March 19, 2019 (CNSNews.com) — The U.S. State Department, echoing reports by human rights groups and some news media, reported that between 800,000 and 2 million Muslims have been forced into “internment camps” in Communist China where they are reeducated “to erase religious and ethnic identities.” Many of the Muslims’ children […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 15, 2019 Rights activists are increasingly worried that Beijing’s influence operations are having a negative impact on the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which concludes its 40th session on Friday. Human Rights Watch (HRW) China director Sophie Richardson warned in an article this week […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 14, 2019 Experts at the United Nations have called on Beijing to launch an independent investigation into the death of a Chinese human rights activist in a police detention center five years ago, as Beijing faces growing pressure over international criticism of its rights record. “Cao Shunli’s […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on March 12, 2019 BEIJING — Officials from China’s remote western region of Xinjiang on Tuesday denied the existence of concentration camps for ethnic Uighur people, saying instead that many Muslims there attended schools aimed at eliminating terrorism. They are vocational school-style training centers for “eliminating the soil for […]
Human rights defender Ji Sizun (纪斯尊) is the winner of the fifth Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The decision to give this award to Mr. Ji recognizes the long-standing “barefoot lawyer” for his contribution in promoting legal rights and education at the grassroots level in China.
Jiang Yefei, a longtime rights activist and political cartoonist, was given a 6.5-year prison sentence in July 2018, following over 30 months in pre-trial custody. Jiang had been detained in November 2015 after he was forcibly repatriated to China from Thailand. When put under formal arrest in May 2016, Jiang was accused of both “organizing others to illegally cross a national border” and “subversion of state power.” The former charge is tied to assistance that Jiang supposedly gave to activist Dong Guangping (董广平) in fleeing to Thailand in September 2015 after he faced persecution in China.
Communiqué on Behalf of Wang Yi and Jiang Rong, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention and Violations of Rights to Free Expression, Assembly, Association, and Religion
Women who campaign for human rights in China face reprisals from theruling Chinese Communist Party, including enforced disappearances,arbitrary detention, sexual abuse and torture, an overseas rights group has said.
Tashi Wangchuk, an ethnic Tibetan merchant and activist, washandeda 5-year prison sentence in May 2018 in retaliation for his efforts to promote the right of Tibetans to study their heritage language. He was initially seizedin January 2016, two months after an article and videocame out in the New York Times on his attempt to petition the government for not providing sufficient opportunity for Tibetan language study. Tashi Wangchuk was secretly heldfor nearly two months after being taken into custody. His relatives were not told of his detention until March 24, 2016, in violation of Chinese law, under which adetainee’s family must be notified within 24 hours.
Sun Lin, an independent journalist who has reported on human rights violations and the corruption of Chinese officials, was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to four years in prison on December 25, 2018, after being tried the previous February. Sun, who has often written under the name “Jie Mu” (孑木), was reportedly punished for social media posts he wrote or forwarded about democracy and politics, and for shouting “Down with the Communist Party!” at an official meeting of party members in Nanjing.
The Chinese government has taken no steps to investigate and prosecute any official responsible for the deadly reprisal against Cao Shunli for her cooperation with the United Nations, after she died five years ago on March 14, 2014.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 21, 2019 China’s human rights activists continue to speak out on behalf of victims of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s abuses of power, despite the threat of arbitrary detention, torture, and forced ‘disappearance,’ an overseas rights group said on Thursday. “2018 was another year of harsh reprisals […]
“Our impact may be large, may be small, and may be nothing. But we must try. It is our duty to the dispossessed and it is the right of civil society.” – Cao Shunli, 1961-2014 Cao Shunli was a Chinese human rights defender who unwaveringly pursued her goal to make use of international human […]
国际民间机构“中国人权捍卫者网络”（CHRD）发布的《2018年年度人权捍卫者状况报告：在“无权区”捍卫人权》表明，中国人权捍卫者在极度萎缩的公民空间中仍然做出了卓越的努力去促进和保护人权。
Chengdu authorities detained Wang Yi, an evangelical Christian pastor outspoken about religious freedom, during a raid on the Early Rain Covenant Church (秋雨圣约教会) on December 9, 2018. Police took over 100 members of the congregation into custody, including Jiang Rong (蒋蓉), Wang’s wife and co-founder of the independent church. Chengdu public security bureau put Jiang under “residential surveillance in a designated location” the same day as the raid. Police accused both Wang and Jiang of “inciting subversion of state power” while holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations and depriving them of access to lawyers. Since starting the church in 2005, Wang had faced consistent police harassment and intimidation for criticizing the government’s persecution of free religious practice, and for refusing to “officially register” the church, which would have subjected it to direct State control.
Chinese human rights defenders made remarkable strides in promoting and protecting human rights under hostile conditions in drastically shrunken civic space, says CHRD in its 2018 annual report.
Introduction Chapter 1: Relentless Persecution of Human Rights Defenders 1.1 Arbitrary Detention 1.2 Enforced Disappearances 1.3 Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment 1.4 Reprisals for Engaging with the International Human Rights System Chapter 2: Deteriorating Conditions for Defending Human Rights 2.1 Freedom of Expression 2.2 Freedom of […]
Originally published by CNS News on February 1, 2019 After years of imprisonment and struggles to find a place of refuge, Chinese dissident Huang Yan arrived in Los Angeles from Taiwan on January 25 after the United States granted her political asylum. “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who […]
Originally published by SCMP on February 15, 2019 Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He came to Washington at the end of January for two days of negotiations and a meeting with US President Donald Trump in search of a trade war breakthrough. But Bai Jiemin, a former businessman from China now living under political asylum in New […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on February 4, 2019 In recent weeks, hopes have been dashed for the mothers of two jailed Chinese rights defenders to reunite with their sons – Liu Feiyue and Huang Qi – during this week’s Lunar New Year holidays. Last Tuesday, after a court in Hebei sentenced her son […]
We, a diverse set of human rights and civil society organizations, urge the United Nations Human Rights Council to urgently adopt a resolution establishing an international fact-finding mission to investigate credible allegations that up to one million Turkic Muslims are being arbitrarily detained in “political education” camps across Xinjiang, a region in northwest China. Over […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on January 30, 2019 TOKYO — Nongovernmental organizations from around the world are urging the United Nations and the international community to take concrete action in response to what they see as increasingly severe human rights abuses in China. In an open letter published Wednesday, 37 NGOs, including PEN […]
The past year was marked by vitally important monitoring and review of China’s human rights situation by the United Nations human rights system. The upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council provides a key opportunity to reinforce the issues raised over the last year, and express collective concern about worsening rights abuse in China and the government’s failure to follow through on its obligations and commitments.
Originally published by AFP on January 29, 2019 The founder of a prominent Chinese civil and human rights website has been sentenced to five years in prison for inciting state subversion, according to human rights organisations. Liu Feiyue created and ran the Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch website, which covers a range of rights issues […]
A Chinese court sentenced Liu Feiyue, director of the NGO Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch, to 5 years in prison on “inciting subversion of state power” charge today, following an August trial.
The Chinese government must release Wang Quanzhang immediately and unconditionally, end the harassment of his family, compensate Wang and his family for the harm done to them.
Mianyang City Intermediate Court held a secret trial of HRD Huang Qi, who is seriously ill, on two charges related to “state secrets” in violation of Huang’s right to freedom of expression.
Originally published by The Guardian on January 4, 2019 Canada’s foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, has called China’s detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor a “worrying precedent” but for many China watchers it is all too familiar. It reminds us of the detentions of other foreign citizens, such as Canadian Kevin Garratt, Briton Peter Humphrey, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 8, 2019 Authorities in the Chinese capital have sentenced citizen journalist Ding Lingjie and two petitioners to jail for making a video ‘mocking’ President Xi Jinping during a holiday season crackdown on dissent. Ding was tried alongside petitioners Li Xuehui and Wang Fengxian by the Shijingshan District People’s Court in […]
Originally published by Ottawa Citizen on January 8, 2019 In detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor as alleged threats to “national security” in apparent retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, China provided an exemplary demonstration of one of the most transparent and hackneyed tricks in the authoritarian repertoire: invoking vague concerns of “national […]
Originally published by AFP on January 6, 2019 In the latest push in an aggressive campaign to “Sinicize” Muslims in China, Beijing on Saturday reportedly passed a law dictating the way Islam can be practised in the country. The Global Times, China’s most popular English paper, reported that following a government-organized meeting with representatives of […]
Chinese authorities put a number of HRDs on trial over the holiday season, including journalists Sun Lin and Ding Lingjie, lawyer Wang Quanzhang, and activists Zhen Jianghua and Zhang Kun.
Originally published by The Guardian on December 26, 2018 Li Wenzu was blocked by police officers from leaving her apartment complex to attend the trial of her husband Wang Quanzhang It was a little after 5am on Boxing Day when Li Wenzu tried to leave her apartment to attend her husband’s trial. She hadn’t slept […]
Originally published by Reuters on December 26, 2018 Chinese police locked down a courthouse on Wednesday for the trial of a prominent rights lawyer who is accused of subversion of state power and whose case has attracted widespread concern in Western countries. Wang Quanzhang, who took on sensitive cases such as complaints of police torture […]
Originally published by The New York Times on December 25, 2018 CHENGDU, China — For months, Gu Baoluo had been looking forward to a boisterous Christmas celebration at one of China’s best-known Protestant churches. He loved decorating trees, singing songs like “Silent Night” and watching the annual Christmas pageant recounting the birth of Jesus. But […]
Originally published by The Guardian on December 20, 2018 For the last two years, Pu Wenqing, 85, has spent most of her time writing articles about her son, Huang Qi, a long-time dissident who has been in prison for more than two years awaiting trial. She posts updates about Huang, the founder of China’s first […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 20, 2018 The ruling Chinese Communist Party has stepped up a nationwide crackdown on Christians, raiding and detaining pastors and members of churches in several locations as urban authorities warn against public Christmasdecorations and events. Authorities are undergoing “one of the largest crackdowns on underground Christian churches since draconian amendments to […]
Originally published by Quartz on December 19, 2018 Among the most visible advocates of human rights in China are the wives of those languishing in prison. Four wives of human-rights lawyers shaved their heads this week to protest the government’s persecution of their husbands, who were arrested during a concerted crackdown against 300 activists and lawyers in China starting […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on December 12, 2018 HONG KONG — In his 10,000-word essay decrying China’s increasing authoritarianism, Xu Zhangrun studiously avoided mentioning President Xi Jinping by name. But his readers — and China’s censors — did not need it spelled out for them. “After 40 years of reform and opening up, […]
Originally published by Breitbart News on December 12, 2018 The Chinese government published a paper on Wednesday entitled “Progress in Human Rights Over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China.” As the loaded title implies, the paper is extremely flattering to China’s marvelous achievements in human rights and evidently has little to say about […]
Short of immediate and unconditional release, there will be no justice for Wang Quanzhang, who has been subjected to 3.5 years’ secret detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and now, a close-door trial in Tianjin on December 26, which ended without a verdict being announced.
Chengdu authorities shut down the Early Rain Covenant Church and detained over a hundred church members and their pastor, Wang Yi, during a raid beginning December 9, in one of the largest crackdowns on underground Christian churches since new regulations went into effect.
We are writing to ask you to ensure that Google drops Project Dragonfly and any plans to launch a censored search app in China, and to re-affirm the company’s 2010 commitment that it won’t provide censored search services in the country.
We, the 90 undersigned organizations dedicated to the promotion of universal human rights and/or the fight against corruption, write to voice our strong support for the Foreign Affairs Council to initiate a process aimed at establishing an EU-wide program for the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals and entities deemed responsible for serious human rights violations. Noting that the Foreign Affairs Council will take up this matter on December 10, 2018—the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—we urge all state representatives to honor the Declaration by supporting action on such a sanctions regime, and, in so doing, beginning the process of providing the EU with an additional, critical tool to combat impunity and defend human rights worldwide.
The values and principles underpinning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, endorsed by member states of the United Nations seventy years ago, on December 10, is under intensified assault today.
Originally published by Social News Daily on November 19, 2018 After denying the existence of internment camps in China for far too long, they’ve now not only admitted to their existence, but they are calling them “re-education camps.” These holding centers are specifically for Uyghur people, which are a predominantly Muslim group of Turkish minorities living in […]
Originally published by Albawaba News on November 14, 2018 Early in the morning of September 5, hundreds of police officers raided a church in Nanyang City in the Henan Province of China. After breaking in, they found the church’s cross and all of its bibles and hymns, piled them outside, and burned them. Early in […]
Originally published by Alphr on November 9, 2018 China has, for quite some time now, been implementing AI-powered means to keep track of its citizens. Now, though, it’s latest tracking tool has sparked up controversy as it’s capable of recognising an individual purely by how they walk. This gait-recognition technology is the work of Chinese firm […]
Originally published by IT Pro on November 8, 2018 Surveillance technology claimed to recognise walkers from a silhouette with 94% accuracy Facial-recognition technology has been a feature of Chinese cities for some time, but authorities now have a new tool in their arsenal: gait-recognition. The technology – the work of Chinese firm Watrix – claims […]
Originally published by The Globe & Mail on November 6, 2018 Canada has publicly accused China of repressing Muslims amid a “deterioration of human rights.” China must “end prosecution and persecution on the basis of religion or belief,” Tamara Mawhinney, Canada’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Tuesday as China was subjected […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on November 6, 2018 Chinese cities are rolling out a new “gait recognition” software that identifies people using their silhouettes and how they walk, even if their faces are obscured, in the latest tightening of the country’s security. Chinese cities are rolling out a new “gait recognition” software that identifies […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 5, 2018 A day before the United Nations conducts a review of China’s record on human rights, several groups on Monday called for the immediate and unconditional release of a veteran rights activist in its southwestern province of Sichuan. Citizen journalist and rights activist Huang Qi, the […]
Originally published by Outlook on November 1, 2018 Beijing, Nov 1 Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) on Thursday alleged that China’s government has become more aggressive in the last four years in reprisals against activists and organizations that cooperated with the UN in the country and abroad. The NGO in a statement said that the […]
Originally published by University World News on November 1, 2018 A change in the highest echelons of China’s top university in Beijing is being seen by academics as a new tightening of control over dissenting thought among scholars as well as stronger oversight by the Communist Party of top universities in their role as influencers […]
Originally published by The Guardian on October 31, 2018 British diplomats who visited Xinjiang have confirmed that reports of mass internment camps for Uighur Muslims were “broadly true”, the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has told parliament. Beijing faces mounting international criticism over its policies in Xinjiang, a far-western territory of China where researchers believe an estimated […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 18, 2018 The administration of President Xi Jinping is stepping up a nationwide political campaign targeting higher education institutions in China, as a number of professors have lost their jobs over comments made online or in public, an overseas rights group said on Thursday. “The worsening conditions […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 18, 2018 A website editor who failed to implement a delete notice from China’s internet police has stood trial at a court in the southwestern province of Sichuan on charges of “failing to perform internet security management duties.” Xu Hua pleaded not guilty to the charge at […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on October 16, 2018 China’s detention camps are “training” centres that have made lives more “colourful” for Muslim minorities by saving them from extremist behaviour, a senior official said on Tuesday, in a robust defence of the policy amid growing international criticism. Shohrat Zakir, governor of Xinjiang, a northwestern province home to […]
Originally published by The Arab Weekly on October 14, 2018 China’s rise to the rank of major world power has mostly been on its own terms. That is true considering this rise from an economic standpoint but it has also been true in the country’s foreign policy. In recent years, however, especially in the Middle […]
Originally published by The Guardian on October 12, 2018 There are fears for the safety of a woman campaigning about China’s defective vaccines, with activists saying she has been missing for more than 40 days. Authorities have been clamping down on families demanding redress over hundreds of thousands of doses issued by the government. Following revelations […]
Originally published by Quartz on October 10, 2018 Hundreds of thousands of Uyghur Muslims in China’s far west have been forced into propaganda camps for patriotic “re-education,” according to rights groups. Now the practice has the backing of local law, thanks to an Oct. 9 revision. According to the new Article 33 of the Xinjiang region’s regulations […]
Originally published by Lawfare on October 9, 2018 During a 2013 trip to Kazakhstan, Xi Jinping announced the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI)—China’s ambitious plan to enhance its “friendship” with the rest of the world through expanded investments in infrastructure and trade. Xinjiang, a resource-rich autonomous region in Northwest China lying at the border of […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Communiqué […]
Chinese authorities must immediately and unconditionally release citizen journalist and human rights activist Huang Qi, a group of 14 NGOs said.
In China and abroad, the Chinese government regularly uses tactics of intimidation and reprisals against individuals and groups that seek to engage with the United Nations, a serious problem that UN Member States must address at China’s third UPR on November 6.
目录 强迫失踪、酷刑、言论自由、和平集会和结社自由、对人权捍卫者的报复打压 公民的民主政治公共参与权: 选举权和被选举权 精神病院强制治疗是一种变相的法外拘留 律师的独立性受到严重干涉、司法救助权得不到保障 城乡歧视制度剥夺公民平等享有经济社会人权 女性继续遭受歧视、性别平等进展甚微 基于性倾向和性别认同的歧视普遍存在 中国政府的“人权教育”有名无实，倡议促进普世人权观的教育 附录： 第二轮普遍定期审议各国给中国的建议落实情况评估(图表)
China will face questions over its human rights record on November 6 in Geneva during its 3rd Universal Periodic Review. CHRD and a group ofChina-based NGOs submitted information that shows that the overall human rights situation in China has deteriorated. Of grave and urgent concern is the situation in Xinjiang.
Collection of Civil Society Reports from CHRD & China-Based NGOs Submitted to the UN for Consideration during the 3nd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the People’s Republic of China – 2018
UN experts raise the alarm about the use of ‘residential surveillance in a designated location’, affirming the use of enforced disappearance to muzzle dissent and punish human rights defenders in China.
Several Chinese professors have lost their jobs for speech they made online or in classrooms. Sichuan resident pleaded not guilty for failing to delete posts from a website he managed, the first instance of certain charges being applied. Xinjiang government has revised regional regulations to include provisions on the extra-legal “re-education” camps.
WORKING GROUP ON ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES COMMUNICATION FORM Identity of Disappeared Person (a) Family name(s): Gao (高) (b) Given names(s): Zhisheng (智晟) (c) Sex: Male (d) Date of birth: April 20, 1964 (e) ID Card No: (f) Place of Usual Residence: Beijing Municipality (北京市) Date of arrest, abduction or disappearance (at least month and year): Mr. Gao has been disappeared since September 3, 2017. OnAugust […]
Originally published by Yale Daily News on September 25, 2018 As Yalies sipped cocktails in Beijing and snapped photos of the Great Wall this summer, the Uyghurs — a Muslim ethnic minority — faced genocidal policies within the same country. Uyghurs primarily live in the region of Xinjiang, an autonomous region in western China. The Chinese […]
Originally published by RFA on September 20, 2018 Authorities in China are holding at least one vaccine campaigner and have ‘disappeared’ another following an attempted protest on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square earlier this month, RFA has learned. Dong Junhua, the parent of a child affected by substandard vaccines from Dancheng county in the central province of Henan, […]
Originally published by VOA on September 20, 2018 BEIJING — The recent closure of one of Beijing’s largest independent churches, and a crackdown on congregations elsewhere in China, are part of a broader effort to bring religion more fully under the ruling Communist Party’s control, say Christian leaders, scholars and rights advocates. In recent weeks, […]
Originally published by KentWired on September 19, 2018 China has been accused of detaining Turkic Muslims in what Human Rights Watch has referred to as “political education camps” due to their practice of Islam. The Chinese government, however, claims these facilities are “vocational education and employment training centers” for “criminals involved in minor offenses.” The […]
Originally published by The Guardian on September 14, 2018 As increasing evidence emerges of the arbitrary detention of Muslim minorities on a shocking scale in the north-western region, the new UN rights chief and others are speaking out It is unthinkable. Yet week by week, the evidence mounts that in north-western China’s Xinjiang region, as many […]
Originally published by Asia Times on September 4, 2018 China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, hit back after reports of more than a million Uyghurs being held in internment camps in the western region of Xinjiang were deemed “credible” by a United Nations human-rights panel last month. In a letter to the Financial Times, […]
Originally published by HKFP on September 2, 2018 One year ago on his birthday, Murat Uyghur dialed the number to his parents’ phone in east Xinjiang from his home in Finland. No one answered, and he became increasingly worried. After several attempts to contact them, his father eventually picked up the phone. “Your mother has gone […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 31, 2018 More than one out of every six ethnic Uyghurs in one county in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are being detained in political “re-education camps,” according to local officials. Beginning in April 2017, Uyghurs accused of harboring “strong religious views” and “politically incorrect” ideas […]
Originally published by Daily Excelsior on August 29, 2018 Harsha Kakar The latest news from China is its moving large numbers of Uyghur Moslems from the Xinjiang province into re-education centres. The matter was even discussed in the UN committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In this hearing the Germany based World Uyghur Congress (WUC) stated […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 29, 2018 Nearly 20 U.S. lawmakers have penned a letter to Washington’s top diplomat and Treasury Secretary, urging them to level sanctions against officials and entities in China deemed responsible for abusing the rights of ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 23, 2018 The young son of two ethnic Uyghurs languishing in a political “re-education camp” in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) has drowned, according to official sources, highlighting how a policy of mass detentions in the region has left children to fend for themselves. A Uyghur […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 24, 2018 More than one in 10 residents of Toqsun township in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have been detained in three political “re-education camps” in the area, according to an official source, who said he is unaware of anyone ever having been released. Beginning in […]
Originally published by HKFP on August 22, 2018 Buzzfeed’s China bureau chief Megha Rajagopalan has been forced to leave China after her journalism visa application was denied by the authorities without explanation. Rajagopalan had been covering Asia since 2012 and has reported extensively on the crackdown in Xinjiang, a western region of China populated by Muslim Uyghurs. […]
Originally published by Middle East Eye on August 20, 2018 While learning the Quran as a kid, I was taught about the five pillars of Islam, including the pilgrimage to Mecca. Today, while I may be free to make this journey alongside millions of other Muslims, thousands of Uighurs have been jailed by the Chinese […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 17, 2018 Authorities in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have detained a prominent ethnic Uyghur philanthropist, his brother, and two of the brother’s business partners, according to a family member, who said they were targeted for their perceived ties to a Uyghur education fund. Ablimit Hoshur […]
Originally published by The News Lens on August 17, 2018 The world finally appears to be sitting up and taking notice of what United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination member Gay McDougall last week called ” a massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy.” That camp is nothing less than the entirety […]
Originally published by HKFP on August 13, 2018 Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Monday that “all measures can be tried” to safeguard stability in the Muslim region of Xinjiang. “We must hold onto our belief that keeping turmoil away from Xinjiang is the greatest human right,” it said. The editorial comes after a United Nations […]
Originally published by Al Jazeera on August 11, 2018 More than one million Uighur Muslims are estimated to be in detention in “counter-extremism centres” in China’s far west, the vice chairperson of a United Nations anti-discrimination committee has said, citing credible reports. Gay McDougall made the comments on Friday as the UN Committee on the Elimination of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 6, 2018 As many as 6,000 residents of the mostly Uyghur-populated township of Haniqatam in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have been held in political “re-education camps” for as long as two years, according to a local official. Beginning in April 2017, Uyghurs accused of harboring […]
Originally published by Deutsche Welle on August 10, 2018 The grand mosque in remote northern China was slated to be demolished, according to local officials who said it had not been granted proper permits. A rare protest has been held to save the building. Local sources said a sit-in protest by hundreds of ethnic Hui Muslims […]
Originally published by The Washington Post on August 10, 2018 ZHARKENT, Kazakhstan — First-of-its-kind courtroom testimony here has corroborated allegations that the Chinese government has built a network of internment camps in western China where Muslim minorities are held without charge for “reeducation.” Sayragul Sauytbay, an ethnic Kazakh Chinese national, said she crossed from China’s Xinjiang region to Kazakhstan without proper […]
Originally published by Reuters on August 11, 2018 Geneva: A United Nations human rights panel said on Friday that it had received many credible reports that 1 million ethnic Uighurs in China are held in what resembles a “massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy.” Gay McDougall, a member of the UN Committee on the […]
Originally published by News Corp Australia Network on August 12, 2018 CHINA could have more than one million people detained in what United Nations officials have described as a “massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy”. Many credible reports suggest that Uighurs and Muslim minorities have been forced into “political camps for indoctrination” in western […]
Originally published by The New York Times on August 10, 2018 GENEVA — United Nations human rights experts expressed alarm on Friday over what they said were many credible reports that China had detained a million or more ethnic Uighurs in the western region of Xinjiang and forced as many as two million to submit to […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 9, 2018 More than 45,000 residents of a mostly Uyghur-populated county in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are being held in three main political “re-education camps,” according to a local official, who said the facilities are guarded by armed personnel. Beginning in April 2017, Uyghurs accused […]
Originally published by The Guardian on July 25, 2018 One in five arrests in China last year took place in Xinjiang, the nominally autonomous western territory that critics say has been turned into a police state rife with human rights violations. Analysing publicly available government data, the advocacy group Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), found […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 3, 2018 Up to 3 million residents of northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), especially ethnic Uyghurs, may have been detained in political “re-education camps” or forced to attend “education sessions” for “de-radicalization” as of June, rights groups said Friday. Beginning in April 2017, Uyghurs accused of […]
Originally published by HKFP on July 27, 2018 The Chinese official overseeing a sweeping security crackdown in China’s far west Xinjiang region should be targeted in potential sanctions, a US congressional commission has heard. Since hardline official Chen Quanguo was transferred from Tibet to govern China’s Muslim region in August 2016, he has overseen the construction […]
Originally published by Business Insider on July 31, 2018 China’s Xinjiang region is home to 1.5% of the country’s population, but accounted for one in five arrests in 2017. This didn’t include the hundreds of thousands of people, possibly as many as 1 million, who are being held in extrajudicial political “re-education camps” designed to […]
Originally published by Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty on July 29, 2018 ZHARKENT, Kazakhstan — The trial of an ethnic-Kazakh Chinese citizen accused of illegally entering Kazakhstan has taken on implications far beyond whether she will be reunited with her family near Almaty or deported back to China. That’s because 41-year-old Sayragul Sauytbay has testified about […]
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on July 25, 2018 BEIJING – The number of arrests in China’s northwestern Xinjiang province rose sharply in 2007 owing to a government crackdown that allegedly targeted religious and ethnic minorities such as the Uighurs, nonprofit China Human Rights Defenders said on Wednesday. According to a report by CHRD, arrests […]
Originally published by HKFP on July 25, 2018 The crackdown by Chinese authorities on “separatism” led to an alarming rise in criminal arrests in Xinjiang in 2017, according to NGOs China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and the Equal Rights Initiative. The NGOs made a joint submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial […]
Originally published by AFP on July 17, 2018 SHANGHAI (AFP) – A woman who live-streamed herself throwing ink onto a picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping has been detained, according to activists who accuse authorities of suppressing speech to protect a “cult of personality” around the country’s leader. The US-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders activist network […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 11, 2018 China’s powerful propaganda authorities have ordered the deletion of an article about a string of reports of sexual assault and harassment by a lecturer at a top university in the southern province of Guangdong. “Delete the article headlined ‘She thought she had escaped her professor’s wandering […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 9, 2018 nternational rights groups have called on China to release all human rights lawyers who remain behind bars, three years after the ruling Chinese Communist Party launched a nationwide crackdown on rights lawyers and activists. More than 300 lawyers, law firm employees and activists were detained […]
Originally published by Latin America Herald Tribune on July11, 2018 BEIJING – Human rights organizations urged Chinese authorities on Thursday to release veteran Chinese democracy activist Qin Yongmin, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for subversion of state power, and asked the United Nations to intervene in what they consider a violation of international […]
Originally published by Latin America Herald Tribune on July 9, 2018 BEIJING – A Chinese human rights group urged the government on Monday to probe the unlawful persecution of Chinese human rights lawyers, including arbitrary arrests and torture. Three years ago, China had cracked down heavily on human rights lawyers, arresting more than 300, and since […]
Originally published by IANS on July 9, 2018 Beijing, Jul 9 (IANS): A Chinese human rights group on Monday urged the government to probe the unlawful persecution of Chinese human rights lawyers, including arbitrary arrests and torture. Three years ago China had cracked down heavily on human rights lawyers, arresting more than 300, and since 2017 […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 1, 2018 The relatives of those killed when China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) put a bloody end to weeks of student-led democracy protests on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 29 years ago have called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to compensate them and to pursue those responsible. The Tiananmen […]
Authorities took into custody Chinese citizens protesting the government’s mishandling of vaccine scandals. Police have also suppressed workers and students seeking labor protections in Guangdong while, elsewhere in China, shutting down house churches.
Police seized lawyer Yu Wensheng (余文生) outside his Beijing home on January 19, 2018, as he was taking his son to school. Yu reportedly was forced into a police vehicle after an altercation between him and at least one officer.
Civil Society Report submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for its Review at the 96th Session of the combined fourteenth to seventeenth periodic report of the People’s Republic of China on its Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
女士们、先生们，我们现在开始 2674 次消除种族歧视公约会议开始，我首先代表委 员会就是联合国的消除种族歧视委员会荣幸地有这样的一个机会欢迎极为热烈地欢迎中华 人民共和国的代表，我们的责任是接待中华人民共和国的代表，他们是联合国安理会的成 员，在国际上得到了承认，我祝贺尊敬的中华人民共和国代表团，他们递交了有关涉及到 种族这一议题的国别报告，因此我祝贺中华人民共和国代表团，他们是本委员会接待到最 隆重的代表团之一，因此本委员会的全体成员感到非常荣幸。
The number of Xinjiang residents, especially ethnic Uyghurs, who are either detained in re-education camps or forced to attend day/evening “education sessions” for “de-radicalization” and indoctrination purposes in Xinjiang, may have possibly reached as high as a combined total of two to three million by June 2018.
The number of ethnic minorities who have been put under criminal prosecution in Xinjiang has skyrocketed in recent years, according to the Chinese government’s official data, under the pretext of “counter-terrorism,” “anti-separatism,” and “de-extremism” efforts.
Veteran HRD Qin Yongmin has received a 13-year prison sentence for “subversion of state power,” adding to the 22 years he had previously spent behind bars, in retaliation for his writings and advocacy promoting democracy and defending human rights.
On this third anniversary of the “709” Crackdown, CHRD calls for perpetrators to be held to account for the Chinese government’s persecution of lawyers.
On the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, CHRD urges China to free Liu Xia. This act would be one way to both end the suppression of truth about the violent crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy protests and bring about a measure of justice for victims, including her deceased husband, Liu Xiaobo.
Four activists from Sichuan Province—Chen Bing, Fu Hailu, Luo Fuyu, and Zhang Junyong—were detained in May and June of 2016, after the men had produced and shared images online of a Chinese liquor label reading “June 4, 1989” (or “8964,” ba jiu liu si).
Ding Lingjie 丁灵杰 (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 20 months Court: Shijingshan District People’s Court, Beijing Trial Date: December 28, 2018 Sentencing Date: December 28, 2018 Dates of Detention/Arrest: September 22, 2017 (criminal detention); October 19, 2017 (formal arrest); July 16, 2018 (indicted); May 21, 2019 (released) Place of Incarceration: Shijingshan Detention Center […]
Xu Qin 徐秦 (released) 2021 Detention Criminal charge: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: Courtroom inside the Yangzhou City Detention Center Trial Date: November 7, 2022 Sentencing Date: N/A 2018 Detention Dates of Detention/Arrest: February 9, 2018 (detention); February 10, 2018 (criminal detention); March 11, 2018 (transferred into “residential surveillance in police-designated location”); September 2, […]
To: The Working Group on arbitrary detention The Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers The Special Rapporteur on the right […]
Joint NGO “List of Themes” in Relation to the Combined Fourteenth to Seventeenth Periodic Reports of China (CERD/C/CHN/14-17) Submitted to: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Ninety-six Session (6 August-30 August 2018) PDF Note by NGOs submitting this List of Themes: On the occasion of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s review of […]
Originally published by The Guardian on May 10, 2018 Redheaded academics, tourists, English teachers, and NGO workers are some of the suspicious figures that Chinese people should beware of befriending, according to a propaganda campaign launched by Chinese authorities. Posters on the subway in central Beijing alert commuters to some of the danger signs in […]
CHRD urges the Chinese government to release citizens exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including many laborers, who police had intimidated and detained for planning protests and strikes around the May 1st International Labor Day.
Under Xi Jinping, the pace of expanding censorship and control over cyberspace has accelerated in the name of “cyber sovereignty.” Just in the past year, a flurry of measures has been proposed or implemented to increase police surveillance of the Internet under the guise of protecting “national security.”
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment […]
Originally published by AFP on April 6, 2018 The wife of a detained Chinese human rights lawyer who has embarked on a 100-kilometre (60-mile) march to highlight his plight said Thursday she did not even know if he was still alive. Attorney Wang Quanzhang, who defended political activists and victims of land seizures, has had no […]
The Chinese government must release activist Zhen Jianghua, an activist working with Human Rights Campaign in China (HRCC). Zhuhai police have formally arrested him on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power,” according to his lawyer.
Originally published by Reuters on March 21, 2018 By Christian Shepherd BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese rights lawyers and activists say the promotion on Monday of former police official Fu Zhenghua to head China’s justice ministry signals an even deeper freeze on attempts to use the country’s legal system to defend against rights abuses. Lawmakers at […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 14, 2018 Chinese activists Chen Jianfang and Li Xiaoling have won a prestigious human rights award in memory of a human rights campaigner who died in police detention after being denied access to adequate medical care. The award, which comes amid an ever-widening crackdown on human rights […]
Originally published by The Globe and Mail on March 11, 2018 A few days ago, Chinese police knocked on Yan’s apartment door, saying they were there for a routine document check. It didn’t take long to reveal their real intention. “They asked me what I posted on Weibo,” said Yan, 19, a student and amateur […]
Originally published by New York Times on March 8, 2018 BEIJING — In the lofty chambers of the Great Hall of the People, delegate after delegate to China’s legislative body brushed aside questions this week about the constitutional change on the table that could extend Xi Jinping’s presidency. “I think people are overinterpreting this issue,” […]
Originally published by EFE on March 3, 2018 Jèssica Martorell Pekín, 6 mar (EFE).- Con la Asamblea Nacional Popular (ANP) empezaron también las “vacaciones forzadas” para muchos activistas chinos, que han sido obligados a dejar Pekín para evitar que molesten durante esta cita en la que se ultima la reforma de la Constitución que permitirá […]
Originally published by HKFP on February 27, 2018 A well-known Chinese human rights lawyer died suddenly in hospital on Monday, according to Reuters. Li Baiguang, who had defended farmers and Christian pastors, died at the Number 81 People’s Liberation Army Hospital in Nanjing of liver failure, Reuters cited an unnamed source with direct knowledge of the […]
Originally published by CNN on February 27, 2018 Hong Kong (CNN)A prominent Chinese lawyer, Li Baiguang died Monday in the Chinese city of Nanjing under “mysterious” circumstances, according to Bob Fu, a US-based activist and Christian pastor who has known the lawyer for over 10 years. Li was admitted to the No. 81 Military Hospital […]
Originally published by Reuters on February 26, 2018 BEIJING (Reuters) – A well-known Chinese rights lawyer died suddenly in hospital of liver failure on Monday, a source told Reuters, sparking suspicion over the death of someone who was previously detained, did not drink alcohol and “looked fine” earlier this month. Li Baiguang, a Christian human […]
2018 年 2 月春节联欢晚会的节目中，中央电视台节目《同喜同乐》娄乃鸣扮演的非洲大 妈、浙江电视台的宋小宝小品《自作自受》扮演非洲黑人卖药酋长都在互联网上被抨击含有 种族歧视的嫌疑。中国国内被审查的互联网上依然存在大量基于民族歧视、宗教歧视的攻击 性言论。2018 年 3 月的“精日分子”事件也让众多网友开始思考宣扬某个群族的优越和诋 毁某个群族不仅仅是伤害民族感情，也可能是现代的纳粹主义和种族歧视现象的再现。
(2018年3月14日发布) 经“曹顺利人权捍卫者纪念奖”发起机构表决，决定将第四届“曹顺利人权捍卫者纪念奖”颁发给人权捍卫者陈建芳女士和李小玲女士。2018年3月14日是曹顺利女士在她被任意羁押期间受折磨而被夺去生命四周年纪念日，该日被大陆维权人士设定为“人权捍卫者日”。
Human rights defenders Chen Jianfang and Li Xiaoling have been named the co-recipients of the fourth Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. The two women defenders are recognized for their contributions in promoting human rights at the grassroots level in China. March 14 marks the fourth anniversary of Cao Shunli’s death in detention.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Communiqué on Behalf of Zhen Jianghua and Qin Yongmin, Citizens […]
Chinese human rights defenders demonstrated remarkable resilience in promoting and protecting human rights in the face of government repression, says CHRD in its annual report. Repression & Resilience documents the situation of human rights defenders in China in 2017.
Qin Yongmin (秦永敏) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 13 years, 3 years’ deprivation of political rights Court: Wuhan City Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: May 11, 2018 Sentencing Date: July 11, 2018 Dates of Detention/Arrest: January 9, 2015 (forcibly disappeared); March 30, 2015 (criminally detained); May 6, 2015 (formally arrested); June 17, 2016 (indicted) Place […]
Originally published by Diário de Notícias on January 29, 2018 As autoridades chinesas acusaram Yu Wensheng, um proeminente defensor dos direitos humanos detido por publicar uma carta dirigida ao Presidente chinês, Xi Jinping, de “incitação à subversão contra o poder do Estado”. A família de Yu foi notificada no sábado, por escrito, pela polícia de Xuzhou, […]
Originally published by EFE on January 29, 2018 Las autoridades chinas han acusado de “incitación a la subversión del poder del Estado” a Yu Wensheng, un destacado abogado de derechos humanos que fue detenido tras publicar una carta criticando al presidente de China, Xi Jinping. En una notificación escrita, la Policía de Xuzhou (este), informó el pasado […]
Originally published by EFE on January 23, 2018 China ha retirado la licencia para ejercer la abogacía a Sui Muqing, uno de los defensores de derechos humanos más importantes del país, tan solo una semana después de hacer lo mismo con Yu Wensheng, que posteriormente fue detenido, informó hoy la organización Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) . […]
Originally published by Debate on January 3, 2018 Pekín.- La organización Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) pidió hoy a China que libere al activista Wu Gan, condenado en diciembre a 8 años de prisión por el difuso delito de subversión contra el poder del Estado, y solicitó al Gobierno que deje de considerar la libertad de expresión […]
Originally published by Huffington Post on November 20, 2017 Last Tuesday, three American basketball players from UCLA, arrested for allegedly stealing from a Louis Vuitton store in China, were unexpectedly allowed to leave the country. One day earlier, a young Chinese student from Beijing also had an unexpected outcome at the border: he was prevented from boarding a plane […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on October 22, 2017 The United States has slapped sanctions on a former Chinese public security official over the death of an activist in custody, the first time the administration of US President Donald Trump has taken specific action in response to human rights abuses in China. Gao […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on October 27, 2017 When President Xi Jinping was handed a second term at the helm of the Communist Party this week, he said China had entered a “new era”. But human rights activists expect the same old crackdowns. Xi has increasingly stifled civil society since taking office in 2012, […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on January 25, 2018 Authorities in Guangdong have revoked human rights lawyer Sui Muqing’s license to practice law. Sui is one of several human rights lawyers to lose his license in recent months. Sui was held in a secret location for nearly five months at the beginning of […]
Originally published by Washington Post on January 7, 2018 For 40-year-old Mao Ya, the facial recognition camera that allows access to her apartment house is simply a useful convenience. “If I am carrying shopping bags in both hands, I just have to look ahead and the door swings open,” she said. “And my 5-year-old daughter […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 2, 2018 A university in the Chinese capital is investigating a prominent scientist after a former student posted allegations using the sexual assault and harassment hashtag #MeToo. “The university takes seriously the recent named allegations made via social media regarding the ethics of our lecturer Chen Xiaowu,” the […]
Originally published by Jurist on December 28, 2017 [JURIST] The US and Germany embassies released a statement [text] on Wednesday urging China to release human rights activist Wu Gan, known as the “Super Vulgar Butcher,” who was sentenced to imprisonment for eight years for undermining governmental authority. According to the statement, the countries are both “deeply disappointed” […]
Originally published by Reuters on December 22, 2017 BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Friday urged the United States not to set itself up as a “human rights judge” and denounced the U.S. Treasury Department for punishing a Chinese public security official for alleged rights abuses. Gao Yan was one of the targets of an executive […]
Originally published by Asia Times on December 23, 2017 Some human rights groups were happy to hear this week that Washington has finally decided to put the Global Magnitsky Act into action. The law, which allows authorities to prohibit entrance into the US and use of its banking system for foreigners suspected of human rights […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 22, 2017 Officials in the United States have sanctioned a Chinese police officer under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for his role in the death by neglect of human rights activist Cao Shunli while she was in police custody. Gao Yan was chief of police in […]
Originally published by Asian News International on December 12, 2017 Hong Kong, December 12 (ANI): China‘s leaders vehemently deny that they interfere in the internal politics of others or that they pursue hegemony – because they are not like others. However, that proclamation of innocence has been shown to be a bald-faced lie through various revelations this past […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 8, 2017 An overseas-based rights group has hit out at Beijing’s attempts to “weaken” international human rights norms, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party held a conference promoting its home-grown view of human rights. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi told the South-South Human Rights Forum, which wrapped up […]
Originally published by The Straits Times on December 7, 2017 BEIJING (AFP) – China touted its political and development model as it hosted an inaugural global human rights forum on Thursday (Dec 7), even as activists slammed the country’s own abuses. President Xi Jinping has overseen a sweeping crackdown on civil society since taking power […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 1, 2017 Three feminist activists in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong say they are leaving the provincial capital following a protracted campaign by authorities to force them out of their rented accommodation. Activists Zhang Leilei, Guo Jing and Xiong Zai, who have been living in Guangdong’s provincial capital Guangzhou for several […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 1, 2017 Chinese rights activist Su Changlan, who once supported Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and campaigned for the land rights of rural women, has yet to regain her freedom, more than a month after her reported “release,” her lawyer said on Friday. Su’s defense attorney Liu Xiaoyuan said […]
（CHRD – 2017年1月29日）在最近的几个月内，中国司法部门又开始新一轮对人权律师的打压活动，先后非法剥夺了几位律师的执业权利，受害律师包括余文生律师，隋牧青律师，祝圣武律师，吴有水律师，王理乾律师，王龙德律师。这是官方在报复惩罚这些律师正当行使言论自由权、敢言批评当局的司法腐败、并努力倡导司法独立。
Chinese authorities have stripped several human rights lawyers of their law licenses in recent months, sending a strong signal that the government will continue to punish lawyers who are not cowed into silence by the “July 2015 Crackdown.”
“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受人权侵犯的受害者（尤其是人权捍卫者）提供寻求司法救济的法律援助； 为受到迫害的人权捍卫者提供人道援助； 并支持维护和倡导人权、追究侵犯人权的罪责等公民行动。本项目同时致力于督促中国政府兑现《世界人权宣言》并落实中国政府批准加入的各项国际人权公约，促使国内法的制订和实施与国际人权标准接轨，保障公民、政治、经济、社会、文化等方面的基本人权。
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to immediately and unconditionally release activist Wu Gan, who was handed an 8-year prison sentence in December in retaliation for exercising his right to free speech and assembly.
中国人权捍卫者网络欢迎美国政府将中国警官高岩列为《全球马格尼斯基问责法》的52名制裁对象之一。2014年1月至2016年10月期间，高岩担任北京朝阳区公安分局局长一职。根据这一法案，在「指挥责任」这一原则下，高岩被制裁是因为在曹顺利被拘留在朝阳看守所期间，警方对她施行酷刑和非人道待遇，包括拒绝提供适当的医疗，拒绝律师多次提出的“保外就医“的请求，最终导致她的病情严重恶化，送到警方严守的医院急救无效死亡。另外也是因为他在朝阳区担任其它警方职位期间发生在朝阳看守所的多起人权侵犯事件，包括对艾未未、王荔虹、李海、许乃来等人的任意羁押和酷刑。
The US Government has designated Gao Yan (高岩) for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for his role in the death of Chinese activist Cao Shunli in March 2014, while he was the chief of the Chaoyang District Public Security Bureau Branch in Beijing.
CHRD’s English translation of a video about Guangdong NGO activist Zhen Jianghua. The video was published by Hong Kong’s i-CABLE on December 8, 2017 to mark International Human Rights Day on December 10.
（中国人权捍卫者网络——2017年12月10日）——在纪念今年的12月10日世界人权日之际，中国人权捍卫者网络（CHRD）认为，国际社会必须非常警惕中国政府全球攻势，中国正试图瓦解国际人权的核心准则。自2017年1月习近平在日内瓦万国宫发表演说以来，中国政府已经重新开始推销「中国特色人权观」，将「发展」置于人权之上，用经济增长取代保护经济社会人权。这一轮新的攻势标志着习近平“复兴中国”的民族主义运动出现了对外扩张的拐点，开始向全世界推销「中国模式」。
Stakeholders in the international human rights community must vigilantly guard against China’s aggressive global campaign to weaken core international human rights norms, says CHRD to mark this year’s Human Rights Day on December 10.
Shan Lihua 单利华 (Released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 27 months Court: Nantong City Gangzha District People’s Court, Jiangsu Province Trial Date: June 28, 2016 Sentencing Date: September 29, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: November 20, 2015 (criminally detained); December 1, 2015 (formally arrested); February 19, 2018 (released) […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical […]
Li Yuhan (李昱函) *Under medical watch Criminal charge: “Picking quarrels and provoking trouble” & “fraud” Length of Punishment: 6 years and 6 months Court: Shenyang, Heping District People’s Court Trial Date: October 20, 2021 Sentencing Date: October 25, 2023 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 9, 2017 (detained); November 15, 2017 (formally arrested) Date of Birth: October 9, 1957 Medical […]
（中国人权捍卫者网络CHRD – 2017年11月30日） 无论是在公共空间和个人生活领域，中国广泛存在着妇女受到性别歧视和权利受侵犯的现象。 比如针对妇女的暴力非常普遍，而且这类事件往往得不到司法机关调查，犯罪嫌疑人却逍遥法外。在习近平治下，对妇女权益的保护更像是一场海市蜃楼。习近平正不断强化党对公民社会的管控，一些妇女人权捍卫者和从事女权倡导的非政府组织成为了政府的打压目标。在标示11月25日“消除针对妇女暴力国际日”和11月29日的“妇女人权捍卫者国际日”之际，面对中国当今现状，中国妇女所处的恶劣环境令人无比担忧。
Originally published by Voice of America on November 28, 2017 A court in China’s southern Hunan province has sentenced Taiwanese rights activist Lee Ming-che and his alleged Chinese national accomplice Peng Yuhua to five and seven years in prison respectively on charges of inciting state subversion. Lee is the first foreign non-governmental organization (NGO) worker […]
WORKING GROUP ON ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES COMMUNICATION FORM 1. Identity of Disappeared Person (a) Family name(s): Zhao (赵) (b) Given names(s): Suli (素利) (c) Sex: female (d) Date of birth: April 8, 1973 (e) ID Card No: (f) Place of Usual Residence: Qingshan District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province 2. Date of arrest, abduction or disappearance (at least month and year): January […]
Women in China face widespread discrimination and violence both in their public and personal lives, a grim reality to consider as the UN this week marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and International Women Human Rights Defenders Day.
Originally published by UCA News on October 24, 2017 In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, so called political re-education camps have been proliferating in the lead up to the 19th Communist Party Congress. The Chinese government’s aim is to streamline ideology in an area it perceives to be troubled by Islamic terrorism, and perhaps even […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 26, 2017 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have released women’s rights activist Su Changlan, who once supported Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and campaigned for the land rights of rural women. “Su Changlan has been released, and she is here with us,” her brother Su […]
Originally published by Huffington Post on November 15, 2017 By James Tager Today marks the 36th annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer. On this day each year, PEN International and its centers around the world highlight and campaign on behalf of writers who face unjust imprisonment as a result of their work. In recognition of […]
Originally published by AFP on October 27, 2017 When President Xi Jinping was handed a second term at the helm of the Communist Party this week, he said China had entered a “new era”. But human rights activists expect the same old crackdowns. Xi has increasingly stifled civil society since taking office in 2012, targeting […]
Originally published by HKFP on November 2, 2017 Chinese lawyer Li Yuhan, who assisted “709” lawyer Wang Yu, has been detained by the Public Security Bureau for an unknown crime, according to two NGOs – China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group and Chinese Human Rights Defenders . Wang Yu, whose arrest on July 9, 2015 […]
Originally published by The Guardian on November 21, 2017 China has sentenced a prominent civil rights lawyer to two years in prison in a trial that was denounced as political theatre by critics. Jiang Tianyong, whose past clients include a wide range of activists such as the exiled dissident lawyer Chen Guangcheng, was sentenced on […]
Originally published by EL MUNDO on November 21, 2017 Un tribunal de China condenó este martes al prominente abogado de derechos humanos, Jiang Tianyong, a dos años de cárcel por “incitar a la subversión del estado”, un proceso calificado de “farsa” por activistas y organizaciones internacionales y que supone el último de una larga serie de […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 21, 2017 A court in the central Chinese province of Hunan on Tuesday handed down a two-year prison term to human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong for subversion, following a process that has been denounced by his family as a show trial. Jiang, who pleaded guilty to “incitement to […]
（中国人权捍卫者2017年11月21日星期二）中国政府必须立即释放优秀的人权律师江天勇。今天江律师在长沙市中级人民法院被宣判为两年有期徒刑，罪证是他的捍卫人权和法治的行为。 2017年8月，长沙中级人民法院开庭审理江律师，无论是从诉讼的程序上还是刑法实体上看，一切都是在弄虚作假，是在强行构陷江律师入罪。 从对江天勇的关押到对其不公平的审理和判决，种种迹像显示了当局对公民权利的侵犯肆无忌惮，这其中有强迫失踪， 阻挠家属聘请的律师为其辩护，不顾无罪推定原则，通过官媒进行污蔑江律师。这是持续近两年的镇压律师运动中，最新的一起针对人权律师下达的判决。从习近平执政以来，对人权律师的镇压运动于2015年达到峰值。
China must immediately release prominent rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who received a two-year prison sentence on November 21, 2017 in retaliation for his defence of human rights and rule of law. His conviction is the latest in Xi Jinping’s ongoing attack on rights lawyers, which has raged since 2015.
Liaoning police detained human rights lawyer Li Yuhan (李昱函) on suspicion of unknown criminal charges. Li has been out of contact since October 9, since being taken away by police. She is being held in an unknown location and is at high risk torture and mistreatment.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Li Xiaoling 李小玲 (released on suspended sentence) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 3 years, suspended for 5 years Court: Zhuhai City Xiangzhou District Court Trial Date: November 14, 2018 Sentencing Date: November 27, 2018 Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 4, 2017 (detained); August 8, 2017 (criminally detained), September 13, […]
Originally published by UCA News on October 24, 2017 In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, so called political re-education camps have been proliferating in the lead up to the 19th Communist Party Congress. The Chinese government’s aim is to streamline ideology in an area it perceives to be troubled by Islamic terrorism, and perhaps even erase […]
Originally published by Reuters on October 22, 2017 BEIJING (Reuters) – Hu Jia, a well-known Chinese dissident who lives in Beijing, says he had hoped to go to the southeastern city of Xiamen for his government-sponsored holiday, but state security officials said no. “They told me I had to go to a more isolated place this […]
Originally published by The New York Times on October 20, 2017 BEIJING — The police and military swarm the streets at all hours, checking documents and questioning passers-by. Political critics have been jailed, placed under surveillance or sent to the countryside. Popular gathering spots like nightclubs have been shuttered and home-sharing services like Airbnb banned. As […]
Originally published by Baptist Press on October 20, 2017 BEIJING (BP) — A kidnapped Chinese Christian attorney held in Beijing chronicles China’s religious persecution in a book smuggled from the country and published in the U.S., even as Chinese President Xi Jinping pledges to control religion there. Renowned attorney Gao Zhisheng’s book “Unwavering Convictions” was released […]
Originally published by The Guardian on October 20, 2017 The United Nations has demanded that China should immediately release prominent human rights activists from detention and pay them compensation, according to an unreleased document obtained by the Guardian. The report, which has not been made public, from the UN’s human rights council says the trio had their rights […]
Originally published by Herald Sun on October 19, 2017 It is a sure sign of a tyrant, showing no concern for his audience and confident that none will dare walk out or tell him to stop: “Xi Jinping … [tested] his comrades’ eyelids – and their bladders – with a three-and-a-half hour, 65-page sermon in which he […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 19, 2017 Police are holding at least 14 rights activists on public order charges as the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s five-yearly congress began this week, rights activists said. The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network, which compiles reports from rights groups inside China, said most of the detainees are being held […]
Originally published by France 24 on October 18, 2017 Las calles de Beijing están listas para recibir a los 2.287 delegados del Partido Comunista para su XIX Congreso, la mayor reunión política china, en la que se espera que el presidente Xi Jinping logre un segundo mandato al frente del partido. Miles de agentes de la […]
Originally published by Independent on October 18, 2017 China’s President Xi Jinping set out his Communist Party’s far-reaching agenda on Wednesday, using his opening speech at a twice-a-decade leadership meeting to set out a vision of total control – with the party guiding not only the economy and the internet but culture, religion and morals. China’s […]
Originally published by eldiario.es on October 17, 2017 La organización Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) denunció hoy la detención de 14 activistas y críticos con el Gobierno chino en las semanas previas a la celebración del XIX Congreso del Partido Comunista, que comienza mañana en Pekín en medio de un gran despliegue policial. La mayoría de los […]
Originally published by BBC Mundo on October 17, 2017 Ni cuchillos, ni globos, ni voces incómodas. Pekín extrema los controles para la reunión más importante que celebra el Partido Comunista chino en cinco años: el congreso en el que el secretario general de la formación y presidente del país, Xi Jinping, renueva su mandato hasta 2022 y […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on October 17, 2017 BEIJING — China’s Communist Party is set to host a high-level meeting in Beijing that will usher in a much-anticipated reshuffle of the ruling party’s top leadership. Strict security measures have been put in place, along with sweeping online censorship controls to ensure its success. Those measures […]
Originally published by La Vanguardia on September 30, 2017 Jèssica Martorell Pekín, 30 sep (EFE).- Cada vez resulta más difícil opinar libremente en China, donde la censura gubernamental sigue endureciéndose para eliminar cualquier grieta que permita ser crítico con el régimen. Lo último, la prohibición del anonimato en internet para presionar al usuario a que […]
![[CHRB] China: Stop Detaining Activists & Silencing Political Expression Around 19th CCP Congress (9/28-10/17/2017)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Zi-Su-CHRB.jpg)
Prior to CCP’s 19th Congress, Chinese police have seized activists and tightened control over political expression online, with CHRD documenting 14 criminal detentions and two cases of enforced disappearance.
Originally published by La Vanguardia on October 13, 2017 Jèssica Martorell Pekín, 13 oct (EFE).- China afronta la renovación de la cúpula de su régimen comunista con la “peor” situación de los derechos humanos desde la matanza de Tiananmen en 1989 como telón de fondo y bajo el temor de que la represión se intensifique […]
Originally published by NPR on October 12, 2017 Human rights activist Huang Qi has been in Chinese government custody for nearly a year and is in failing health. The Chinese dissident was critical of the government after the Sichuan earthquake. ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: Now an update on a Chinese human rights activist we introduced you […]
Zhen Jianghua 甄江华 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Two years Court: Zhuhai City Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 10, 2018 Sentencing Date: December 16, 2018 Dates of Detention/Arrest: September 1, 2017 (detained); September 2, 2017 (criminally detained); December 2017 (residential surveillance in a police-designated location); March 2018 (formally arrested; date unknown); November 8, […]
什么是联合国特别程序？ 人权理事会特别程序由独立专家主持，从人权专题角度或具体国别角度，对人权问题提供建议和报告；接受个案申诉；进行国家访问。各种“特别程序”系统涵盖公民、文化、经济、政治和社会等多方面的人权问题，是联合国人权机制的重要组成部分。这部短片简洁地解释了联合国特别程序的工作。
Joint Civil Society Report Responding to China’s Follow-up Report to The Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) in Collaboration with a Consortium of Chinese Civil Society Groups September 2017 Read as PDF Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Insufficient access to justice and legal […]
![[CHRB] Ongoing Suppression of HRDs: Li Xiaoling Arrested; Lawyer Liu Yao Loses Appeal Over 20-Year Sentence; Gao Zhisheng Still Missing (9/22-27/2017)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Screen-Shot-2017-09-27-at-12.14.04-PM.png)
Guangdong activist Li Xiaoling (李小玲) was arrested after she commemorated the Tiananmen Massacre. Guangdong rights lawyer Liu Yao (刘尧) lost his appeal over a 20-year sentence. Gao Zhisheng (高智晟) is in custody in Beijing after disappearing from house arrest on August 13.
Originally published by Tribune deGeneve on September 21, 2017 Le gouvernement chinois a rétropédalé. La Chine a finalement autorisé une jeune militante féministe à quitter le territoire pour aller suivre un master de droit à Hongkong. « Je pars ce dimanche » a confirmé hier Wu Rongrong à La Tribune de Genève. Fin août, pourtant, cette […]
Originally published by HlídacíPes on September 14, 2017 Zbavit se nepohodlných živlů se dá i bez popravy. Třeba podáním neznámého „léku“. Uvedlo vás to do stavu, kdy jste si mysleli, že tentokrát je po vás. Duševně to bylo nejhorší, nevěděli jste, co vám dali, a tak jste si mysleli, že vás určitě chtějí zabít. Že odsud nevyváznete […]
Originally published by AFP on September 11, 2017 Un militant pro-démocratie taïwanais a reconnu lundi devant un tribunal chinois les charges de «subversion», au cours d’un procès vivement dénoncé par les organisations de défense des droits de l’homme et source de vives tensions entre Pékin et Taipei. Mis en cause pour ses articles défendant la […]
Originally published by HKFP on September 15, 2017 A blogger who documented protests in China has maintained his innocence during an appeal of his four-year sentence. Lu Yuyu was convicted in August by a court in the city of Dali in Yunnan province for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” He stated at the time that he intended to appeal. Lu […]
Originally published by The News Lens on September 13, 2017 Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che (李明哲) on Sept. 11 appeared on trial at the Hunan Province, Yueyang City Intermediate People’s Court. He had been missing in China for 176 days. Lee, along with Peng Yuhua (彭于華) from China, was accused of subversion of state power. The Taiwanese activist confessed […]
Originally published by RFA on September 13, 2017 Overseas human rights group has called on the U.S. government to impose sanctions on two Chinese police officers over the “arbitrary detention and torture” of rights activist Cao Shunli, who died in a police detention center after being detained at Beijing’s international airport four years ago. The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network, […]
Originally published by AFP on September 11, 2017 A Taiwanese democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday to charges of attempting to subvert Chinese government power during a trial in China that his wife called a “political show” and further soured cross-strait ties. Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyang intermediate people’s […]
By Frances Eve & Cathal Gilbert | From 3-5 September, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa met at the ninth BRICS summit. The venue was Xiamen – a gleaming port city which symbolises China’s rise as the new economic and political force in the world. It is also a fitting venue to mark the continued emergence of BRICS as a bloc with some serious geopolitical heft.
Li Yufeng (李玉凤) (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 4 years Court: Zhongzhan District People’s Court (Jiaozuo City, Henan Province) Trial Date: July 27, 2016 & August 3, 2016 Sentencing Date: January 16, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 26, 2015 (detained); November 27, 2015 (criminally detained); December 29, 2015 (formally arrested); February 21, 2019 (released); detained […]
Chinese authorities must release activist Zhen Jianghua (甄江华), who is being held incommunicado on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power,” and end the rampant criminalization of human rights activities.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Communiqué on Behalf of Liu Shaoming, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention and Reprisal against a Human Rights Defender […]
On the fourth anniversary of Cao Shunli’s, CHRD again calls for justice for her, urging the US government to use the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to hold accountable those responsible for her torture and death.
Originally published by Jurist on September 6, 2017 [JURIST] Four UN human rights experts on Tuesday called on [press release] China to release a prominent human rights lawyer who has been detained since November 2016. The lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, is being tried for inciting subversion of the state’s power. The UN’s call for his release comes after […]
Originally published by Jurist on September 6, 2017 [JURIST] Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] on Tuesday condemned [report] both China’s oppression of critics of the nation’s human rights record and the UN’s failure to stop such conduct. The report alleges that, “China has worked consistently and often aggressively to silence criticism of its human rights record before UN […]
Originally published by VOA on August 29, 2017 Ahead of Wednesday’s International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, rights groups are calling on China to end its “self-legalized” practice of involuntary disappearances of human rights defenders and their family members, including Liu Xia, the widow of the late Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo. China […]
Originally published by HKFP on August 28, 2017 Rights watch website founder Liu Feiyue may face an additional charge of “leaking state secrets,” after a local security bureau made a submission stating it had sufficient evidence to warrant the charge, according to NGO Amnesty International. Liu is currently being held for “inciting subversion of state power,” […]
Originally published by Jurist on August 22, 2017 [JURIST] Chinese human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong confessed at a trial on Tuesday to attempting to overthrow the Chinese government. Jiang has been in custody since November of last year. At the trial, he stated [NYT report] that Western laws led him to attempt to overthrow the country’s Communist […]
Originally published by AP on August 22, 2017 BEIJING (AP) — A prominent Chinese human rights campaigner pleaded guilty to inciting subversion of state power on Tuesday, saying he had used social media to inspire distrust in the Chinese government, in the latest trial in a sweeping crackdown on independent lawyers and rights activists. Parts […]
Originally published by Guardian on August 22, 2017 Human rights activists have denounced as a sham the trial of a leading Chinese civil rights lawyer who authorities claim tried to topple China’s one-party state. Jiang Tianyong, 46, was put on trial in the central city of Changsha on Tuesday morning having vanished into the custody of security […]
Originally published by AP on August 22, 2017 BEIJING (AP) — A prominent Chinese human rights campaigner accused of inciting subversion of state power said Tuesday that he had used social media to inspire distrust in the Chinese government, in the latest trial in a sweeping crackdown on independent lawyers and rights activists. Parts of […]
Originally published by Guardian on August 19, 2017 The world’s oldest publishing house, Cambridge University Press, has been accused of being an accomplice to the Communist party’s bid to whitewash Chinese history after it agreed to purge hundreds of politically-sensitive articles from its Chinese website at the behest of Beijing’s censors. The publisher confirmed on Friday that it […]
By Frances Eve | Dozens of political detainees and prisoners have reported being deprived of adequate medical treatment. Deliberately depriving prisoners of medical care is a life-threatening form of torture, and appears to be commonly used against political prisoners on China.
To mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on August 30, CHRD calls on the Chinese government to end the legalized practice of involuntary or enforced disappearance of human rights defenders and their family members by repealing “residential surveillance at a designated location.”
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Communiqué on Behalf of Liu Feiyue, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention and Reprisal against a Human Rights Defender […]
Originally published by AP on August 14, 2017 A prominent activist who called himself the Ultra Vulgar Butcher as he put pressure on local Chinese officials he said had done wrong stood trial Monday accused of subverting state power, a court confirmed. Wu Gan’s one-day trial took place and the verdict will be announced later at an unspecified date, […]
The Chinese government must release activist Wu Gan immediately and unconditionally. Its persecution of Wu, including his trial on August 14, punishes him for his exercise of free speech and peaceful assembly.
An Artist’s Take on Torture in China in Violation of the Convention against Torture A Chinese artist produced a series of cartoons depicting torture methods used by Chinese police. The artist also created cartoons based on the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which highlight China’s commitments under the […]
Originally published by New York Times on July 10, 2017 BEIJING — One Chinese activist died after the authorities ignored pleas to treat her liver disease while she was in detention. Another was left with years of chronic pain after prison doctors misdiagnosed a problem with his pancreas. Accusations that Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate who has […]
Originally published by AP on July 7, 2017 BEIJING – Veteran Chinese labor activist Liu Xiaoming has been sentenced to 4 ½ years in prison on the charge of inciting subversion of state power after he published his personal account of the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, rights groups reported Friday. Liu was sentenced by […]
Originally published by AFP on August 3, 2017 Beijing: China’s government is responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s widow, her US-based lawyer has said in a formal complaint filed to the United Nations. Beijing faced a global backlash for its treatment of Liu Xiaobo when he died of liver cancer last […]
Originally published by AP on July 14, 2017 World leaders and human rights advocates have expressed sorrow and anger over the death of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died in police custody while being treated for advanced liver cancer in prison. They also condemned the Chinese government for refusing the political prisoner’s […]
Originally published by AFP on August 3, 2017 China’s government is responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s widow, her lawyer said on Wednesday in a formal complaint. Beijing faced a global backlash for its treatment of Liu when he died of liver cancer last month. Liu Xia (56), has not been in […]
Originally published by New York Times on August 4, 2017 HONG KONG — A court in southern China sentenced a blogger to four years in prison for his work documenting mass unrest around the country. The blogger, Lu Yuyu, was convicted Thursday of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” by a court in the city of Dali in Yunnan Province, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 14, 2017 China on Friday hit out at the international community for its support of late democracy activist and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died on Thursday in the northeastern province of Liaoning, as activists continued their calls for his wife Liu Xia to be allowed to leave China. As Liu Xiaobo’s body awaited […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on July 14, 2017 Dissident’s death brings wave of criticism of Beijing — and major democracies BANGKOK — Western leaders, human rights activists and Chinese survivors of the Tiananmen Square crackdown have called on Beijing to free Liu Xia, the wife of the late dissident Liu Xiaobo, from house […]
Police have detained, questioned, and searched the homes of citizens who commemorated Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) after he passed away on July 13. Authorities have clamped down on public expressions of mourning for Liu. Calls continue for the government to lift its restrictions on Liu Xia (刘霞), the dissident’s widow, who has been forcibly disappeared.
Originally published by Deutsche Welle on July 10, 2017 Two years after China’s unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers, criticism abounds that authorities appear resolute and relentless in their efforts to suppress civil society. But activists say they won’t give up. Chen Guiqiu hasn’t seen her husband, Xie Yang, for two years now. The only time […]
Originally published by Voice of America on July 7, 2017 This Sunday marks two years since China began a sweeping crackdown on human rights lawyers, sparking an international outcry about the mistreatment of detainees in custody. The release two months ago of human rights lawyer Li Heping is one case that highlights those concerns, and […]
Originally published by Reuters on July 7, 2017 HONG KONG (Reuters) – A Chinese court on Friday jailed a labor activist for 4-1/2 years following more than two years in detention on a subversion charge over a published account of the Tiananmen crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989. Police in the southern city of Guangzhou detained […]
Originally published by Jurist on June 29, 2017 [JURIST] In the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report[report, PDF] released on Tuesday, the US State Department [official website] downgraded China to Tier 3, which is the lowest tier for human trafficking. Tier 3 represents “countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant […]
Originally published by The News & Advance on June 29, 2017 On Wednesday, Liberty University student Chongyu Xia took his fight for his father’s freedom to the United States government. The rising junior, fighting for the release of his father, Xia Lin, a human rights lawyer currently imprisoned in China, spoke before American legislators Wednesday in […]
Originally published by The Sherbrooke Times on June 28, 2017 Three chinese activists arrested in may as they were investigating the working conditions in factories producing shoes for the line Ivanka Trump have been released on bail, announced on Wednesday that the association China Labor Watch. The three men – Hua Haifeng, Su Heng and Li Zhao […]
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders I. Identity of the person(s) subjected to torture 1. Family Name: Li (李) 2. First and other names: Heping (和平) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date […]
Wang Shurong 王淑蓉 Crimes: Using dangerous methods to undermine public security & Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 6 years Court: Yingjing County People’s Court, Ya’an City, Sichuan Province Trial Date: April 21, 2017 Sentencing Date: April 21, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: February 18, 2016 (criminally detained); March 23, 2016 (formally arrested) Place of Incarceration: Ya’an City Detention […]
We mourn the death of Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, writer, and prisoner of conscience. Liu passed away from multiple organ failure today under police custody. CHRD urges the international community to do everything possible to free Liu Xia, Liu Xiaobo’s wife and the love of his life.
Liu Xiaobo, the Beijing-based writer, intellectual, dissident, and human rights activist, died on July 13, 2017, not long after being issued medical parole, and over eight-and-a-half years into an 11-year prison sentence. In October 2010, the imprisoned Liu became the first Chinese citizen awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The ongoing persecution of Chinese human rights lawyers, seen most explicitly in the “709 Crackdown,” testifies to the government’s defiance of international human rights standards and its disregard for its own Constitution and laws.
The Chinese government must free Liu Xiaobo, allow him to reunite with his family, and ensure he immediately receives medical treatment by doctors—and in the location—of his own choosing.
Originally published by Reuters on June 5, 2017 (Refiles this May 25 story to add “Chinese” to advocacy group’s name in paragraph 13.) By Christian Shepherd Chinese activists say they fear intensified state surveillance after a draft law seeking to legitimize monitoring of suspects and raid premises was announced last week, the latest step to […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on June 5, 2017 HONG KONG — Although under the sovereignty of China, Hong Kong continues to keep the light burning in commemorating the Communist government’s brutal crackdown against pro-democracy protesters on June 4, 1989, when hundreds were killed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The traditional candle light vigil was […]
Originally published by SCMP on June 2, 2017 “Great progress” has been achieved in promoting human rights in Xinjiang under Communist Party rule, the Chinese government said in a white paper issued on Thursday, despite growing criticism among rights and exile groups who accuse Beijing of enforcing sweeping social control measures and placing restrictions on […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 22, 2017 Yangjindolma, an ethnic Mongolian woman from China’s northern region of Inner Mongolia, has lodged a complaint against the local government after she was tortured and held in manacles during a 15-day detention by Chinese police. Yangjindolma said she was detained May 10 on suspicion of “inciting […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 31, 2017 Twenty-eight years after People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops put an end to weeks of student-led pro-democracy protests on Tiananmen Square with tanks and machine guns, more than 20 dissidents remain in jail for campaigning over the massacre, rights activists said ahead of Sunday‘s anniversary. Those […]
Originally published by AFP on May 24, 2017 When human rights lawyer Li Heping returned to his home in Beijing after a two-year incarceration, his wife did not recognise the frail white-haired man standing in her hallway. “He is only 46 years old, but I thought he was an old man,” Wang Qiaoling told AFP. “He […]
Originally published by VOA on May 12, 2017 Chinese rights lawyer Xie Yang has been released on bail after recanting accusations of police torture during his trial on Monday. But he is still under tight surveillance by secret police, according to his wife. A court in the central Chinese city of Changsha has yet to […]
For International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, CHRD demands that China live up to its obligations contained in the UN Convention against Torture, including to investigate allegations of torture by state agents and provide compensation, rehabilitation, and redress to victims.
Shen Aibin (沈爱斌) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 2.5 years Court: Huishan District People’s Court, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province Trial Date: April 23, 2017 Sentencing Date: May 25, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: April 13, 2016 (detained); May 20, 2016 (residential surveillance at home), September 2, 2016 (formally arrested) Place of Incarceration: Wuxi No. 2 Detention Center, […]
Civil Society Follow-Up Report Submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture: Responses to the Committee’s Requests & to China’s Follow-up Report Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) in Collaboration with a Consortium of Chinese Civil Society Groups June 2017 Read as PDF Table of Contents Introduction 1. Restrictions on Access to a Lawyer and […]
President Xi Jinping has completely ignored China’s domestic laws and international treaty obligations prohibiting torture. We have heard heartbreaking details about human rights lawyers being tortured by police. The apparent aim was to extract confessions and to punish them for defending human rights. Hundreds of Chinese citizens have signed a petition (appended below) demanding an independent investigation into the families’ allegations that their loved ones have been tortured. Let’s show solidarity with those Chinese who put themselves at risk by speaking out against torture. We must tell Xi Jinping that the international community is deeply concerned about the pervasiveness of torture in China’s criminal justice system.
![[CHRB] Police Cover Up of Suspicious Death of Detained Ethnic Villager; Government Crackdown on Citizens Remembering Tiananmen (6/1-8/17)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/111.jpg)
Police have intimidated the lawyers and family of Luo Jibiao (罗继标), an ethnic Zhuang, who died in police custody on May 26. CHRD has confirmed the detentions of 16 Chinese citizens for commemorating the 28th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, though the actual number might be higher.
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the right to health Update and Appeal […]
在中国当局血腥镇压“六四”民主运动的28年后，很多八九民运的参与者因为持续倡导人权、法治和民主改革，被剥夺人身自由。他（她）们当中有些人在当年起到了领头作用，有些则以年轻学生、教授、记者、作家或工人身份加入北京和全国各地的示威游行。有些人因为参与那场民主运动当时就被判刑监禁。获释后，他（她）仍然继续从事推动民主和人权的活动。这些八九民运参与者受到的刑罚通常比其他人严苛，因为中国当局认为这些人是有政治企图的累犯、有意图挑战其一党专制的合法性。
CHRD calls for freedom for participants in the 1989 protests who are currently in detention or prison for continuing their advocacy for human rights, rule of law, and democratic reforms.
Provisions in China’s new draft intelligence law, if adopted in their current form, would further tighten control over civil society organizations, both domestic and international, and which already are under assault as “hostile forces” that threaten “national security.”
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention CHRD reply to Chinese government’s response regarding the cases of Zhou Shifeng, Hu Shigen, Xie Yang, Li Heping, Wang Quanzhang, Li Chunfu, and Jiang Tianyong. The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits this reply to the Government’s response made regarding lawyers Zhou Shifeng (周世锋), Xie Yang (谢阳), […]
Originally published by ABC News on May 10, 2017 China has released two prominent human rights lawyers detained nearly two years ago, after they allegedly confessed in court to collaborating with foreign organizations and media to smear and subvert Communist Party rule. The two men’s release narrows the list of human rights campaigners who are still […]
Originally published by HKFP on May 10, 2017 Chinese human rights lawyer Xie Yang has “confessed” to working with foreign media outlets to sensationalise cases. He denied previous claims that he was tortured in an “exclusive interview” with a Hunan TV station. Xie, who had worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by China’s ruling Communist Party, […]
Originally published by Jurist on May 10, 2017 [JURIST] Chinese human rights lawyers Xie Yang and Li Heping were released from prison Tuesday after being detained for nearly two years on charges of attempting to subvert the country’s ruling Communist Party. The two activists were originally rounded up in July of 2015, along with hundreds […]
Originally published by AFP on May 8, 2017 A leading Chinese human rights lawyer whose case has drawn international scrutiny pleaded guilty Monday to charges of “inciting subversion of state power” in what critics called a “show trial.” Xie Yang, who had worked on cases considered politically sensitive by China’s ruling Communist Party, was among hundreds […]
Originally published by The News & Advance on May 5, 2017 Liberty University student Chongyu Xia announced Friday he will be delivering his petition for the release of his father to the Embassy of China in Washington, D.C., on May 9. Chongyu Xia’s father, Xia Lin, was arrested Nov. 8, 2014, and was accused of “gambling […]
Originally published by AFP on May 8, 2017 A leading Chinese human rights lawyer went on trial Monday for inciting subversion, in a case which sparked an international outcry after claims he was tortured. Xie Yang, who had worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by China’s ruling Communist Party, was among hundreds of legal staff […]
Originally published by AFP on May 8, 2017 Beijing (AFP) – A leading Chinese human rights lawyer admitted to getting “brainwashed” overseas at the opening of his trial on Monday, the court said, in a case which sparked an international outcry after allegations he was tortured. Xie Yang, who had worked on numerous cases considered politically […]
Originally published by BBC on May 8, 2017 A Chinese court says a prominent human rights lawyer, Xie Yang, has admitted being “brainwashed” overseas at his trial for inciting subversion. It released transcripts in which he says he was trained in Hong Kong and South Korea to “develop Western constitutionalism in China”. In a video, he denies […]
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to drop all charges against human rights lawyer Xie Yang. He has reportedly been released on bail following a May 8 show trial. The rights violations against Xie, from his alleged torture in detention to interferences to his access to lawyers of his own choice, have characterized the ongoing persecution human rights lawyers and activists over the past two years.
Originally published by New York Times on April 28, 2017 HONG KONG — One of China’s most prominent human rights lawyers was given a suspended three-year prison sentence on Friday after being convicted of subversion charges. The lawyer, Li Heping, who has been in detention since 2015, received a four-year reprieve, a court in the port city […]
Originally published by Jurist on April 28, 2017 The Second Intermediate People’s Court in Tianjin [official website] on Friday gave human rights lawyer Li Heping [advocacy profile] a three-year suspended sentence for subversion. He has been in jail since being detained in the summer of 2015. Heping represented many high-profile defendants including practitioners of the banned religion […]
Originally published by AFP on April 28, 2017 BEIJING (AFP) – China sentenced a prominent human rights lawyer to a three-year suspended sentence on Friday (April 28) following a secret trial, raising concerns the country is moving to further reduce transparency in high-profile, politically sensitive cases. Beijing has come under increased fire from the international community as […]
Originally published by The Globe and Mail on April 27, 2017 Little more than an hour after the opening of a retrial against Wilson Wang, two women burst out of the courthouse at the Wuhu City Jinghu District People’s Court. “The court beats people! Come and see, everyone!” they shouted in front of a small crowd that […]
Originally published by AFP on April 25, 2017 A Chinese court indefinitely postponed the trial of a prominent human rights lawyer on Tuesday, his supporters said, in a case that has sparked international concern after allegations he was tortured. Xie Yang, who had worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by the ruling Communist Party, was among […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on April 22, 2017 Prominent Chinese lawyer Xie Yang will not be allowed to pick his defence at his upcoming trial, his former attorney said, in a move rights groups called a breach of international standards. Xie, who has worked on numerous cases considered politically sensitive by the ruling Communist […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 21, 2017 A Chinese rights activist involved in recent environmental protests in the southern province of Guangdong has fled the country to seek political refugee status in Thailand. Wang Xili had been giving help and advice to residents of Junpu village near Guangdong’s Chaozhou city who were protesting pollution […]
Originally published by Taiwan News on April 15, 2017 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A Chinese activist once detained in his country for “causing social disorder” disappeared the day after he arrived in Taiwan with a tour group, reports said Saturday. Zhang Xiangzhong (張向忠), 48, had registered for a tour of eight days and seven nights around […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 24, 2017 Authorities in the eastern China province of Jiangsu are holding several rights activists under “residential surveillance” in an unknown location following a secret crackdown in Suzhou city that began last September, rights activists said. Several of the detainees had been protesting in supporting of evictee Fan Mugen, […]
Originally published by Humanosphere on March 21, 2017 Eleven countries have jointly called on the Chinese government to investigate “credible claims of torture” against human rights lawyers, the Globe and Mail reported yesterday. In a letter dated Feb. 27 – which the Canadian newspaper said has not been made public – the signatories also condemned China’s practice of detaining suspects in […]
![[CHRB] China Punishes Human Rights Defenders and Dissidents with Unfair Trials and Prison Terms (4/23-25/17)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/cb0703e3-487d-459d-99e8-0e721080f795.jpeg)
Chinese authorities put several human rights defenders on trial over phony charges in retaliation for their defense or exercise of human rights. These cases involve two human rights lawyers, one citizen journalist, one migrant labor rights activist, four activists who had exposed local illegal detention facilities, and five members of a Christian church. Authorities violated the defendants’ due process rights in every one of these cases.
The Chinese government must protect human rights to make meaningful progress in environmental protection. Basic rights like freedom of expression, assembly, association and press are fundamental to any genuine attempt to effectively respond to serious threats to the environment and public health, CHRD said today, to mark this year’s Earth Day on April 22.
Hada (哈达) (released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Separatism & espionage Length of Punishment: 15 years Court: Hohhot Intermediate People’s Court, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Trial Date: November 11, 1996 Sentencing Date: November 11, 1996 Dates of Detention/Arrest: December 10, 1995 (detained); March 9, 1996 (arrested); December 9, 2014 (released) Date of birth: November 29, 1955 […]
Chen Kegui 陈克贵 (released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Intentional injury Length of Punishment: 39 months Court: Linnan County People’s Court, Shandong Province Trial Date: November 20, 2012 Sentencing Date: November 20, 2012 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 9, 2012 (arrested); July 29, 2015 (released) Date of Birth: June 10, 1979 Medical Condition: Appendicitis Place of […]
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention CHRD reply to Chinese government’s response regarding the cases of Huang Wenxun, Yuan Bing, and Yuan Xiaohua. The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits this reply to the Government’s response made to you regarding activists Huang Wenxun (黄文勋), Yuan Bing (袁兵), and Yuan Xiaohua (袁小华). In preparing […]
Huang Yan (黄燕) (released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Obstructing official duties Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: November 27, 2015 (detained); December 31, 2015 (arrest); September 21, 2016 (released on bail) Date of birth: October 15, 1970 Medical Condition(s): Late-stage ovarian cancer, diabetes Place of […]
Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche 普布泽仁仁波切 (released) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Illegally owning guns and explosives Length of Punishment: 8.5 years Court: Dartsedo (Ch: Kangding) County Intermediate People’s Court, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province Trial Date: April 29, 2009 Sentencing Date: December 23, 2009 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 18, 2008 (detained); arrest date unknown; April 17, 2016 (released) […]
特别程序在人权事务高级专员办事处（人权高专办）的支持下开展国别访问；通过发函提请通过发函提请各国及其他行为者关注指称侵犯虐待案件以回应个别案件及更广泛的结构性问题；撰写专题报告和组织专家讨论会；促进国际人权标准的发展完善；从事宣传活动；提高公众意识；为技术合作提供咨询意见等。
目前共有九个核心人权公约，每一个公约都有相应的条约机构负责对履约国实施状况进行定期和即时评估，因此公民社会有更多的机会参与。条约机构都是由独立专家组成的委员会构成。
人权理事会于2006年3月15日根据联合国大会第60/251号决议而成立，取代了前人权委员会，成为负责处理人权事务重要的联合国政府之间的机构。
Originally published by AP on February 15, 2017 BEIJING (AP) — Lawyers who defend human rights activists and dissidents targeted by China’s communist government have increasingly themselves become subject to political prosecutions, violence and other means of suppression, according to a report released Thursday. The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a coalition of groups working within and […]
A lawyer detained in China’s sweeping crackdown in 2015 has been released on bail, but has not yet returned home, according to his wife. Yuan Shanshan said that she learned of Xie Yanyi’s release when he called her on Thursday. He is at a hotel in the northern city of Tianjin but remains under police surveillance, she told […]
Originally published by AFP on January 25, 2017 BEIJING: The EU ambassador to Beijing said Wednesday that Europe was concerned about the case of detained Chinese lawyer Xie Yang, who rights groups say has been tortured by police. Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a tightening of controls on civil society since assuming power in 2012, closing avenues […]
Originally published by The Guardian on February 16, 2017 China’s human rights situation further deteriorated last year as police systematically tortured activists and forcibly disappeared government critics while state TV continued to broadcast forced confessions, a new report shows. A creeping security state also attempted to codify much of its existing behaviour on paper, giving the police legal […]
Originally published by Newsweek on February 16, 2017 Updated | China is treating human rights workers like “criminals,” according to a report which points to an increased government crackdown on civil liberties. The report, produced by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a coalition of Chinese and international human rights non-governmental organizations, details the imprisonment and torture of […]
Originally published by Terra on February 16, 2017 Cualquier tipo de disidencia, protesta o defensa de los derechos humanos es una actividad de “alto riesgo” en la China liderada por Xi Jinping, donde las torturas, las confesiones forzadas o las desapariciones están a la orden del día, alerta hoy Chinese Human Rights Defenders . La organización, con […]
Originally published by The Globe and Mail on February 16, 2017 China’s muzzling of lawyers, labour activists, journalists and gender campaigners amounts to a systematic attempt to choke off civil society, an effort that took on new seriousness last year, said the authors of a new report on human rights in the world’s second most […]
Originally published by Asian Correspondent on February 17, 2017 LAWYER’S of human rights activists in China are being subject to beatings and suppression by paid assailants hired by the authorities, a report has claimed. The report, released Thursday by the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD ), a coalition of groups working within and outside China, details […]
Originally published by AP on March 6, 2017 BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities have shut down activist Ye Haiyan’s blogs and forced her to move from one city to another. Left with few options, she now produces socially conscious paintings to make a living and advocate for the rights of sex workers and people with HIV or […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 24, 2017 Authorities in the eastern China province of Jiangsu are holding several rights activists under “residential surveillance” in an unknown location following a secret crackdown in Suzhou city that began last September, rights activists said. Several of the detainees had been protesting in supporting of evictee Fan Mugen, who […]
Originally published by UCA News on March 16, 2017 A detained activist, who has been in pre-trial detention for more than two years, received a prestigious human rights award March 14 from a coalition of Chinese human rights groups. Su Changlan, 45, is the third recipient of the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders, in […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 14, 2017 Detained activist Su Changlan, who has been in pre-trial detention for more than two years, on Tuesday received a prestigious human rights award from a coalition of Chinese human rights groups. Su, 45, is the third recipient of the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders, in […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on February 16, 2017 HONG KONG — China is growing less tolerant of basic human rights under the reign of President Xi Jinping. The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, or CHRD, warned that a crackdown on human rights activists is intensifying, with the government increasingly treating them like political dissidents. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 16, 2017 The number of people detained and otherwise persecuted by the ruling Chinese Communist Party for “political crimes” rose last year, as the administration of President Xi Jinping brought a draconian suite of new laws limit people’s right to freedom of expression, association and religious belief, according to […]
Originally published by Jurist on February 16, 2017 [JURIST] The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) [advocacy website] released its annual report [text, PDF] on Thursday, highlighting intensified crackdowns on human rights defenders in China. According to the CHRD report, human rights activities are being criminalized as “‘political’ threats to ‘national security.’” [press release] The report further […]
Originally published by HKFP on January 25, 2017 The EU ambassador to Beijing said Wednesday that Europe was concerned about the case of detained Chinese lawyer Xie Yang, who rights groups say has been tortured by police. Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a tightening of controls on civil society since assuming power in 2012, closing avenues […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 24, 2017 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have sent nine residents of the rebel village of Wukan to prison to begin serving sentences ranging from two to 10 years for their involvement in resistance to an armed police raid, without giving them a chance to appeal. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 24, 2017 A rights group on Tuesday called for the immediate release of detained Chinese rights lawyer Xie Yang, detailing his lawyers’ reports of his torture in a police-run detention center in the central province of Hunan. Xie was subjected to confinement in a “hanging chair” made of plastic […]
Originally published by The New York Times on January 20, 2017 BEIJING — Perched unsteadily on a stack of plastic stools in an isolated room, Xie Yang, a Chinese lawyer, was encircled day and night by interrogators who blew smoke in his face, punched and kicked him, and threatened to turn him into an “invalid” unless he confessed […]
Human rights defenders Su Changlan, Chen Qitang, Chen Yunfei, and Xia Lin face court hearings on March 30-31 as authorities continue the government’s political persecution of rights activists and lawyers.
![[CHRB] Detentions in Suzhou & Xinjiang; New Measures Curb Free Expression (3/20-23, 2017)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/judge.jpg)
Nine individuals in Suzhou in Jiangsu Province remain held in an extended police operation, an ex-judge is criminally detained in Xinjiang, and the Chinese government further restricts free expression.
Activist Su Changlan, detained in Guangdong since October 2014, has been named the third recipient of the Cao Shunli Memorial Award.
Liu Xia 刘霞 [released] *Previously under medical watch Crime: N/A Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 11, 2010 (house arrest); Released on July 10, 2018 (flew to Berlin, Germany) Date of Birth: April 1, 1961 Medical condition(s): Unknown heart condition, depression Place of Incarceration: Home/unknown […]
Submitted to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of […]
Lu Yuyu 卢昱宇 (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 4 years Court: Dali City People’s Court (Yunnan Province) Trial Date: June 23, 2017 Sentencing Date: August 3, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 16, 2016 (detained); July 21, 2016 (arrested); August, 2017 (sentenced); June 14, 2020 (released) Place of Incarceration: Dali Bai Autonomous […]
Li Tingyu 李婷玉 (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: N/A Court: Dali City People’s Court (Yunnan Province) Trial Date: April 20, 2017 Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 16, 2016 (detained); July 22, 2016 (arrested); June 2017 (released/at home) Place of Incarceration: Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Detention Center, Yunnan Province […]
Jiang Tianyong 江天勇 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Two years Court: Changsha Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 22, 2017 Sentencing Date: November 21, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: November 21, 2016 (disappeared); December 1, 2016 (residential surveillance at a designated location); May 31, 2017 (formally arrested); Februrary 28, 2019 (released) […]
Promoting and protecting human rights remained a high-risk activity in 2016, says CHRD in its annual report released today on the situation of human rights defenders in China, They Target My Human Rights Work as a Crime. The Chinese government intensified crackdowns on human rights defenders (HRDs) and criminalized rights activities as “political” threats to “national security.”
“人权小额资助”项目旨在为遭受人权侵犯的受害者（尤其是人权捍卫者）提供寻求司法救济的法律援助； 为受到迫害的人权捍卫者提供人道援助； 并支持倡导人权的民间社团行动，培植和推广公民社会理念与实践，推进政府透明和有责必追。本项目同时致力于推动中国政府落实包括《世界人权宣言》和中国政府已经加入的各项国际人权公约，并促使国内法的制订和实施符合国际人权标准，以实现所有人在政治、经济、社会、文化等方面的基本人权得到保障。
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to promptly and impartially investigate torture allegations made by detained human rights lawyer Xie Yang (谢阳), and reiterates our persistent demand for the unconditional and immediate release of all incarcerated rights lawyers.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 23, 2016 Chen Yunfei, a veteran rights activist in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan who was detained after visiting the grave of a Tiananmen massacre victim in 2015, will stand trial on Dec. 26 on public order charges following repeated delays to his case. Former Tiananmen […]
![[CHRB] Eleven Activists Remain Forcibly Disappeared in Shenzhen, at Risk of Torture in Police Custody (1/5-1/12/2017)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/deng.png)
Eleven activists in the city of Shenzhen remain forcibly disappeared since police seized them between November 15 and December 8. Three of them are confirmed to be under “residential surveillance” and suspected of “subversion of state power.”
![[CHRB] Wukan Protesters Imprisoned; Church Pastor Tried on “State Secrets” Charge (12/24/2016-1/4/2017)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/yang-hua.jpg)
On December 26, nine residents of Wukan Village in Guangdong were given prison sentences for protesting the persecution of a local leader, and a court in Guizhou secretly tried church pastor Yang Hua on a “state secrets” charge. Also, Hangzhou democracy activist Lü Gengsong is suffering from poor health in prison due to deprived medical care.
China must immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Chen Yunfei (陈云飞) instead of putting Chen on trial, which is scheduled for December 26 at the Wuhou District Court in Chengdu. The court notified his lawyer, Liu Zhengqing (刘正清), that Chen will stand trial on the charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
Huang Qi 黄琦*Under medical watch Current Detention Criminal charges: Illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities, Intentionally leaking state secrets Length of Punishment: 12 years (3 years for intentially leaking state secrets & 11 years for illegally providing state secrest to foreign entities) Court: Mianyang City Intermediate Court Trial Date: January 14, 2019 Sentencing Date: July […]
Liu Feiyue 刘飞跃 Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 5 years Court: Suizhou City Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 7, 2018 Sentencing Date: January 29, 2019 Dates of Detention/Arrest: November 17, 2016 (detained); November 18, 2016 (criminally detained); December 23, 2016 (formally arrested); December 6, 2017 (indicted) Place of Incarceration: Xiangnan Prison, […]
After forcibly disappearing the human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong for 25 days, Chinese authorities finally confirmed that he is in police custody under “compulsory criminal measures.” CHRD asks the Chinese government to immediately release Jiang Tianyong, on the grounds that his detention is clearly arbitrary.
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on December 11, 2016 HONG KONG — Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Saturday received his Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end a civil war that had raged for more than half a century. The medal and honor was conferred to him in person from the chairperson of the […]
Originally published by The New York Times on November 30, 2016 HONG KONG — Three prominent Chinese rights activists appear to have been detained in recent weeks by the police, part of a continuing crackdown on groups operating outside the umbrella of the state, advocacy groups say. The men, Jiang Tianyong, Huang Qi and Liu Feiyue, disappeared […]
Originally published by The Guardian on November 30, 2016 Friends and family of a respected Christian attorney who has been missing for more than a week fear he may have fallen victim to Beijing’s campaign against human rights lawyers and now languishes in secret custody. Jin Bianling, the wife of 45-year-old rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, said she […]
Originally published by HKFP on November 30, 2016 The founder of a Chinese citizen news site has been detained after police searched his home. Huang Qi is the third well-known rights defence figure in China to disappear or be detained in a fortnight, after the disappearances of lawyer Jiang Tianyong and citizen journalist Liu Feiyue, who activists believe to be […]
Originally published by HKFP on November 29, 2016 A Xinjiang court struck down an appeal on Monday over the 19-year sentence of writer and activist Zhang Haitao. Zhang was sentenced in January to 15 years for “inciting subversion of state power” and a shorter sentence for “providing intelligence to those outside borders.” He filed an appeal in February, which was […]
Originally published by HKFP on November 24, 2016 An assessment by rights groups has found “large discrepancies” between the Chinese government’s promises and its actions concerning human rights. The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders – a group of Chinese and international human rights NGOs – released the report on Tuesday. The report comes after China’s re-election […]
CHRD urges the Chinese government to release three prominent civil society leaders whose cases of deprived liberty further signal the escalation of President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on human rights activism.
Originally published by HKFP on November 24, 2016 An assessment by rights groups has found “large discrepancies” between the Chinese government’s promises and its actions concerning human rights. The network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders – a group of Chinese and international human rights NGOs – released the report on Tuesday. The report comes after China’s […]
Three years after the October 2013 UPR review of China, Chinese NGOs have released a report assessing China’s implementation of the recommendations put forward by UN Member States. The report finds large discrepancies between the government’s promises and its actions. Human rights conditions and safeguards in China have slightly improved in some limited areas, but the overall human rights situation has worsened over the past three years.
NGO Mid-Term Assessment of China’s Implementation of 2nd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Recommendations Country: People’s Republic of China Following UPR (2nd Cycle): October 22, 2013 Period of Assessment: 2014-2016 (Download full report as PDF) Infograph Executive Summary Chapter 1. Cooperation With UN Human Rights Bodies 1.1. Acceding to Core UN Human Rights […]
Originally published by Terra on November 15, 2016 China celebró hoy elecciones para elegir a los diputados de asambleas legislativas locales en pueblos y algunas ciudades del país, pero los comicios estuvieron estrictamente controlados por las autoridades y varios candidatos independientes fueron detenidos o amenazados para que no lograran un asiento. En la segunda economía mundial, sólo […]
Originally published by Associated Press on November 15, 2016 BEIJING — Liu Huizhen, a petite, soft-spoken farmer’s daughter who wants to serve her community, might seem an unlikely threat to China’s all-powerful Communist Party. Yet, as Chinese vote Tuesday for low-level representatives, authorities have responded to Liu’s bid as an independent candidate in a southwestern district […]
![[CHRB] Candidates Obstructed in Violation of Chinese Election Law (10/21-11/3, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Independent-candidates-running-in-local-Peoples-Congress-elections-in-Beijing-have-encountered-police-harassment-and-intimidation.jpg)
In several cites in China, authorities have intimidated, harassed, and detained citizens who have declared their “independent candidacy” in this year’s elections of delegates to local people’s congresses.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of […]
Originally published by Liberation on October 30, 2016 «C’est une opération politique de très grande ampleur. Le pouvoir chinois a sans doute estimé que nous étions devenus trop nuisibles. Ces nouvelles régulations sont un instrument pour nous supprimer.»L’homme qui se confie dans ce petit square de Pékin et dont il vaut mieux taire le nom […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 26, 2016 Prominent rights activists and campaigners have called on democratic members of the United Nations to block China’s re-election on Friday for another two-year term on its Human Rights Council. The New York-based Human Rights Watch cited China as a current council member that has failed to […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on October 24, 2016 A Tianjin court held a hearing on Friday to decide whether the wife of a detained human rights lawyer will be able to sue a government-appointed lawyer representing her husband. Yuan Shanshan, the wife of Xie Yanyi, who was detained as part of China’s crackdown on human rights […]
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the right of […]
CHRD urges UN Member States to vote against China’s re-election to the Human Rights Council on October 28 at the UN headquarters in New York. States should vote according to international human rights standards, and take into consideration China’s rapidly deteriorating human rights situation.
![[CHRB] Anti-Corruption Activist Imprisoned, Police Put Down Mass Environmental Protests in Xi’an (10/14-20, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cheng-kangming.jpg)
Activist Cheng Kangming was handed a 4½-year prison sentence on October 18, likely in retaliation for exposing official corruption in Zhejiang. Over one thousand armed police in Xi’an crushed a massive protest against a planned waste incinerator plant on October 16.
Originally published by SCMP on October 19, 2016 When their decades-long efforts failed to stamp out rampant corruption even among anti-graft investigators and get law enforcers to actually abide by the law, China’s communist leadership should have understood that behind such crises lies not a failure of governance but rather the failure of an outdated political […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on October 17, 2016 A year after publisher Gui Minhai disappeared from his holiday home in Thailand only to reappear in custody in mainland China, Swedish authorities say they are continuing to work towards a solution. Gui was a co-owner of Causeway Bay Books and its parent company Mighty Current, […]
![[CHRB] Young Activist Imprisoned for 5 Years for Political Crime, Guangdong Activist Detained for “Fraud” (10/7-13, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/HWXXYH-CHRB.png)
In cases of Guangdong activists, Huang Wenxun has been given a 5-year sentence for exercising his right to peaceful assembly, while Xiao Yuhui was criminally detained after assisting victims of family-planning policies.
![[CHRB] Women’s Rights Activist Sentenced, New Cases of Disappearance & Torture (10/4-6, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Chen.jpg)
A Chinese court has sentenced women’s rights activist Shan Lihua to 27 months in prison, while cases of deprived liberty have been reported or seen developments in Fujian, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang.
Originally published by Spiegel Online on September 22, 2016 Die größte Verfolgungswelle seit Jahren in China dauert fort: Ein Gericht in Peking hat den Bürgerrechtsanwalt Xia Lin zu zwölf Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt. Der 46-Jährige ist wegen Betrugs schuldig gesprochen worden, teilte sein Anwalt Wang Zhenyu mit. Menschenrechtler kritisierten das Urteil: Xia Lin habe sich nichts zuschulden […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on October 5, 2016 110 lawyers have signed a petition calling upon China to rescind amendments to its Administrative Measures for Law Firms, a measure rumoured to be rolling out on November 1, according to Canyu, a Chinese human rights website. The amendments will mean that law firms cannot “indulge” their lawyers and must […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 3, 2016 Rights activists and lawyers have hit out at new regulations brought in by the ruling Chinese Communist Party placing further restrictions on lawyers’ ability to protest abuses of judicial power. An amended set of the Ministry of Justice’s “Administrative Measures for Law Firms” will place lawyers who […]
Originally published by Voice of America on September 23, 2016 A harsh 12-year sentence handed down Thursday by a Chinese court against prominent civil rights lawyer Xia Lin is stirring a heated debate online about the rule of law in China, and whether the case shows an abuse of legal procedure. Xia, whose clients included dissident […]
Originally published by The News Lens on September 30, 2016 The announcement of China’s new human rights action plan has not impressed some in the international community who say the country has a record of failing to deliver on its commitments to key civil and political rights. China’s State Council Information Office (SCIO) yesterday published its third […]
![[CHRB] Revised Measures on Law Firms Further Curb Independence of Chinese Lawyers (9/21-10/3, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/law-firms.jpg)
The newly amended “Administrative Measures for Law Firms” will further restrict lawyers from exercising their professional duties in defending clients’ rights involved in high-risk political cases.
By Victor Clemens | China’s central government has made the construction of more affordable urban housing an official goal, but in China and elsewhere, creating affordable housing should not come at the expense of human rights.
Originally published by CNN on September 24, 2016 (CNN)A lawyer for the renowned Chinese artist and government critic Ai Weiwei was sentenced to 12 years jail on Thursday, in a case his supporters say was politically motivated. Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court found Xia Lin guilty of almost 10 million yuan in fraud, deprived him […]
Originally published by Reuters on September 22, 2016 A Chinese court on Thursday jailed a prominent civil rights lawyer for 12 years on fraud charges, his lawyer said, a punishment rights advocates called retaliation for his defence of high-profile clients who had challenged the government. Xia Lin, detained by Beijing police in November 2014, is the […]
Originally published by The Atlantic on September 22, 2016 Xia Lin, a human-rights lawyer whose clients include Ai Weiwei, the famed Chinese dissident, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Beijing court Thursday on fraud charges, the BBC reports. The 46-year-old, known for defending human-rights activists, was first detained in November 2014 as he […]
Originally published by EL PAIS on September 22, 2016 El abogado defensor de los derechos humanos Xia Lin, célebre por haber representado al artista Ai Weiwei y a otros destacados activistas, recibió este jueves en Pekín una sentencia de 12 años de cárcel, en un nuevo y duro golpe del régimen chino contra la sociedad civil […]
Originally published by Sky News on September 22, 2016 A human rights lawyer has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by a court in China. Xia Lin, whose clients included the famous Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, was jailed by the Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court after earlier being found guilty of fraud. It […]
Originally published by Washington Post on September 22, 2016 BEIJING — A Chinese lawyer who defended activists and others in politically sensitive cases was convicted of fraud and given 12 years in prison Thursday, his lawyers said. It is the harshest sentence to date in the relentless crackdown on China’s legal community. Xia Lin was sentenced in […]
Originally published by The Guardian on September 22, 2016 Human rights groups have accused Beijing of ramping up its assault on civil rights activists after a respected lawyer was jailed for 12 years on what they claim were trumped-up charges. Xia Lin, a 46-year-old lawyer whose clients have included dissident artist Ai Weiwei and free speech […]
Originally published by Associate Press on September 22, 2016 BEIJING – A Chinese court has sentenced a lawyer who defended activists and others in sensitive cases to 12 years in prison on fraud charges. Xia Lin was sentenced Thursday by the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate Court, nearly two years after being detained. His sentencing comes amid […]
Originally published by DPA International on September 22, 2016 Beijing (dpa) – A Beijing court on Thursday jailed a prominent lawyer for 12 years on fraud charges, the latest verdict in China’s ongoing crackdown on activists and rights lawyers. Xia Lin pled not guilty and his supporters said the case was another example of retaliation against a human […]
Originally published by HKFP on September 22, 2016 A Xinjiang court has delayed an appeal by writer and activist Zhang Haitao over his 19-year prison sentence. Zhang was jailed in January for “inciting subversion of state power” after writing articles critical of the government. The time limit for handling his case was previously extended until Monday, according to information distributed by […]
Originally published by IRIN on September 21, 2016 The world’s strongest storm of the year slammed into China last week, just as the country was recovering from severe flooding that the government said left about 1,000 people dead. In many nations, this would prompt a deluge of donations to disaster response, but not in China, which […]
CHRD denounces the Chinese government’s politically-motivated punishment of human rights lawyer Xia Lin, who was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment on trumped-up charges on September 22.
![[CHRB] Police Stamp Out Protests in Wukan Village; New Developments in “709 Crackdown” Cases (9/13-20, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Activist-Yin-Xuan-whose-case-was-heard-in-a-closed-hearing-on-September-13-became-the-fifth-709-Crackdown-detainee-known-to-face-trial.jpg)
Guangdong police violently put down months-long protests in Wukan Village, injuring many villagers and detaining at least a dozen. Elsewhere, “709 Crackdown” activist Yin Xu’an was tried behind closed doors by a Hubei court.
Originally published by DPA International on September 1, 2016 Beijing (dpa) – China’s first national charity law came into effect Thursday in a move designed to encourage giving and ease restrictions on domestic charities, while at the same time tighten control of the sector, local media reported. The law relaxes registration requirements for charities and aims to […]
Originally published by Breitbart News on September 9, 2016 Barack Obama held “candid” talks with Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping during the G20 Summit, the White House said Saturday, talks which were said to have briefly touched on the topic of human rights. But that didn’t seem to help China’s many dissidents. In fact, the […]
Originally published by Washington Post on September 10, 2016 For China’s President Xi Jinping, the recently concluded summit of G-20 leaders was a resounding success, a chance to strut his stuff on the world stage and underline his nation’s ever-growing global leadership. But for some Chinese people it has been a nightmare. China arrested five citizen […]
Originally published by Foreign Policy on September 6, 2016 On Sept. 4 and 5, heads of 20 of the world’s wealthiest nations convened in the southern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the annual G-20 summit. It marked China’s first time as host of the major international event, which it did with the degree of splendor and pageantry […]
Originally published by Daily Caller on September 7, 2016 China says its G20 Summit was a huge victory, but to achieve success, it launched an intense campaign to silence potential troublemakers. China supposedly detained journalists, put dissidents under house arrest, sent city residents away, and implemented extreme censorship protocols to ensure the summit held in Hangzhou this past […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 4, 2016 As world leaders met in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou at the start of the G20 summit, dozens of dissidents, rights activists and ordinary Chinese seeking to highlight grievances against the government were subjected to “disappearances,” detention and house arrest by China’s state security police, […]
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on September 2, 2016 BEIJING – Authorities have arrested or forced activists, dissidents and other citizens to “travel” in several parts of China in a bid to prevent protests during the G20 summit this weekend in Hangzhou. Police, following the usual procedures on such occasions, are trying to limit […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 1, 2016 Beijing human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, detained last August after he gave legal advice to dozens of Protestant churches facing the demolition of their crosses, has been redetained by Chinese police following his “release” on bail. Zhang was taken away by authorities in his home region […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 30, 2016 Concerns are growing for the safety of dozens of human rights lawyers and associates locked up in an unknown location by the Chinese authorities in a crackdown that started in July 2015, as the international community marks a day of concern for the victims of enforced […]
Zhang Rongping 张荣平 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Four years Court: Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: November 23, 2015 Sentencing Date: April 8, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 3, 2014 (detained); November 4, 2015 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Meizhou Prison, Guangdong Province Verdict: Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Intermediate People’s […]
Xie Yanyi 谢燕益 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 12, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); January 18, 2017 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin Municipal No. 2 Detention Center Background Information Police have held Beijing lawyer […]
Xie Yang 谢阳 Crime: Inciting subversion of state power & disrupting court order Length of Punishment: Exempted from punishment Court: Changsha City Intermediate People’s Court, Hunan Province Trial Date: May 8, 2017 Sentencing Date: December 26, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 11, 2015 (detained); January 9, 2016 (arrested); May 8, 2017 (released on bail) Place […]
Meng Han 孟晗 (released) Crime: Gathering a crowd to disrupt social order Length of Punishment: One year nine months Court: Panyu District People’s Court, Guangzhou Trial Date: November 3, 2016 Sentencing Date: Nvember 3, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: December 3, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Guangzhou City No. 1 Detention Center Background […]
![[CHRB] Chinese Police Seize Dozens of Activists, Petitioners Prior to G20 Summit in Hangzhou (8/19-9/2, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/shen-aibin-e1472839003458.jpg)
CHRD has documented dozens of cases of deprived liberty of activists and petitioners as part of the Chinese government’s “stability maintenance” measures before the G20 Summit of world leaders opening this Sunday in Hangzhou.
Zeng Feiyang 曾飞洋 (released on suspended sentence) Crime: Gathering a crowd to disrupt social order Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for four years Court: Panyu District No. 2 People’s Court, Guangzhou Trial Date: September 26, 2016 Sentencing Date: September 26, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: December 3, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Guangzhou […]
Yin Xu’an 尹旭安 *Under medical watch Current detention Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 5, 2019 (criminal detention); July 11, 2019 (arrest); October 24, 2019 (indictment) Date of Birth: August 27, 1974 Medical condition(s): High blood pressure (hypertension) […]
Wang Fang 王芳 (released) Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 3 years Court: Wuchang District People’s Court, Hubei Province (Wuhan City) Trial Date: February 10, 2017 Sentencing Date: July 18, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 28, 2015 (detained); September 15, 2015 (arrested); June 11, 2018 (released) Place of Incarceration: Wuhan City No. 1 […]
Since President Xi Jinping took power, Chinese authorities have stepped up the practice of forcibly disappearing human rights lawyers and other rights defenders. On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, CHRD urges the government to end the use of enforced disappearance to persecute those they want to silence.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading […]
Submitted to: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits […]
Xie Fengxia 谢丰夏 Current Detention Crime: Picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: 4 years and 6 months Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: April 30, 2020 (criminally detained); July 13, 2020 (indicted); April 15, 2021 (trial) Place of Incarceration: Chshan prison Previous Detention Crime: Inciting subversion of state […]
Wang Mo 王默 (released) Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 4.5 years Court: Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: November 19, 2015 Sentencing Date: April 8, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 3, 2014 (detained); November 10, 2014 (arrested); April 2, 2019 (released) Place of Incarceration: Lechang Prison, Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province […]
Originally published by San Angelo Standard Times on August 13, 2016 By Julie Makinen, Los Angeles Times (TNS) BEIJING — For five days last week, the confessions poured forth from Chinese human rights activists and attorneys rounded up last summer and held incommunicado for a year. Four men, facing trial for subversion, cowered before a court […]
任意拘留问题工作组
任意拘留问题工作组第七十六届会议(2016 年 8 月 22 至 26 日) 通过的意见
第 43/2016 号意见 事关夏霖 (中国)
（注：这⾥翻译的是⼯作组意见的节选。 CHRD翻译）
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 15, 2016 Rights activists are calling on the leaders of the G20 nations not to ignore China’s human rights violations during its summit in the eastern city of Hangzhou in early September. China is hosting the Sept. 4-5 summit during what activists are saying is the worst crackdown […]
Originally published by The News Lens on August 8, 2016 Calls have started for G20 leaders, who are set to meet in China next month, to speak out about China’s treatment of human rights lawyers following a flurry of televised confessions and convictions last week. A group of lawyers and human rights activists associated with Beijing’s […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 8, 2016 Two prominent human rights attorneys detained at the start of a nationwide operation targeting lawyers last year have yet to regain their liberty, despite having been “released” on bail, rights activists said. Bao Longjun, husband and colleague of rights lawyer Wang Yu, was granted bail on […]
Jiang Lijun 姜力钧 (released) Crime: picking quarrels and provoking trouble Length of Punishment: three years Court: Dadong District People’s Court, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province Trial Date: July 10, 2015 Sentencing Date: January 29, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 16, 2014 (detained); June 25, 2014 (arrested); May 15, 2017 (released) Place of Incarceration: Shenyang City No. […]
Foreign heads of state at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in September can advance a goal of building economic cooperation by raising human rights concerns with Chinese leaders, just as China’s government is perpetuating the worst human rights crackdown in the country since 1989.
Originally published by Los Angeles Times on August 10, 2016 For five days last week, the confessions poured forth from Chinese human rights activists and attorneys rounded up last summer and held incommunicado for a year. Four men, facing trial for subversion, cowered before a court where they were represented by lawyers they didn’t choose. A fifth […]
Last week’s televised “confessions” and swift convictions of human rights lawyers and activists for “subversion” have dashed any hope for rule of law reforms under Xi Jinping’s reign. Chinese authorities’ handling of the lawyers and activists rounded up since last July have broken numerous Chinese legal provisions and international human rights norms. While the Xi Jinping leadership may have meant to issue stern warnings to other human rights defenders with these show trials, they have profoundly damaged its claim that China is a rule abiding rising power.
Originally published by Ecumenical News on August 3, 2016 A court in Tianjin China has sent a Christian leader from an underground church to more than seven years in jail in a crackdown on human rights activists. Hu Shigen was sent to prison on charges of subversion, becoming the second person to be jailed in two days for […]
Originally published by EFE on August 3, 2016 Tamara Gil Pekín, 3 ago (EFE).- Hu Shigen, veterano defensor de la democracia y líder religioso de varias iglesias clandestinas, se convirtió hoy en el segundo activista condenado a cárcel por China en dos días, en el marco de la insólita operación que comenzaron las autoridades en 2015 […]
Originally published by The New York Times on August 3, 2016 BEIJING — An advocate for democracy and religious freedom in China was sentenced to more than seven years in prison on Wednesday, the state news media reported, as the government continued its prosecution of a group of rights activists accused of subverting state power. The […]
Originally published by MDZ Online on August 2, 2016 Un tribunal popular en Tianjing condenó hoy a tres años de prisión al disidente Zhai Yanmin por “subversión contra el Estado”, en lo que es la primera sentencia dictada tras la ola de persecuciones a abogados defensores de los derechos civiles y activistas de hace un año […]
Originally published by APA on August 3, 2016 Erstes Urteil nach Verhaftungswelle im Vorjahr – Geständnis von Topjuristin offenbar erzwungen Peking – Nach der Verfolgungswelle gegen Bürgerrechtsanwälte und Aktivisten in China ist das erste Urteil gefallen. Wegen “Untergrabung der Staatsgewalt” verurteilte ein Volksgericht in Tianjin den 55-jährigen Dissidenten Zhai Yanmin am Dienstag zu drei Jahren Haft, […]
Originally published by APA on August 3, 2016 Hartes Urteil am zweiten Verhandlungstag in Tianjin Tianjin – Ein chinesisches Gericht hat im Zuge der Verfolgung von Bürgerrechtsanwälten und Menschenrechtlern ein hartes Urteil gefällt. Das Zweite Mittlere Volksgericht der nordchinesischen Stadt Tianjin in der Nähe von Peking verurteilte den Aktivisten Hu Shigen wegen “Untergrabung der Staatsgewalt” am […]
Originally published by The New York Times on August 1, 2016 BEIJING — A prominent lawyer jailed as part of a crackdown on human rights lawyers in China has been released from detention, according to news reports on Monday, even as her colleagues suggested that a videotaped confession she had offered had probably been coerced. The […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 1, 2016 Authorities in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin have reportedly released on bail a prominent human rights lawyer, while rights groups say the subversion trials of several others could begin soon. Wang Yu, whose July 9, 2015 detention marked the start of a nationwide police operation […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 2, 2016 A court in the northern city of Tianjin on Tuesday found a rights activist linked to prominent human rights lawyers guilty of subversion, as state media said he had “confessed” to being part of a foreign-inspired plot to overthrow the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Zhai Yanmin was […]
Originally published by Los Angeles Times on August 2, 2016 China is putting three human rights activists and one lawyer on trial this week in the eastern city of Tianjin, and on Tuesday the court handed down the first verdict, finding one defendant guilty of subversion and imposing a three-year suspended prison sentence. Authorities have tried to give […]
Originally published by The News Lens on August 2, 2016 Beijing-based human rights activist Zhai Yanmin (翟岩民) was sentenced today after reportedly pleading guilty to subverting state power. Zhai, 55, was sentenced to three years in prison with a four-year reprieve at a court in Tianjin, northern China. State-owned Xinhua says the court was told that Zhai, along […]
Originally published by Voice of America on August 2, 2016 A court in Tianjin Tuesday handed down a guilty verdict for Chinese rights defender Zhai Yanmin, who was given a three-year jail term with a four-year probation period after being found guilty of “state subversion.” Activist arrested, detained Zhai’s verdict came one day after the alleged […]
Originally published by The Guardian on August 3, 2016 A prominent Christian church leader has become the latest to be jailed by Chinese courts during a week of activist trials and public confessions that have shocked international observers. Hu Shigen, a leader of an underground church movement, was found guilty of subversion, sentenced to seven years […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on July 23, 2016 A petitioner who had been forcibly hospitalised in psychiatric hospitals was declared mentally fit before being sentenced and jailed for blackmailing government officials, according to mainland media. Petitioner Xu Xueling, 53, was sentenced to four years in jail for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” earlier […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on July 23, 2016 A petitioner who was sent to psychiatric hospitals has been sentenced to four years in prison for taking money from stability maintenance personnel, The Paper reported. Xu Xueling, a 53 year old petitioner, demanded RMB 37,700 (HK$43,818) from government staff responsible for “stability control” in the town of Quangou by threatening to […]
Originally published by Shanghaiist on July 28, 2016 The South China Morning Post is stuck between a rock and a hard place as critics have begun to question the (once) venerable newspaper’s peculiar interview with a young activist who had been detained by Chinese authorities for over a year. The activist in question, 24-year-old lawyer Zhao […]
Xu Zhiqiang 徐志强 Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Four years Court: Wuhan City Intermediate People’s Court, Hubei Province Trial Date: April 21, 2015 Sentencing Date: April 8, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 17, 2014 (detained); June 25, 2014 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Wuhan City No. 2 Detention Center (pre-trial detention); […]
Four rights defenders held incommunicado for over one year may face imminent trials at the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court on charges of “subversion of state power.” The trials may begin as soon as Monday, August 1, according to unconfirmed information CHRD received. Chinese authorities have failed to notify the detainees’ families nor their own lawyers.
Zhai Yanmin 翟岩民 (released on suspended sentence, under police control) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for four years Court: Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 2, 2016 Sentencing Date: August 2, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 15, 2015 (detained);January 8, 2016 (arrested); August 2, 2016 (released […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on July 22, 2016 Chinese authorities have issued a formal arrest notice for citizen journalist Lu Yuyu after detaining him for five weeks, Chinese news outlet Weiquanwang reported on Thursday. Lu is founder of the blog “Not News”, which keeps track of and reports on mass demonstrations in China via Twitter, Blogspot, YouTube and Weibo. […]
Originally published by Bangkok Post on July 21, 2016 HONG KONG – A trove of newly published documents belonging to a purged Chinese leader has been launched at Hong Kong’s book fair, despite fears Beijing is tightening freedom of expression in the city. Former premier and Communist Party general secretary Zhao Ziyang was removed from China’s top […]
Originally published by Tiroler Tageszeitung Online on July 8, 2016 Peking (APA/dpa) – Zum Jahrestag des Beginns der Verfolgungswelle gegen Bürgerrechtsanwälte in China haben Menschenrechtsorganisationen die Freilassung der Inhaftierten gefordert. Noch immer seien rund 20 Anwälte, Mitarbeiter und Aktivisten in Haft. Ihnen würden grundlegende Rechte verwehrt, kritisierten Menschenrechtler und Diplomaten am Freitag. Sie könnten nicht frei […]
Originally published by Voice of America on July 8, 2016 After a year-long detention, Zhao Wei, a 24-year-old assistant to a prominent lawyer, was released Thursday after she had confessed her crimes and had shown a good attitude, according to police and her lawyer. “I was too simple-minded. I didn’t know what I have done is […]
Wu Zeheng 吴泽衡 Crimes: Organizing or using an illegal cult to undermine implementation of the law (12 years), rape (life), fraud (14 years), production and sale of harmful food (6 years) Length of Punishment: life imprisonment Court: Zhuhai City Intermediate People’s Court, Guangdong Province Trial Date: October 30, 2015 Sentencing Date: October 30, 2015 Dates […]
Lü Gengsong 吕耿松 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 11 years Court: Hangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court, Zhejiang Province Trial Date: September 29, 2015 Sentencing Date: June 14, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 7, 2014 (detained); August 13, 2014 (arrested) Verdict: Zhejiang Province Hangzhou City Intermediate Court Criminal Verdict (Chinese) Defence […]
Chen Shuqing 陈树庆 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 10.5 years Court: Hangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court, Zhejiang Province Trial Date: September 29, 2015 Sentencing Date: June 14, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: September 11, 2014 (detained); October 21, 2014 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Qiaosi Prison in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province (previously Hangzhou […]
![[CHRB] China’s Persecution of Online Speech Targets Lawyer, Migrant Worker; New UN Ruling on “Arbitrary” Detention Met With Defiance (7/1-13, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ren-quanniu-1.jpg)
In recent cases of deprived free speech, Chinese authorities have criminally detained defense lawyer Ren Quanniu and rights defender Hu Changgen, the latter on a terror-related charge, in retaliation for their online expression. Also, activist Guo Feixiong remains imprisoned despite a UN ruling for him to be freed.
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on July 5, 2016 The families of several lawyers detained in China for nearly a year appealed Monday before the Supreme People’s Procuratorate in Beijing over the violation of their human rights, the nonprofit Chinese Human Rights Defenders reported. The families of the lawyers sought permission to see them, […]
在史无前例的对中国人权律师大抓捕一周年之际，“人权捍卫者”呼吁中国政府释放19名仍然在押的人士。同时，中国政府愈加严厉地压制依法行使基本人权，违犯中国自己的法律和宪法以及国际人权准则，我们呼吁当局立即停止这种打压。
Marking the anniversary of an unprecedented crackdown on rights lawyers in China, CHRD calls for the release of the 19 individuals still detained and an end to the government’s escalating persecution of legitimate exercise of fundamental human rights, in violation of Chinese laws, its constitution, and international human rights standards.
Originally published by Voice of America on July 5, 2016 WASHINGTON— A Hong Kong group advocating for workers’ rights in mainland China says the country has taken a “step forward” by passing a new law to regulate overseas nongovernmental organizations. Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin is one of the overseas NGOs covered by the law, and its positive […]
Ji Sizun 纪斯尊 (deceased) Previously under medical watch* Crime: Gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place & picking quarrels and provoking troubles Length of Punishment: 4.5 years Court: Minhou County People’s Court, Fujian Province Trial Date: December 15, 2015 Sentencing Date: April 18, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 21, 2014 (detained); December […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press on June 27, 2016 Two citizen journalists keeping track of protests in China have been detained for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Lu Yuyu and his girlfriend Li Tingyu run “Not News,” which has been reporting and distributing news of mass demonstrations in China via Twitter, Blogspot, YouTube and Weibo since 2013. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 23, 2016 Detained Guangdong activist Huang Yan, a former torture victim who spoke out publicly in support of rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, is being denied treatment for spreading ovarian cancer in a police-run detention center, her relatives and rights groups said. Huang was criminally detained in November 2015 […]
Originally published by The Tibet Post on June 6, 2016 Dharamshala — Worldwide vigils and protests marked the 27th anniversary of the “Tiananmen Square Massacre.” Tens of thousands of people gathered at candlelight vigil in Victoria Park in Hong Kong, on June 5th night to remember the deadly massacre that ended the 1989 pro-democracy protests in […]
![[CHRB] Activists Detained or Facing Trial for Exercising Free Expression (6/22-30, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/nantong.jpg)
Since mid-June, Chinese authorities have kept up persecution of activists who have exercised their free expression rights. Three such rights defenders have recently faced trial—and another is set to be tried on June 30—while two citizen journalists were criminally detained for sharing data online about public protests.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Communiqué on Behalf of Xing Qingxian and Tang Zhishun, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY (1) 1. Family name: Xing (幸) 2. First name: Qingxian (清贤) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the […]
Originally published by The News Lens on June 27, 2016 Two Chinese bloggers who published data on protests in China and have been missing for nearly two weeks have reportedly been detained by authorities. Lu Yuyu, Lu’s girlfriend, and Li Tingyu are reported to have been detained on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a non-government […]
关注酷刑受害人实用手册 关注酷刑受害人：实用知识 纪念6月26日“支持酷刑受害人国际日” 2016年1月更新版 目录 前言 1.关注遭受过酷刑的人：明确目的 2.了解遭受酷刑者的护理需求：设身处地 3.普通人能为遭受酷刑者的心理康复做点什么？ 4.访谈酷刑受害人须知 5.请专业心理医师提供帮助 6. 设立关注酷刑受害人的帮扶团队资料来源及参考材料
To mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, CHRD reiterates calls for the Chinese government to end impunity for torturers and injustice for victims of torture. China has failed to live up to its obligations as outlined in the international Convention against Torture, including Article 14, under which torture victims have the right to fair and adequate compensation and rehabilitation.
![[CHRB] 2 Veteran Democracy Activists Get Long Sentences for “Subversion” (6/17-6/21, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-20-at-1.34.52-PM.png)
A Chinese court handed two long-time democracy activists lengthy prison sentences on June 17 after convicting them of “subversion of state power,” adding to a string of harsh punishments for dissidents under the reign of President Xi Jinping. Lü Gengsong (吕耿松) was given 11 years’ imprisonment while activist Chen Shuqing (陈树庆) received 10.5 years. The trials focused on essays attributed to them that were published on overseas websites as well as their activities with the banned China Democratic Party. CHRD calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Lü and Chen, whose deprivation of liberty infringes on their free expression and association rights.
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on June 9, 2016 HONG KONG/BEIJING In the 27 years since its violent suppression of a peaceful demonstration in Tiananmen Square, China has come a long way in many respects — but not in terms of the democracy and human rights that students and other citizens demanded in 1989. Unlike […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 9, 2016 The wife of a Chinese activist detained by police after marking the 27th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre has applied for political asylum in Thailand, activists said on Wednesday. Liu Xiaodong and the couple’s three-year-old son applied for asylum with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees […]
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the right to health Joint Urgent Appeal […]
![[CHRB] 10 Activists Criminally Detained for Memorializing June 4th (6/3-6/8, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/纪念六四：赵常青、徐彩虹、张宝成等三人被抓2.jpg)
Police criminally detained 10 activists before the 27-year anniversary of June 4th, as Chinese citizens continue to face persecution for commemorating the crushing of the 1989 pro-democracy movement. Beginning on May 27, activists Li Meiqing, Li Wei, Liang Taiping, Lu Fuhai, Luo Yaling, Ma Qing, Ma Xinli, Xu Caihong, Zhang Baocheng, and Zhao Changqing were seized in Beijing and Sichuan Province. Nine are being held for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles,” while Lu Fuhai is facing a charge of “inciting subversion of state power.” During the suppression around June 4th, many other activists were briefly detained for questioning, forced to travel, or put under house arrest.
Originally published by EL PAÍS on June 5, 2016 Han pasado 27 años, pero China sigue sin querer abrir uno de los capítulos más oscuros de su historia reciente. Los miles de estudiantes que se manifestaron de forma pacífica durante meses en la plaza de Tiananmen de Pekín en 1989 para pedir reformas democráticas y […]
Originally published by New York Times on June 2, 2016
北京——「對不起，我不能接受採訪，」「天安門母親」的發起人之一丁子霖說。這是在1989年的中國軍隊鎮壓行動中遇害的民主抗議人士家屬組成的群體。說話的時間是本週三，距離她兒子的忌日還有三天。
丁子霖曾任哲學教授，現年79歲，聲音聽起來有些虛弱。她沒有詳細解釋自己為何不能接受採訪。不過，在掛掉電話之前，她又講了一句，「門口有人在監測。」每年這個時候，當局都會派人在丁子霖位於北京高校區的家門口監控，攔住前去採訪的記者和其他訪客。
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Communiqué […]
Originally published by Voice of America on May 20, 2016 BEIJING— It is no secret China’s communist leaders do not like having their human rights credentials questioned, but based on a response from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Canada Wednesday, it apparently is a topic that should not be brought up. Speaking with reporters at […]
As the US-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue opens in Beijing on June 6, the US should use this opportunity to push for the Chinese government to end its persecution of human rights defenders who promote social and economic rights. These HRDs should be allowed to play an essential role in ensuring a safe, fair, and sustainable future for China, but they instead have been targeted under President Xi Jinping in the most repressive period in China since the pro-democracy movement was crushed in 1989. Today, a number of the over 2,000 detained HRDs whose cases CHRD has documented in the past three years have been persecuted for promoting social and economic rights.
Since 1989, the Chinese Communist Party has enforced a policy of denial about the 1989 Tiananmen protests and their violent suppression. Authorities have suppressed demands by victims’ families for justice and any efforts to commemorate those who died when government troops opened fire on peaceful protesters. The government has scrubbed the truth about June 4th from history books and the media. Twenty-seven years later, have these attempts at reinforcing national amnesia about the events been successful? Of special importance is what do Chinese born after 1989—called the “post-90s” generation—know about Tiananmen, how did they find out what really happened, and what does 1989 mean to them?
27 years after the Chinese government’s bloody suppression of the pro-democracy movement, a number of participants in the 1989 movement are currently detained or in prison for continuing their advocacy for human rights and democratic reforms. These individuals played leadership roles or joined the protests in 1989 as young students, professors, journalists, writers, or factory workers. Some of them served previous prison terms for their role and then resumed their pro-democracy and human rights activities after being released.
By Linda Wang & Alex Beck | For many Chinese human rights defenders and independent non-governmental organizations, difficulties and risks associated with engaging the Human Rights Council, including threat of Chinese government reprisals, outweigh the benefits. But there are meaningful actions the Council can take to improve access and to prevent and respond to reprisals.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 20, 2016 Authorities in the northern port city of Tianjin have confirmed that a second activist who tried to help the son of two detained human rights lawyers to flee China is also being held in the city, with no access to a lawyer. Rights activist Tang Zhishun […]
Originally published by Eldiario.es on May 12, 2016 Denunciar violaciones de derechos humanos en China, desde dentro del país, nunca ha sido fácil. A partir de ahora se tornará casi imposible, advierten las organizaciones sociales. ¿Qué ha cambiado? Una nueva ley, aprobada por el Gobierno chino en abril, regula el funcionamiento de las ONG extranjeras que […]
Originally published by Chicago Tribune on May 18, 2016 After retesting urine that’s older than wine from the 2008 Beijing Games, theInternational Olympic Committee has announced 31 new positive doping results, using “the very latest scientific analysis methods.” I’m so glad the IOC brought this up. Because it gives me a chance to retest the IOC […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 18, 2016 Chinese authorities in the northern region of Inner Mongolia are still holding six people in the wake of recent disputes over land grabs and pollution in the region, where ethnic minority groups and Han Chinese alike have said their health and livelihoods are threatened. Ethnic Mongolian […]
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on May 5, 2016 BEIJING – Researchers at a Chinese university, affiliated to the army, have designed a police robot capable of holding or attacking suspects and which they hope will be used as a security officer in schools, airports and banks. The robot, which is called AnBot (which means […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on May 5, 2016 China is developing a robotic security officer that can sniff out bombs, grab suspects with a mechanical clamp and deliver a jolt of electricity to neutralise threats. The military researchers behind the project say it will start patrolling public areas such as banks, airports and schools, […]
Originally published by Time on April 28, 2016 Censorship is intense, and more journalists are jailed in China than in any other country On April 19, Chinese President Xi addressed a forum on cybersecurity. He said officials should “heed public opinions” online and display “greater tolerance and patience” of “well-intentioned” criticism of the authorities. However, any […]
![[CHRB] Family Notified of Activist’s Arrest 226 Days After He Disappeared in Myanmar (5/19/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Xing-Tang.jpg)
Activist Xing Qingxian (幸清贤), who has been disappeared for over seven months after being abducted in Myanmar, was formally arrested on May 6 on suspicion of “organizing others to cross national borders.” Xing is apparently being held in Tianjin Municipal No. 2 Detention Center—the first known confirmation of his exact whereabouts since he and another activist Tang Zhishun (唐志顺), were seized on October 6, 2015, and then secretly returned to China. Xing’s arrest was reported 226 days after the two were first taken into custody. Tang’s family has not received any official notice, but he is likely to have been formally arrested, and on the same charge.
![[CHRB] Inner Mongolians Detained for Exposing & Protesting Environmental Ruin, Violated Land Rights (5/13-18/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Picture1.jpg)
In a string of suppressive actions since March, police have detained several Inner Mongolian activists, petitioners, and herders in retaliation for exposing or protesting industrial pollution and corruption over land rights that have threatened their livelihoods. Six individuals remain in custody, with one held incommunicado and, thus, at significant risk of torture. The increase in mining and resource extraction in Inner Mongolia has threatened the traditional nomadic and grasslands lifestyle and livelihoods of ethnic Mongolian herders, who have drawn public attention to this struggle as one way to defend their socioeconomic and cultural rights.
CHRD calls for an independent investigation into the alleged torture of human rights defender Yin Xu’an (尹旭安), who has been detained in retaliation for his rights advocacy work since July 2015. Authorities only allowed Yin his first lawyer visit this week, after holding him incommunicado for over nine months. During the meeting, Yin told his lawyer that he has been tortured while in detention in Hubei. The extended deprivation of legal counsel, itself a rights violation, removed a key safeguard in protecting Yin from ill-treatment. Yin was seized along with other activists after they posed in a photograph wearing t-shirts supporting detained activist Wu Gan.
Originally published by AFP on May 10, 2016 A Chinese court has jailed two activists for taking part in small-scale pro-democracy protests after detaining them for nearly three years, their lawyer said on Tuesday. Yuan Bing and Yuan Xiaohua were jailed for four years and three-and-a-half years respectively, on charges including “picking quarrels and making trouble”, […]
Two Chinese activists have been convicted and sentenced to prison in Hubei Province on May 9, 2016. Yuan Bing received four years and Yuan Xiaohua received three years over peaceful rallies that they attended in 2013. The Chibi City People’s Court convicted them on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place,” after they were put on trial on April 19. Both had spent nearly three years in pre-trial detention, an extreme case in a familiar pattern of persecution that activists and human rights lawyers have been subjected to in recent years.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 9, 2016 A court in the central Chinese province of Hubei on Monday handed jail terms of four and three-and-a-half years to two members of the anti-graft New Citizens’ Movement following a lengthy pretrial detention, lawyers for the men told RFA. Yuan Fengchu, also known as Yuan Bing, […]
Originally published by The Associated Press on April 28, 2016 BEIJING — China passed a law Thursday tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations by subjecting them to close police supervision, a move officials say will help the groups but critics charge is the latest attempt by authorities to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 28, 2016 In a move rights activists say is aimed at “strangling” the country’s embattled civil society, China’s parliament on Thursday approved a new law that will require overseas rights groups and other nongovernmental organizations to submit to police control. The standing committee of the National People’s Congress […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on May 5, 2016 China is developing a robotic security officer that can sniff out bombs, grab suspects with a mechanical clamp and deliver a jolt of electricity to neutralise threats. The military researchers behind the project say it will start patrolling public areas such as banks, airports and schools, although […]
Originally published by International Business Times on May 5, 2016 Chinese rights activist Yu Shiwen, who has been under detention for the last two years for organising the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, has gone on hunger strike inside the prison. Yu, known as the last of the “Zhengzhou 10” activists, is refusing […]
![[CHRB] Forced Psychiatric Commitment of Dissidents Continues as Police Act Above Enacted Law (4/29-5/5, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/psych-detention.jpg)
Forced commitment in psychiatric facilities remains a common form of retaliation and punishment by Chinese authorities against activists and government critics. The practice endures though it is apparently illegal, according to China’s first Mental Health Law, which was enacted three years ago, on May 1, 2013. Typically, government officials or police send petitioners, activists, or government critics to psychiatric hospitals, where victims face myriad violations of their legal and human rights. The three-year-old law clearly has been ineffective in halting politically-motivated forced commitment and mistreatment in psychiatric institutions.
Originally published by The Diplomat on April 29, 2016 Earlier this month, China celebrated “national security education day” – a large part of which involved reminding Chinese citizens to be on the lookout for foreign threats, whether in the form of actual spies or just nefarious foreign influences. Against this backdrop, it should come as little […]
The health of imprisoned activist Yang Maodong (杨茂东) has worsened to the point where his life may be in danger without prompt and proper medical treatment, according to his sister. Her alarming observations come less than a month after CHRD sent an update to UN human rights experts about Yang’s poor physical condition. His family are calling on Chinese authorities to release Yang, who has been imprisoned in violation of his rights to free expression and assembly, and allow him to access necessary medical treatment from a doctor of his own choosing.
Originally published by The National on April 2, 2016 WHAT’S THE STORY? AN anonymous letter calling on the president of China to resign has switched a spotlight on his increasing intolerance of dissent. Already drawing criticism for his restrictive policies on free speech, President Xi Jinping’s response to the letter is being seen as a sign […]
Originally published by Terra on April 8, 2016 Un tribunal del sur de China condenó hoy a cárcel a cuatro activistas por su apoyo a la conocida como la “revolución de los paraguas”, las históricas protestas prodemocracia que se vivieron en Hong Kong a finales de 2014 y que pusieron en una delicada situación al régimen. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 22, 2016 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on Friday tried the latest in a string of next-generation rights activists for subversion after he posted a number of political essays online. Chen Qitang, better known by his pseudonym Tian Li, stood trial at the Foshan Intermediate […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 1, 2016 China’s new law regulating charities is a further blow to its rights activists, and could restrict any non-government group from raising funds to help some of the country’s most vulnerable people, an overseas-based rights group said. The Charities Law was adopted by China’s parliament, the National People’s […]
Originally published by The guardian on April 28, 2016 A Chinese government offensive against civil society that campaigners describe as the worst in nearly three decades has intensified with Beijing’s approval on Thursday of a controversial new law that gives security forces control over foreign NGOs operating in the country. Campaigners attacked the move as the […]
Originally published by BBC on April 28, 2016 China has passed new laws on foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) state media said, amid criticism. The full text was not immediately available, but previous drafts stated that NGOs would have to submit to police supervision and declare sources of funding. Critics say the laws amount to a crackdown, but […]
CHRD denounces the Chinese government’s adoption of a law governing overseas NGOs that will have a profoundly detrimental impact on China’s civil society. The law passed China’s rubber-stamp legislature on April 28 despite critical international responses to the most recent draft. The adopted version appears to retain the previous draft’s most troubling elements, particularly by giving police vast powers over how foreign-based groups can operate in China. Once the law takes effect, it will further obstruct the work of such NGOs and suffocate the country’s already beleaguered independent groups.
CHRD has made submissions to the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of activists who are arbitrarily detained, disappeared, tortured, and/or suffered retaliation for exercising their rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression among many other human rights.
![[CHRB] China Must Release 5 Activists on Trial: Cases Marred by Abuses (4/13-21/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/5-trials-in-april.jpg)
Four detained human rights defenders have been tried since April 15, and a fifth is facing trial on April 22. All have spent lengthy periods of time in detention without seeing a judge, including two who have been held for almost three years. The activists—Liu Shaoming, Yuan Bing, Yuan Xiaohua, Su Changlan, and Chen Qitang—were seized after posting essays, messages, or photos of a “politically sensitive” nature online, or taking part in peaceful demonstrations. Their cases have been marred by abuses of due process rights that have become common in crackdowns under President Xi Jinping. CHRD asks for their unconditional release.
Submission to: High Commissioner for Human Rights Chair-Rapporteur of Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chair-Rapporteur of Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion […]
Originally published by The Guardian on April 15, 2016 A well-known Chinese civil rights lawyer has been taken into police custody after sharing information about the Panama Papers on social media, human rights groups have said. Ge Yongxi, an outspoken attorney known for defending underground church leaders and political and social activists, was taken from his home […]
![[CHRB] What You Need to Know About Last Week’s Prison Sentences & Xi Jinping’s 2014 Crackdowns (4/1-4/12, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/activists.jpg)
Prison sentences recently given to six human right defenders are reminders of ongoing arbitrary detentions and relentless persecution of dissent in China under Xi Jinping’s rule. The six activists were convicted on April 8 of “inciting subversion of state power” in Guangdong and Hubei, and sentenced to terms of between 18 months and four-and-a-half years. The convictions bring to 16 the number of sentenced rights defenders who were first detained in two separate crackdowns in 2014—the suppression around the 25-year June Fourth anniversary and then the police action against mainlanders who showed support for the pro-democracy protests going on in Hong Kong.
Submission to: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits updated information on the enforced disappearances of Mr. Xing Qingxian (幸清贤) […]
Submission to: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits updated information on the enforced disappearances of Mr. Xing Qingxian (幸清贤) […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation […]
Originally publish by El Confidential on March 24, 2016 Pekín, 24 mar (EFE).- Las autoridades chinas han liberado a Zhang Kai, abogado conocido por protestar contra la campaña de retirada de cruces cristianas iniciada por el Gobierno en múltiples partes del país, después de siete meses detenido. El conocido popularmente como el “defensor de las cruces” […]
Originally publish by Hong Kong Free Press on March 30, 2016 Chinese human rights activist Ni Yulan has been banned from leaving the country to receive an International Women of Courage award in the US. Ni told US-backed Radio Free Asia (RFA) on Monday that police in Beijing had frozen her passport and – despite seeking help from the US foreign minister – she […]
![[CHRB] New Charity Law Will Further Isolate & Weaken Civil Society in China (March 21-31/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/charity-law-photo.png)
China’s newly passed Charity Law, to be implemented on September 1, 2016, further debilitates independent non-profit groups in the country by restricting their access to domestic funding. The legislation is yet another tool the government can use to strangle NGOs in China’s emerging civil society, according to activists who spoke with CHRD about the legislation. Key provisions in the Charity Law with serious implications for civil society groups involve: a broad definition of “charitable activities,” ever-vague “national security” concerns, and draconian funding limitations.
![[CHRB] Forced “Switch” to Police-Appointed Lawyers Further Erodes Protections for Detained Rights Defenders (3/15-3/21, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/lawyers-split.jpg)
A substantial number of detained lawyers and activists have supposedly “dismissed” their lawyers and “hired” other lawyers to represent them, according to police notifications over the past two months. All but one of the 11 cases that CHRD has documented are tied to the “709” crackdown targeting rights lawyers. Police refusals to allow lawyers or families to visit and confirm such “decisions” with the detainees raise the strong suspicion that any firing and hiring of lawyers have been coerced. The suspected forced appointment of lawyers severely interferes with the independence of lawyers, and violates the detainees’ right to choose their own legal counsel and jeopardizes any chance of having a fair trial.
Originally published by Morning News USA on March 14, 2016 Today, March 8, marks the 108th International Women’s Day, which recognizes the contribution of women in shaping the world. For more than a century, the world has been celebrating this special day for women in a bid to recognize how they helped transform the world. All […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 8, 2016 Rights groups called on Tuesday for the release of key women activists on International Women’s Day, as five feminists detained for planning a campaign event this time last year came under renewed pressure from police. The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network called in a statement […]
Imprisoned activist Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏) is the winner of the second Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders for her contributions in promoting human rights at the grassroots level. Three mainland Chinese NGOs, which launched the award in 2015 to honor the memory of late activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利), announced their selection on the second anniversary of Ms. Cao’s death. This year’s winner, Jia Lingmin, 51, was a teacher before she became an activist after her home was forcibly demolished. While petitioning over her own case, Ms. Jia soon learnt to use the country’s law and began teaching other victims to fight for their rights.
This documentary is a look at Cao Shunli’s life, activism, and tragic death, and includes interviews with her lawyer, Wang Yu (王宇) and fellow activists and friends. Activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利) tragically passed away on March 14, 2014, after being held in detention for five months and denied adequate medical treatment. She had worked tirelessly to push Chinese authorities, without success, to allow civil society participation in the drafting of China’s human rights reports to the United Nations. She faced numerous reprisals as a result.
CHRD has released partial data on human rights defenders (HRDs) who have been detained or subjected to torture and other forms of mistreatment since January 1, 2012. Compiling information through December 31, 2015, the data include records on approximately 704 new cases from 2015. The data is based on reports by human rights organizations working within China. The entire list of data, which is maintained on a regular basis, has information on more than 2,700 cases.
CHRD calls on Chinese authorities to stop “trying” criminal suspects in the “court of public opinion” by broadcasting their “confessions” on state TV, as the practice violates Chinese law and international human rights norms. The “confessors” have not been granted due process rights, and are essentially seen as “guilty” by the public without a trial. It is widely suspected these “confessions” involve coercion or perhaps torture, since individuals have not had access to lawyers before “confessing.” Chinese authorities should be held to account for violating rights of the “confessors,” and those who remain in custody should be freed.
Three rights groups in China launched an annual award to support human rights work in honor of activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利), who died on March 14, 2014, after being denied medical treatment for five months in detention. Human Rights Campaign in China (权利运动), Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch (民生观察), and Rights Defense Network (维权网) will bestow an award to a Chinese human rights defender on March 14 each year.
Zhang Haitao 张海涛 Crime: “Inciting subversion of state power” & “providing intelligence overseas” Length of Punishment: 19 years Court: Urumqi City Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: January 11, 2016 Sentencing Date: January 15, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 26, 2015 (detained); July 31, 2015 (arrested); December 25, 2015 (indicted) Verdict: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Urumqi […]
Xing Shiku 邢世库 Crime: N/A Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: February 16, 2007 (detained); March 16, 2007 (involuntary commitment); May 2015 (escape from facility) Place of Incarceration: Daowai District Psychiatric Hospital, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province Background Information Xing Shiku, a petitioner from Heilongjiang Province, was […]
Wu Gan 吴淦 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 8 years Court: Tianjin Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 14, 2017 Sentencing Date: December 26, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 20, 2015 (detained); July 3, 2015 (arrested); May 18, 2023 (released) Place of Incarceration: Nanchang City Detention Center, Jiangxi […]
Li Chunfu 李春富 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A/ Dates of Detention/Arrest: August 1, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); January 12, 2017 (released) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 2 Detention Center Background Information Beijing lawyer Li Chunfu was seized in the crackdown […]
Li Shuyun 李姝云 Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A/ Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); April 8, 2016 (released); April 7, 2017 (criminal case dropped) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 1 Detention Center Background Information Li Shuyun, a trainee […]
Liu Sixin 刘四新 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A/ Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); November 2016 (released) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 2 Detention Center Background Information Police detained activist and Beijing Fengrui Law Firm administrative […]
Join CHRD’s campaign calling for the release of Chinese women human rights defenders who remain detained and imprisoned on this year’s International Women’s Day. They have been subjected to government retaliation for their defense of women’s rights, housing and land rights, rule of law, and the exercise of their rights to free assembly, association, and expression. We have featured these women on our Twitter and Facebook accounts. CHRD encourages you to join our call for the release of these women and other prisoners of conscience, and help spread the message.
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on February 16, 2016 BEIJING – A court in China has sentenced an activist with terminal cancer to four years imprisonment for “disrupting social order,” a common practice in the country against critics of the government, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, or CHRD , said Friday. Zhang Shuzhi, 55, had openly […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 16, 2016 The ruling Chinese Communist Party, which has ushered in the harshest crackdown on critics yet under President Xi Jinping, has largely ignored a United Nations treaty banning all forms of torture or cruel and degrading punishment, an overseas rights group said in a recent report. “Torture and […]
Originally published by New York Times on February 16, 2016 GENEVA — The United Nations’ top human rights official called on China on Tuesday to immediately and unconditionally release a group of lawyers detained starting last summer, and he expressed concern over a “very worrying pattern” of arrests and disappearances. The Chinese authorities have arrested more than 250 lawyers, legal […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on January 29, 2016 A Guangzhou, China court Friday handed down guilty verdicts for three Chinese rights activists — Tang Jingling, Yuan Xinting and Wang Qingying — who now face up to five years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power.” Human rights groups call the court’s decision “unjust,” […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 29, 2016 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on Friday handed down jail terms of up to five years to the “Guangzhou Three” rights activists for subversion, after they sought to launch a civil disobedience campaign to protect human rights. The Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court sentenced […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal (blog) on January 23, 2016 A trio of recent repressive actions by the Chinese party-state represents a disturbing three-pronged attack that treats legality as an unnecessary burden on governance over society, and illustrates how far China is willing to go to snuff out dissent. The actions include the arrest […]
Originally published by Time on January 22, 2016 China has handed prison sentences totaling more than 19 years to an activist in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, the home of the mostly Muslim Uighur ethnic group. Zhang Haitao, who is himself Han Chinese, was given 15 years for “incitement to subvert state power” and a shorter term for […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 21, 2016 Authorities in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang have jailed a Han Chinese rights activist for 19 years on subversion and spying charges after he openly criticized government policy in the troubled region. Zhang Haitao was handed a 15-year prison term for “incitement to subvert state […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 14, 2016 Authorities in the Chinese capital have formally arrested another associate of the Beijing Fengrui law firm and a rights activist on subversion charges, bringing the total facing jail on similar charges to 10, a Hong Kong-based rights group said on Thursday. Fengrui administrative assistant Liu Sixin was […]
![[CHRB] Activist Given 4-Year Sentence Despite Terminal Illness; Update on Persecuted Mainland Supporters of Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protests (2/17-2/25/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/201511231144yuanqing1.jpg)
Heilongjiang activist Zhang Shuzhi (张淑芝), who is terminally ill with cancer, has been given a four-year prison sentence in retaliation against her exercising the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. Also, by CHRD’s count, 10 mainland activists remain in custody for openly supporting the 2014 pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. In six of the cases, detainees have been arrested or tried for “inciting subversion of state power,” a “political” crime under the category of “endangering state security” offenses, after first being detained for less serious offenses. The detainees have been deprived of due process rights, and several have reported being tortured or mistreated in other ways.
In 2015, Chinese authorities’ persecution of human rights defenders followed a trajectory of increasing severity that has become a hallmark of President Xi Jinping’s leadership, says CHRD in its annual report, “Too Risky to Call Ourselves Defenders”: 2015 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China. Government authorities escalated assaults on fundamental human rights such as freedom of assembly, association, and expression, while HRDs continued to be subjected to torture.
In 2015, Chinese authorities’ persecution of human rights defenders followed a trajectory of increasing severity that has become a hallmark of President Xi Jinping’s leadership, says CHRD in its annual report, “Too Risky to Call Ourselves Defenders”: 2015 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China. Government authorities escalated assaults on fundamental liberties, further tightened the state’s hold on expression, and reduced the already contracted space for civil society. In the report, CHRD focuses on three basic rights necessary for defending and promoting human rights—the freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression—and the prevalence of torture of HRDs and the problem of impunity for torturers.
中华人民共和国在本次审议（从2009年到现在）期间，在执行 《禁止酷刑和其他残忍、不人道或有辱人格的待遇或处罚公约》（公约）的有关具体条款方面基本上是失败的。没有严格落实或实施公约以及有关国内法的主要根源是一党专制的威权统治体制、缺乏法治和独立的司法系统。
![[CHRB] Government Reprisals: Assault, Imprisonment, Torture & Cancellation of a Lawyer’s License (1/28-2/3/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/GZS.jpg)
Chinese authorities have recently taken reprisals against a host of rights defenders. Lawyer Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), who has gone online lately to express support for persecuted lawyers and activists, was manhandled and threatened by police and thugs after going to see relatives. A pair of Jilin petitioners—a man and his elderly mother—were given long prison sentences after they were convicted of crimes for trying to obtain state compensation. Ji’nan-based lawyer Liu Shuqing (刘书庆) has had his law license suspended after taking on cases of lawyers detained in the “709” crackdown. Also, Liaoning-based activist Jiang Lijun (姜力钧) was given a three-year prison sentence for several articles that he posted online.
任意拘留问题工作组第七十四届会议(2015 年 11 月 30 日至 12月4 日) 通过的意见
第 39/2015 号意见 事关苏昌兰(中国)
Zhao Wei 赵威 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); July 6, 2016 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 1 Detention Center Background Zhao Wei, also known by her screen name Kaola (考拉), […]
CHRD condemns the imprisonment of Guangdong lawyer Tang Jingling (唐荆陵) and activists Wang Qingying (王清营) and Yuan Xinting (袁新亭), who were convicted on January 29 on trumped-up charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to to five years, two-and-a-half years, and three-and-a-half years in prison, respectively. The verdict comes down amid President Xi Jinping’s persecution of human rights lawyers and many other figures in China’s civil society. The court’s decision sends a clear and defiant message from the Xi government that it is determined to punish those exercising and defending human rights.
Wang Quanzhang 王全璋 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 4.5 years Court: Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate Court Trial Date: December 26, 2018 Sentencing Date: January 28, 2019 Dates of Detention/Arrest: August 3, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); February 13, 2017 (indicted); April 5, 2020 (released) Place of Incarceration: Linyi Prison, Shandong Province […]
Hu Shigen 胡石根 *Released Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 7.5 years Court: Tianjin Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 3, 2016 Sentencing Date: August 3, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); March 23, 2023 (released) Date of Birth: November 14, 1955 Medical Condition(s): […]
Gou Hongguo 勾洪国 (released on suspended sentence, under police control) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for three years Court: Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: August 5, 2016 Sentencing Date: August 5, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); August 5, 2016 […]
A group of unidentified men seized Beijing-based activist Liu Yongping (also known as Lao Mu, 老木) from his home on July 10, 2015, the same day activists Hu Shigen (胡石根) and Gou Hongguo (勾洪国) were seized. All three had planned to attend the same underground church gathering that day.
Seized and formally arrested by Ji’nan City Public Security Bureau on January 2, 2016, human rights lawyer Shu Xiangxin was abruptly tried and sentenced six days later. His lawyers were not allowed into the courtroom for the hearing, which lasted just 30 minutes before a guilty verdict was announced. Police blocked supporters from attending the trial, and Shu’s daughter was attacked outside the courthouse.
Lawyer Zhou Shifeng, the director of Beijing Fengrui Law Firm, was detained in July 2015 during a nationwide crackdown on human rights lawyers that particularly targeted his firm. Police initially took Zhou into custody on July 10 at a hotel in Songzhuang, on the outskirts of Beijing, where Zhou had gone to welcome the release of a client. His colleagues heard him shouting from the next room and rushed out and witnessed police taking him away with his head hooded.
![[CHRB] Freedom of Association Under Assault in China: Arbitrary Detentions & Disappearances (1/8-21/2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/05659bdeb378193de696291efcef6eee.jpg)
There has been a recent escalation of state suppression against individuals and groups in China that lawfully exercised their free association rights. Zhang Haitao (张海涛), who posted online comments critical of the government and kept contact with overseas activists, was given 19 years in prison for two crimes, including an unusually long punishment for “inciting subversion.” On January 8, four labor activists were arrested in Guangdong, five weeks after police raided NGO offices and staff members’ homes. And from January 2015 to this past week, police have taken into custody more than 10 people involved with a group called “Human Rights Watch in China” (or the “Rose Team”).
Originally published by New York Times on January 13, 2016 Over the last six months, the Chinese authorities have detained or summoned for questioning more than 200 legal practitioners who had worked on civil rights cases. While some have been released, several prominent lawyers now face criminal charges, including subverting state power, which can carry a sentence […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 8, 2016 Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong on Friday handed a six-month jail term to detained rights lawyer Shu Xiangxin, whose lawyers say he was tortured while in custody at a police-run detention center. Shu was found guilty of “defamation” at a one-day trial at the […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 29, 2015 A court in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong has handed down an 18-month jail term to an activist who showed online support for last year’s pro-democracy Occupy Central movement in neighboring Hong Kong. Ye Xiaozheng, known online by his nickname Humian Yizhou (“a boat on […]
CHRD condemns the actions of Chinese authorities who this week formally arrested 11 lawyers, paralegals, and activists on serious charges, politicizing Chinese lawyers’ efforts to protect human rights. CHRD sees the new arrests as indication of a drastic escalation of President Xi Jinping’s campaign against human rights lawyers. Since July 2015, authorities have cracked down on such lawyers and continued to blatantly violate international human rights conventions and disregard China’s own laws.
Communiqué on Behalf of three House Churches and Human Rights Defender Kwok Yu Him, Allegations of Persecution of Religious Freedom, Arbitrary Detention, Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Reprisals
![[CHRB] Torture of Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Emblematic of Persistent Pattern of Official Reprisal & Abuse (1/1-7, 2016)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Untitled.png)
Human rights lawyer Shu Xiangxin (舒向新) was reportedly subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment in a detention center on January 4, in a case emblematic of the harsh reprisals that Chinese human rights lawyers can face. The incident is indicative of the persistence of torture in China’s detention facilities. Torture continues despite the observations and suggestions put forth by the UN Committee against Torture (CAT) during its November review of China’s torture record. The mistreatment of Shu follows a familiar pattern documented in other cases, particularly in that authorities did not provide protections to prevent torture.
Originally published by Voice Of America on December 22, 2015 A Beijing court Tuesday found prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang guilty of “inciting ethnic hatred” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” but gave him a suspended three-year jail term, meaning he could be released in ten days if he decides not to appeal. Rights groups […]
Originally published by New York Times on December 22, 2015 BEIJING — In convicting one of China’s most prominent rights lawyers, the Chinese government has struck a body blow at an independent legal movement that until recently had managed to take root despite numerous obstacles, legal rights advocates say. Although the lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, 50, on Tuesday received a […]
Originally published by The Diplomat on December 17, 2015 The 56th session of the United Nations Convention against Torture (CAT) was held in Geneva this year from November 9 to December 9, where a Chinese delegation was present to testify to the progress its nation has made and explain away the human rights violations it continues […]
Originally published by Vice News on December 12, 2015 China has pushed back against a United Nations report released this week that criticized the continued use by the country’s justice system of secret detention facilities known as “black jails” where prisoners have allegedly been raped and killed. The report also condemned the Chinese government’s apparent acceptance of […]
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on December 10, 2015 Chinese authorities continue to engage in pervasive torture of imprisoned dissidents and religious and ethnic minorities, according to a new United Nations report that coincided with International Human Rights Day and calls for Beijing to release political prisoners. The United Nations Committee Against Torture said on Wednesday that […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on December 3, 2015 A prominent Chinese rights activist jailed for six years by a court in the southern city of Guangzhou last week has filed a formal appeal, saying the judgment against him is “illegal and runs counter to natural justice.” Yang Maodong, better known by his pseudonym Guo Feixiong, was sentenced to six […]
Beginning in the spring of 2015, the Chinese government repeatedly denied requests from Chinese activists seeking detailed data on convicted torturers, specifically to verify claims made by China at the United Nations that perpetrators of torture are held criminally accountable in line with relevant laws. The government itself had submitted heavily aggregated data on the […]
Chinese authorities’ refusal to allow lawyers to meet with their detained clients has become a worsening problem in China. Such a restriction not only violates international human rights norms, but also China’s own laws that stipulate detainees are permitted to see a lawyer within 48 hours of a request. Police often cite Article 37 (3) […]
CHRD condemns the guilty verdict, with a suspended three-year sentence, handed down to prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) by the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court today. The ruling makes a mockery of the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “rule of the country with law” and China’s criminal justice system. Pu Zhiqiang may walk home today, but he is not free. CHRD urges the international community to push for Pu Zhiqiang’s unconditional freedom and end China’s ongoing persecution of human rights lawyers. More than twenty lawyers have been put under secret detention since July 9 this year. Pu’s colleague, rights lawyer Xia Lin, has been detained for more than one year. CHRD urges the international community to pressure the Xi Jinping government to drop the charges against Pu and push for the immediate and unconditional release of all other detained or disappeared human rights lawyers.
Human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), well-known in China as a staunch defender of free speech, will be tried in Beijing on December 14, 2015, according to his lawyers. The charismatic Pu, 50, has been detained for over 19 months without trial, and is accused of “picking quarrels and instigating troubles” and “inciting ethnic hatred,” trumped-up charges that could send him to prison for up eight years if he is convicted. CHRD calls for Pu’s immediate and unconditional release, as his case has been rife with illegality, abuses of his due process rights, and violations of his basic human rights.
![[CHRB] Convictions & Sentences Follow Detainee Mistreatment, Flawed Trials (11/23-12/3/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Untitled.jpg)
Courts in Guangdong sentenced four activists to prison in late November, with the flurry of punishments sparking international criticism over the unfair trials and mistreatment of the detainees. In another case, veteran dissident journalist Gao Yu (高瑜) has had her sentence reduced to five years, and will be able to serve her sentence outside of prison on medical grounds. Also, a right advocacy group based in the mainland has documented the cases of 122 human rights defenders who are now detained or under enforced disappearance in China.
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on November 20, 2015 BANGKOK — Thailand is drawing harsh criticism from the U.S. government, human rights organizations and others for the arrest and repatriation of two Chinese activist refugees, seen as an attempt to curry favor with the regional heavyweight. Dong Guangping and Jiang Yefei, two longtime dissidents from […]
Originally published by The Diplomat on November 16, 2015 Amnesty International just released its November 11 report, “No End In Sight: Torture and Forced Confessions in China,” detailing the prevalence of torture in China. Upon hearing this, Chinese Community Party fundamentalists will no doubt pitch their best tu quoque curveball, and yes, to an extent it’s unfair to single […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 12, 2015 Dissident rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who remains under house arrest since his release from prison in August 2014, has been denied permission by the Chinese police to see a dentist for treatment after losing teeth to torture — for reasons of ‘national security.’ Gao was prevented earlier this week from traveling […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 4, 2015 A Chinese rights activist from the southern province of Guangdong has died in a police-run detention center, in what his family says are suspicious circumstances. Zhang Liumao was reported dead by authorities in the Guangzhou No. 3 Detention Center in the early hours of Wednesday morning, but […]
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on October 30, 2015 The United Nations General Assembly has again elected repressive dictatorships and authoritarian regimes to its human rights council, eliciting rebukes from rights groups. Eighteen countries were selected on Wednesday to serve three-year terms on the council that begins in January. The Human Rights Foundation expressed concerns about […]
Originally published by Latin America Herald Tribune on October 30, 2015 BEIJING – Around 200 human rights activists were detained by the police in Beijing and forcefully sent back to their respective provinces to prevent them from presenting their complaints during the ongoing annual meet of the Communist Party of China, or CPC, this week. Most of those […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 16, 2015 As the Chinese government continues its crackdown targeting human rights lawyers, a second son of a prominent rights attorney in Beijing has been denied permission to leave the country for study purposes, his father told RFA. Liu Yuyang, 21, who is in his final year of a bachelor’s degree at a university […]
To mark this year’s International Human Rights Day, we invite you to join CHRD’s “Free 10 by 12/10” Campaign for the release of 10 human rights defenders who have been detained or imprisoned in China. Each day from December 1 through to Human Rights Day on December 10, we will feature one of the 10 HRDs via our Twitter and Facebook accounts. CHRD encourages you to join our call for the release of these and other prisoners of conscience, and spread the message to your contacts and online communities.
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders & a Coalition of Chinese NGOs Civil Society Report Submitted to The Committee against Torture for its Review at the 56th Session of the fifth periodic report (CAT/C/CHN/5) by the People’s Republic of China on its Implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment Or Punishment, October 26, 2015
The Chinese government has systematically failed to prevent torture, hold torturers accountable, and respect the rights of torture victims, a report by CHRD and a coalition of Chinese human rights defenders finds. Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment remain persistent and widespread in China. Authorities often ignore relevant legal measures, investigations and criminal prosecution of torture suspects are rare, and victims seeking compensation have faced obstacles and reprisals. The report has been submitted to the UN Committee against Torture, which will hold a dialogue on China’s compliance with the Convention against Torture on November 17-18.
Mi Chongbiao 糜崇标 & Li Kezhen 李克珍 Crime: N/A Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 2012 Place of Incarceration: house arrest/enforced disappearance in black jails (May 2012-April 2017); Baihuashan Detention Center in Yunyan District, Guizhou (April 2017 – unknown date) [only Mi Chongbiao]; “designated location” under […]
CHRD finds a Chinese court’s sentence of the Buddhist leader Wu Zeheng (吴泽恒) to life in prison excessively harsh and grossly unjust. The decision, which was announced in a closed-door hearing in Guangdong on October 30, highlights the wider religious suppression occurring in China over the past few years. This punishment of Wu targets a religious leader for his beliefs and peaceful activities, including protecting human rights, which date back to his time as a student leader in the 1989 pro-democracy movement.
Submission to: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders on Xing Qingxian and Tang Zhishun
![[CHRB] Chinese Government Refuses to Disclose Data on Torture for UN Review, Citizens Face Reprisals for Seeking Information (10/22-29, 2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Untitled2.png)
Since this spring, the Chinese government has repeatedly denied requests from activists seeking detailed information on data that it submitted to the UN on state agents who have been prosecuted for crimes related to torture. For their efforts, the Chinese activists have faced reprisals—in the form of police harassment and detention—for applying to obtain such data via China’s Open Government Information system. The activists have sought the information in anticipation of the UN Committee against Torture’s examination of China’s implementation of the Convention against Torture, which will take place on November 17-18.
![[CHRB] Detailed Case of Police Abuse to Extract Confession Comes to Light Weeks Before UN Review of China’s Torture Record (10/16-22, 2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Untitled1.png)
Jiangsu activist Shen Aibin (沈爱斌) recently came forward with details of the inhumane tactics used by Chinese police to extract a confession from him in 2013 after he and other human rights defenders rescued petitioners from a “black jail” in the city of Wuxi. Shen’s case, by no means an isolated one, illustrates weak protections for individuals within China’s law-enforcement and criminal justice systems. His personal account has come to light just weeks before the UN Committee against Torture reviews China’s compliance with the Convention against Torture in Geneva.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
The film The Story of Human Rights is a key component of the human rights education campaign, introducing viewers of all ages to their most fundamental freedoms. The Story of Human Rights is a striking 10-minute documentary defining one of the world’s most misunderstood subjects. It appeals to people of all ages with a brief journey through the […]
“人权小额资助”2016年度启事
2015年10月15 日发布
“人权小额资助”项目旨在支持为人权侵犯受害者（尤其是人权捍卫者）寻求司法公正,为受到迫害的人权捍卫者提供人道救助，支援维护人权的民间行动，促进公民社会理念与实践的成长，致力于推动落实包括《世界人权宣言》和中国已经加入的各项国际人权公约，促使国内法的制订和实践符合国际人权标准，保障所有人在政治、经济、社会、文化等方面的基本人权。自2005年以来，我们已经提供了近五百个项目资助。
“人权捍卫者联网”声明
（2015年7月30日）《中华人民共和国国家安全法》于2015年7月1日由全国人大常委通过生效，这部法律相当于在法律上护航中国政府对民间异议与公民自由的全面压制，举凡政治、少数民族与宗教层面无不包罗。这部法律对“国家安全”的定义宽泛潦草，其中有关条文将异议观点、宗教信仰、网络资讯以及对中国的所谓“网络主权”挑战一一入罪。除此以外，它还法定了一系列公民与团体必须遵从的“义务”清单，疏忽者可能需负刑责。
![[CHRB] End Violence Against Human Rights Lawyers (10/9-10/15/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Untitled.png)
Since President Xi Jinping came to power in March 2013, there has been a surge in incidents of violent assaults against human rights lawyers in retaliation for their work defending clients in politically “sensitive” cases. CHRD has documented 23 incidents involving 32 lawyers in this time period. Some lawyers have been targeted multiple times, and a number of them are currently under detention due to the July crackdown on lawyers. Also, authorities have stifled an apparent escape attempt by the son of two detained lawyers. Men in Burmese police uniform were reportedly seen taking away 16-year-old Bao Zhuoxuan (包卓轩) and two Chinese activists in the city of Mong La on October 6.
Beijing-based activist Tang Zhishun disappeared on October 6, 2015, in Mong La, Myanmar, along with fellow activist Xing Qingxian (幸清贤) and Bao Zhuoxuan (包卓轩), the 16-year old son of detained lawyers Wang Yu (王宇) and Bao Longjun (包龙军).
Chengdu-based activist Xing Qingxian disappeared on October 6, 2015, in Mong La, Myanmar, along with fellow activist Tang Zhishun (唐志顺) and Bao Zhuoxuan (包卓轩), the 16-year old son of detained lawyers Wang Yu (王宇) and Bao Longjun (包龙军).
Originally published by Reuters on October 9, 2015 A U.S. congressional commission’s criticism of China’s human rights record did not “accord with the facts”, the Chinese government said on Friday, the latest friction over a long-running thorn in relations. The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China said on Thursday that it saw in China “a disturbing deterioration […]
Since President Xi Jinping came to power in March 2013, there has been a new surge in incidents of violent assaults against human rights lawyers in retaliation for their professional work defending clients in politically “sensitive” cases involving persecuted activists and religious or ethnic minorities. Physical violence by police or state-hired thugs is a continuous strategy against human rights lawyers, in violation of international law, including the Convention against Torture, which China ratified in 1988, and Chinese domestic laws.
![[CHRB] CHRD Urges International Intervention to Gain Release of Human Rights Defenders in China (10/5-10/9/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CHRB.jpg)
Since July 2015, CHRD has requested UN independent experts of the Human Rights Council to conduct inquiries on behalf of six human rights defenders in China who have allegedly been subjected to rights violations. In the communications, CHRD documented Chinese authorities’ use of torture, forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and obstruction of justice in retaliation against these individuals’ efforts to promote human rights and rule of law. The systematic abuses reflect China’s disregard for both international human rights standards and its own obligations to comply with international treaties, the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The six cases involve four activists and one lawyer who remain in detention.
Originally published by Reuters on October 6, 2015 GENEVA – In a café lounge at the United Nations complex in Geneva, a Tibetan fugitive was waiting his turn earlier this year to tell diplomats his story of being imprisoned and tortured back home in China. The 43-year-old Buddhist monk, Golog Jigme, had broken out of a […]
（2015年5月28日人权捍卫者联网讯）中国政府应叫停《境外NGO管理法》草案或删除草案中所写的，有关侵犯自由结社的基本人权条款和赋予警方极大权力打压公民社会维权活动的条款。《管理法（缩写）》不但严重限制境外非营利机构在中国的运作 (包括港澳台)，国内ＮＧＯ亦成为被打压对象。 “《境外ＮＧＯ管理法》一旦实施，将“严重摧残”中国独立的民间团体”某中国ＮＧＯ负责人告诉人权捍卫者联网。
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Originally published by AP on September 24, 2015 BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will preside this weekend over a U.N. conference on gender equality, which some activists say is galling given China’s recent detentions of women’s rights activists and its history of stopping people from attending U.N. meetings to discuss such issues. Scheduled to draw more […]
Originally published by CNBC on September 28, 2015 Chairman Mao may once have proclaimed that “women hold up half the sky,” yet gender equality and women’s rights remain a tricky issue in modern China, and for international relations. On Sunday President Xi Jinping’s capped his week-long visit to the United States by giving the opening remarks at […]
Originally published by Latin America Herald Tribune on September 21, 2015 BEIJING – A women rights activist, who was detained along with four other feminists for 37 days by Beijing earlier in the year, has accused the government of trying to get her evicted from her home. Li Tingting, the most active member of the group, told […]
Originally published by Associated Press on September 24, 2015 By LOUISE WATT, Associated Press BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will preside this weekend over a U.N. conference on gender equality, which some activists say is galling given China’s recent detentions of women’s rights activists and its history of stopping people from attending U.N. meetings to discuss such […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 22, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping headed to the United States on Tuesday at the start of a state visit, amid calls for the release of political prisoners and concerns over cybersecurity. Xi will hold talks with President Barack Obama later this week, before making an appearance at the […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 23, 2015 One of the five Chinese feminists detained for planning an anti-sexual harassment campaign and since released on “bail” said on Tuesday that the authorities in Beijing are trying to make her homeless, as the government continues its months-long crackdown on nongovernment groups. As Chinese President Xi […]
Originally published by The Washington Post on September 20, 2015 Canceling this week’s state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping or downgrading it to a burger-and-fries get-together, as some Republican presidential candidates proposed, would have been foolish. China is a force to be reckoned with, and President Obama is right to engage. But it isn’t foolish to hope that Obama […]
March 2013 – Present: Since President Xi Jinping’s presidency began, CHRD has documented more than 1,800 cases of arbitrary detention and torture of human rights defenders. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), detained in December 2008, remains imprisoned. March 2013 – Present: Torture remains endemic in Chinese detention centers and prisons. Despite legislation introduced […]
Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on September 17, 2015 The Obama administration has yet to agree to a request from human rights groups that President Obama meet with persecuted Chinese activists ahead of his Chinese counterpart’s state visit in Washington next week. Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, confirmed on Tuesday that Obama will host […]
Originally published by Phayul on September 4, 2015 DHARAMSHALA, September 4: A Washington-based human rights watch dog urged the Obama administration to make a meaningful progress on human rights in China and exert ‘some real pressure’ on Chinese President Xi Jinping to end the prevailing rights abuse ahead of Xi’s first state visit to the US […]
Originally published by News.com.au on September 3, 2015 WANG Yu went about her business knowing full well she was being watched by China. She didn’t expect them to turn on her so quickly. Described as “mild mannered” and “brave” by her supporters, the Chinese government viewed her instead as a thorn in their side. She was outspoken, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 3, 2015 As Chinese President Xi Jinping gears up for his first state visit to the United States since assuming the presidency in 2013, calls are growing for U.S. and Chinese officials to make meaningful progress on human rights following a series of harsh crackdowns by his administration on critics […]
Originally published by International Business Times on August 31, 2015 On July 9, Wang Yu, a celebrated human rights lawyer in Beijing with a history of defending religious minorities and political dissidents in China, sent a text message to her friend. Her electricity had been cut off and her phone line was dead: “People are trying to […]
CHRD is concerned that the Chinese government is to co-host a world summit with UN Women on gender equality and women’s empowerment, at a time when women human rights defenders and NGOs are facing unusually harsh repression under President Xi Jinping. Xi will open the global meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on September 27. CHRD supports UN Women’s agenda to promote gender equality and female empowerment, but the UN group is sending the wrong signal to women’s rights activists in China and around the world by partnering with the Xi government.
She is one of the few remaining women human rights lawyers in China. Authorities have tried to stop her. State media staged a smear campaign against her. Court security guards assaulted her and judges threw her out of courtrooms. On July 9, police broke into her flat and abducted her, and she has since been […]
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States on September 24-25 comes at a time when his government is staging a ferocious crackdown against human rights lawyers. China’s overall human rights conditions have deteriorated since Xi took power in 2013. Xi has presided over the detentions and imprisonment of numerous civil society leaders, human rights activists, lawyers, and NGO workers, and overseen one of the most repressive periods in the post-Mao era for ethnic and religious minorities. Under Xi’s leadership, the government has pushed through new laws, draft legislation, and legal amendments that would legitimize political, religious, and ethnic repression and further curtail civil liberties.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the right to health
![[CHRB] What Happened to the Detained Lawyers: 18 Held in Secret & Several Accused of “Endangering National Security” (8/12-20/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Picture11.jpg)
An important deadline has passed in the continued detentions of lawyers and activists seized during the July crackdown. The 37-day maximum allowed for criminal detention has passed for the seven individuals criminally detained between July 8-14. Police still hold in custody 22 lawyers and activists; of these, 15 are either under criminal detention or “residential surveillance at a fixed location” in Beijing, Tianjin, Guangxi, Guangdong, Henan, or Hunan. Seven others have disappeared into police custody, with all but one of them detained in secret for more than a month.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 12, 2015 A group of Chinese rights lawyers and activists has called on the United States to put pressure on Beijing at this year’s bilateral human rights dialogue in the wake of a nationwide crackdown on the country’s embattled legal profession and a slew of repressive laws. They say […]
10 August 2015 To: Permanent Representatives of Member States and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council China: Open letter to States for joint action to address worsening crackdown on human rights defenders and lawyers Your Excellency, We urge your delegation to make statements, both jointly and individually, to address the unprecedented […]
Human rights lawyers and activists call for concrete measures to improve the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in China in advance of the annual US-China Human Rights Dialogue, which is taking place in Washington, D.C. on August 13-14. The dialogue will be held against the backdrop of a major crackdown on human rights lawyers that began in mid-early July. In an editorial, the NGO Rights Defense Network called on the US government to exert credible pressure on the Chinese government about emblematic individual cases and patterns of rights abuses. 26 lawyers and ten 10 activists joined an open letter calling for the Dialogue to generate pressure for the immediate release of detained or disappeared lawyers.
Li Heping 李和平 (released on suspended sentence) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: Three years, suspended for four years Court: Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: April 25, 2017 Sentencing Date: April 28, 2017 Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 10, 2015 (disappeared); January 8, 2016 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 1 […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 5, 2015 he ruling Chinese Communist Party looks set to further tighten its grip on the nation’s 650 million netizens with the stationing of specialist police officers in major Internet companies. “We will further deepen and expand our construction of police Internet security stations, setting them up in major websites and Internet enterprises,” […]
Originally published by Quartz on August 4, 2015 An annual human rights report issued by the United States is being watered down by US diplomats in the State Department, according to a report by Reuters. Recommendations to downgrade China from the second tier to the third—for countries that fail to meet or make any significant effort to meet US […]
Originally published by International Business Times on August 4, 2015 Critics in China accused one of the country’s top songwriters of plagiarism Tuesday because of similarities between one of the Beijing Winter Olympics bid’s theme songs and “Let It Go,” the ubiquitous song from the Disney film “Frozen.” The allegations were the latest setback for the […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on July 31, 2015 Forget snow, mountains and earmuffs: The must-have for a 2022 Winter Olympic bid is a dodgy attitude about human rights. Hurray! That, at least, is how critics see it (without the “hurray”). On Friday the International Olympic Committee will pick the winner of the bid […]
Originally published by Los Angeles Times on July 31, 2015 Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee announced Friday, making the Chinese capital the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Games. Members of the IOC, meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, announced the decision after a secret ballot, dealing a […]
Originally published by International Business Times on July 30, 2015 Regardless of whether the International Olympic Committee selects Beijing or Almaty, Kazakhstan, Friday at the 128th IOC Congress in Malaysia, one thing is certain: A country with a terrible human rights record will host the 2022 Winter Olympics. An event that aims for global community and […]
Originally published by The Guardian on July 29, 2015 Xinhua, China’s official news agency, this week described its bid, which is widely seen as the favourite, as the “safe choice”. “Beijing is one of the world’s top destinations for tourism and business with world-class hotels and services,” it said in an editorial. Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, Xu […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 27, 2015 A Chinese lawyer has filed a formal information request to police in the northern city of Tianjin in a bid to find out the whereabouts of his lawyer, detained rights attorney Wang Yu, who has been held at an unknown location since the start of a nationwide crackdown on […]
Originally published by The New York Times on July 25, 2015 BEIJING — The trial of three prominent rights campaigners on charges of inciting subversion continued Friday in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, amid a crackdown on human-rights lawyers that has drawn international condemnation. The proceedings against the three, Tang Jingling, Yuan Xinting and Wang […]
CHRD is very concerned about proposed articles legalizing human rights abuses in the current draft 9th Amendments to the Criminal Law, which are open for public consultation until August 5. In suggestions sent to the National People’s Congress, Chinese human rights defenders draw attention to proposed changes that are particularly troubling, including those affecting the independence of lawyers, freedom of assembly and demonstration, rights protections under anti-terrorism priorities, and online information and expression. The overarching problem with these proposals is that they lack definitions and include vague language that open the door to arbitrary interpretation, potentially legitimizing rights abuses.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
Originally published by The New York Times on July 24, 2015 BEIJING — The trial of three prominent rights campaigners, including a lawyer, on charges of inciting subversion continued on Friday in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, amid a sweeping crackdown on human rights lawyers that has drawn international condemnation. The proceedings against the three, […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special […]
China’s abysmal and worsening human rights conditions, including systematic suppression of free expression as well as peaceful assembly and association, make Beijing an unfit host for the Winter Games in 2022, CHRD has expressed in a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC’s handing of the Olympics to Beijing would be tantamount to supporting, among many other rights abuses, the current crackdown targeting Chinese rights defense lawyers. On July 31, the Committee will announce the host city for the 2022 Games, and Beijing is a very strong candidate to receive the bid, with only one other city in the running.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 23, 2015 An activist from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong stood trial on Thursday for subversion after he showed online support for last year’s pro-democracy Occupy Central movement in neighboring Hong Kong. Ye Xiaozheng, known online by his nickname Humian Yizhou (“A boat on the lake”), stood trial at the Huicheng District People’s […]
Originally published by Hong Kong Economic Journal on July 20, 2015 Hong Kong’s legal professionals have launched a global signature campaign to express support for the dozens of mainland human rights activists and lawyers who had been detained by Chinese authorities recently. At least 500 members of the local legal sector are participating in the […]
Wang Yu 王宇 (released) Crime: Subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: July 9, 2015 (detained); January 8, 2016 (arrested); July 2016 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Tianjin No. 1 Detention Center Background “She is a brave, forthright, selfless human rights lawyer. Most of […]
CHRD calls on Chinese authorities to immediately release six human rights defenders facing imminent trial and drop all trumped-up charges against them. Four activists—Guangdong-based Tang Jingling (唐荆陵), Wang Qingying (王清营), Yuan Xinting (袁新亭), and Ye Xiaozhen (叶晓峥)—will be tried on Thursday, July 23. Trial proceedings originally set for the same day were suspended for two Hangzhou-based activists, Lü Gengsong (吕耿松) and Chen Shuqing (陈树庆), but the two will likely be tried soon. Five of the men face “inciting subversion of state power” charges, while Ye is charged with “creating a disturbance.”
Originally published by Quartz on July 15, 2015 Over the past weekend, China’s police force began an unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers and others. The state media swung into action, too. On Sunday morning (July 12), national broadcaster CCTV aired a 10-minute video showing the confessions of a recently detained lawyer and two employees at his firm, Beijing Fengrui. […]
Originally published by Christian Science Monitor on July 14, 2015 At least 24 human rights lawyers and activists have been detained or went missing in China since last Thursday, Amnesty International reports. As the government continues its nationwide crackdown on civil disobedience, authorities have targeted over 100 lawyers and human rights activists for questioning and searched at least three law […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on July 11, 2015 Mainland police have launched a large-scale, unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers in the past two days – detaining dozens of lawyers and law firm staff and searching some of their homes and offices, while other people have disappeared, fellow lawyers and three rights groups […]
Originally published by The New York Times on July 11, 2015 HONG KONG — At least five Chinese lawyers from a firm that specialized in rights cases have been detained by the police in Beijing and accused of running a criminal syndicate to smear the Communist Party and “create social chaos” through their litigation, state-run news media […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on July 10, 2015 At least five employees of a Beijing law firm – including three lawyers – have gone missing, with some taken away by either police or unidentified men and another disappearing after reporting that her home was being broken into, their fellow lawyers said yesterday. Police […]
Originally published by Nikkei Asian Review on July 9, 2015 URUMQI, China — Political risk is increasing in China as tensions there continue to mount between the dominant Han and minority groups. The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, in the country’s northwest, has been plagued by continued violence between the predominantly Muslim Uighur people and Han Chinese. In […]
Massive police operations across China starting July 9 are a serious affront to civil liberties. The deteriorating human rights conditions in China under President Xi Jinping have now reached crisis point. The raids, involving abductions, detentions, disappearances, summons, and searches, have affected more than 100 lawyers and activists, with the number still growing. CHRD condemns the government’s assault on human rights lawyers as “national security” threats, and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals who are detained so far. CHRD is concerned that those who have disappeared into police custody are likely to be subjected to torture.
Massive police operations targeting human right lawyers and coordinated by the Ministry of Public Security began on July 9 across China. The following is a list of detentions, including “residential surveillance” in unknown locations, disappearances (police custody in unknown location for more than 24 hours), and those released after summons for questioning or brief detention. The list will be constantly updated.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 2, 2015 Authorities in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian have frozen the bank accounts of the wife of activist Wu Gan, who now faces three criminal charges over online criticism of the government and advocacy for freedom of speech. Wu’s wife Song Kai was unable to draw […]
Originally published by Voice Of America on July 1, 2015 China’s parliament has adopted a sweeping new national security law that critics say will further enshrine and expand the country’s suppression of political dissent. The largely ceremonial National People’s Congress passed the bill Wednesday with 144 yes votes and one abstention, according to the official Xinhua […]
Originally published by RadioFree Asia on June 25, 2015 Authorities in the central province of Hunan have prevented a prominent poet from leaving the country, saying he isn’t obedient enough to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Liang Taiping, who lives in the Hunan provincial capital Changsha, had planned to attend a conference in Thailand, but […]
Originally published by Committee to Protect Journalists on June 18, 2015 New York, June 18, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Chinese authorities to immediately release Wang Jing, a journalist who has been imprisoned since December and whose health has deteriorated in custody. Wang’s lawyer, Li Weida, visited the journalist on June 10 in a […]
Originally published by The Gulf Today on June 20, 2015 CAIRO: The leading Muslim seat of learning, Al Azhar, condemned China on Friday for imposing restrictions on fasting in its mainly Muslim Xinjiang region during the Holy Month of Ramadan. China has banned civil servants, students and teachers in Xinjiang from fasting during Ramadan, which began […]
(Geneva) – Ahead of the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Plan of Action this September, the UN and its Member States have the opportunity – and the obligation – to demand that China improve its human rights record, said ISHR and CHRD today. This call follows the release of an open letter to UN Secretary […]
![[CHRB] Pu Zhiqiang Detained 14 Months Without Trial, Recently Denied Lawyers’ Access & Medical Treatment (7/3-7/9/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Detained-human-rights-lawyer-Pu-Zhiqiang-浦志强-has-been-denied-access-to-his-lawyers-and-medical-treatment.jpg)
Prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) has recently been denied access to legal counsel and proper medical treatment, according to information obtained by CHRD. Pu has now been held in pre-trial detention for more than 14 months at Beijing No. 1 Detention Center. Beijing prosecutors indicted Pu on May 15 on charges of “creating a disturbance” and “inciting ethnic hatred” for posts he wrote on social media, but no trial date has been set.
Originally published by Reuters on June 19, 2015 Three Chinese rights activists on trial for distributing books advocating a peaceful end to dictatorships on Friday dismissed their lawyers, bringing a halt to the proceedings. The trial in the southern city of Guangzhou comes as President Xi Jinping’s government has ratcheted up pressure on dissent, wary […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 18, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have placed dozens of activists under surveillance after they planned to attend the subversion trial of three prominent rights lawyers on Friday. Tang Jingling, Wang Qingying, and Yuan Xinting, known as the Guangzhou Three, will stand trial on […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 19, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong called off the trial of three prominent rights activists after they dismissed their defense team amid a procedural dispute with court officials, lawyers said on Friday. Rights lawyer Tang Jingling, former teacher Wang Qingying, and writer-activist Yuan Xinting, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 15, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have detained activists linked to a leading nongovernment organization (NGO) on charges of “illegal business activity,” in a move which fellow activists and rights groups said is linked to a growing civil society crackdown. State security police from […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 9, 2015 Authorities in the Chinese capital are holding an activist on public order charges after he raised a black umbrella on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on the anniversary of the June 4, 1989 military crackdown on the student-led democracy movement, activists said. Du Yanlin, 52, who has worked […]
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on June 5, 2015 Original participants in China’s pro-democracy movement in 1989 are back in prison on the 26th anniversary of the government’s brutal suppression of those protests, a stark reminder that the ruling Communist Party continues to repress dissidents, activists say. On June 4, 1989, China’s People’s Liberation Army […]
Bian Xiaohui 卞晓辉 (released) Crime: Using a cult to undermine implementation of law Length of Punishment: 3 years and six months Court: Shijiazhuang Chang’an District People’s Court Trial Date: August 21, 2014 (suspended); December 12, 2014 (resumed) Sentencing Date: April 10, 2015 Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 12, 2014 (detained); April 17, 2014 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Shijiazhuang City […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the situation of […]
![[CHRB] Criminal Charges & State Media Smear Campaign Against Versatile Rights Activist (6/26-7/2/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Untitled.png)
Detained activist Wu Gan (吴淦), widely known by his online alias, “The Butcher” (屠夫), faces charges of “libel,” “creating a disturbance,” and “inciting subversion of state power,” and a state media smear campaign has been unleashed against him. Both the official media attack against Wu and the “inciting subversion” charge—which was added only when police sought his formal arrest—point to the aggressive campaign of President Xi Jinping’s administration to stifle provocative voices within China’s civil society.
Communiqué on Behalf of Su Changlan, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and Reprisals against a Human Rights Defender
![[CHRB] More State-Approved Violence Against Rights Lawyers (6/20-25, 2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/XieYang_leg.jpg)
Four separate incidents of physical assaults against lawyers since April show the increasing risks faced by human rights lawyers in China, a trend that CHRD detailed in its 2014 annual report. In the latest incident of such violence, lawyer Wang Quanzhang (王全章) was beaten in a Shandong courthouse on June 18, and he and two other lawyers, Chen Zhiyong (陈智勇) and Shi Fulong (石伏龙), were briefly detained. The lack of independent investigations and accountability for these attacks inflicted by government officials (or with state consent) has allowed the perpetrators to enjoy impunity.
Communiqué on Behalf of Three Lawyers of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Violations Against the Independence and Impartiality of the Judiciary and the Independence of the Legal Profession
Communiqué on Behalf of Yu Shiwen, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
![[CHRB] Closed-Door Trial of Guangzhou Activists & Hunger Strike in Henan Detention Center (6/16-19/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/TJL-photo.jpg)
The trial of disbarred lawyer Tang Jingling (唐荆陵) and activists Yuan Chaoyang (袁朝阳 aka Yuan Xinting 袁新亭) and Wang Qingying (王清营) began behind closed doors at the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court on June 19. Meanwhile, The health of detained activist Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏) has rapidly deteriorated following a month-long hunger strike to protest abuses of her legal rights. Additionally, Beijing police have recommended defense lawyer Xia Lin (夏霖) be indicted on charges of “fraud.” Xia, the former defense lawyer of the co-founder of the independent think tank Transition Institute, Guo Yushan (郭玉闪), has been in detention since November 8.
Update on case of Mi Chongbiao submitted to: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
On the evening of June 12, Guangdong police, in a coordinated move with state security officers from Beijing and Henan Province, seized two activists and detained them on suspicion of “illegal business activity.” Guo Bin (郭斌), the head of the NGO Zhongyixing, which advocates for the rights of persons with disability, is currently being held at Futian District Detention Center in Shenzhen. Yang Zhangqing (杨占青), who now works independently after previously working with a health rights and anti-discrimination group is being held at Huiyang District Detention Center in Huizhou City. They will reportedly be moved to Zhengzhou No. 2 Detention Center on June 15.
Originally published by Deutsche Welle on June 4, 2015 Etwa 135.000 Menschen kamen im Victoria Park im Zentrum Hongkongs zusammen, um schweigend der Opfer des Massakers auf dem Tiananmen, dem “Platz des Himmlischen Friedens”, in Peking zugedenken. Der Park wurde zu einem Meer aus Kerzen. Die frühere britische Kronkolonie Hongkong, die seit ihrer Rückkehr zu […]
Originally published by The Independent on May 28, 2015 A Shanghai-based artist has been detained for depicting President Xi Jinping pulling a funny face and sporting a large moustache, seemingly the latest episode in Chinese authorities’ crackdown on dissent in the arts. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), the advocacy group, said Dai Jianyong was detained after […]
Originally published by China Topix on May 31, 2015 A Shanghai artist faces up to five years in jail if he is found guilty of “creating a disturbance” for posting a photo online which depicts the comically altered face of Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to The Independent. The beleaguered artist has been identified by support […]
Originally published by AFP on May 30, 2015 SHANGHAI — Chinese police have detained an artist for creating an image of Communist leader Xi Jinping with a crinkled face and a moustache, according to a human rights group. Shanghai police held artist and photographer Dai Jianyong, who posted the image online, on Wednesday for “picking quarrels […]
Originally published by Shanghaiist on May 28, 2015 A Shanghai-based artist was detained on criminal charges yesterday after publishing an image that some speculate was meant to compare Chinese President Xi Jinping to Adolf Hitler. The photo, which artist Dai Jianyong slapped across t-shirts and Coca-Cola cans, depicts Xi Dada sporting a new lip doily (as […]
Originally published by Big News Network on May 28, 2015 Shanghai artist Dai Jianyong has been detained after publishing a humorous image of Chinese President Xi Jinping sporting a moustache, according to Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD). Dai is a photographer known for creating a series of images of what he calls a “chrysanthemum face” — […]
![[CHRB] End Persecution of Participants in 1989 Pro-democracy Movement for Their Ongoing Activism](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PZQ-1989-to-now.jpg)
On the 26th anniversary of the Chinese government’s bloody suppression of the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations, scores of individuals who took part in the movement are detained or in prison today for their continuing efforts to promote human rights and democratic reforms. Several activists and lawyers seized last year for marking the Tiananmen Massacre are still detained and have been subjected to torture or prolonged pre-trial detention. Since last week, more activists, including 1989 participants, have been detained, put under house arrest, or visited by police who issued warnings against any activities commemorating June Fourth.
Originally published by USA Today on May 28, 2015 BEIJING (AP) — Authorities have detained an obscure Chinese artist after he posted online a humorous portrait of President Xi Jinping, his wife said Thursday. Judy Zhu said police accused her husband, Dai Jianyong, of “creating a disturbance” after detaining him Tuesday near their Shanghai home. Dai is known for […]
Originally published by Quartz on May 27, 2015 A Shanghai artist has been detained for comparing Chinese president Xi Jinping to Adolf Hitler as well as an anus. Dai Jianyong, a street photographer best known for making what he calls a “chrysanthemum face“—the flower is a slang term in Chinese for anus—was detained on criminal charges today, according […]
Communiqué on Behalf of Bian Xiaohui, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association
Communiqué on Behalf of Jia Lingmin, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against a Human Rights Defender
The Chinese government must drop the draft Overseas NGO Management Law or remove proposed provisions that, as written, violate the fundamental human right to freedom of association and grant police vast powers to restrict civil society activism. Besides drastically restricting the operations of overseas non-profit organizations in China, the draft law targets domestic Chinese NGOs. Once enacted, it would deliver a “devastating” blow to independent Chinese groups.
Originally published by Quartz on May 21, 2015 China’s military says the internet has become its main ideological battlefield and that it should build a “Great Wall” online to protect the country’s citizens from “hostile Western forces.” A strongly worded editorial (link in Chinese) published in the People’s Liberation Army Daily on May said: “If we don’t occupy the internet, someone else […]
Originally published by The Financial Times on May 24, 2015 International human rights groups have slammed China’s new draft national security law for criminalising free speech and religious practices while granting the ruling Communist party sweeping powers to punish peaceful critics and dissenters. The vaguely worded draft law “includes a broad and ill-defined definition of ‘national security’, […]
![[CHRB] China’s Draft National Security Law: More License To Abuse Human Rights (5/15-21/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ox281260158497800042.jpg)
The draft PRC National Security Law, if passed, would legalize the Chinese government’s systematic suppression of political, ethnic, and religious dissent and crack down on civil liberties. The draft includes a broad and ill-defined definition of “national security,” and provisions that would allow prosecution of dissenting views, religious beliefs, information online, and challenges to China’s “cyber sovereignty.” Alarmingly, it includes a list of “obligations” required of citizens and organizations, which if they failed to perform could result in their being held legally accountable.
Originally published by The Christian Science Monitor on May 15, 2015 Pu Zhiqiang, who was arrested last year, faces charges of inciting hatred and provoking trouble that carry a lengthy prison sentence. He’s among nearly 2,000 political activists detained since President Xi took power in 2012. One of China’s best known and most outspoken human rights lawyers […]
![[CHRB] Forced Psychiatric Detention Persists 2 Years After China Enacted Mental Health Law (5/8-14/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Picture1.png)
Forced psychiatric commitment is still widespread two years after China enacted its first Mental Health Law, according to reports by groups in the CHRD network that provide further evidence of the law’s lack of implementation. In particular, officials continue to punish individuals who challenge officials’ conduct or government policies, by detaining them against their will in psychiatric hospitals. Since the Mental Health Law (MHL) went into effect on May 1, 2013, reports indicate that those seeking redresses for grievances against officials are the majority of people involuntarily detained in such facilities, where some government critics have also been locked up.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 6, 2015 Top Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng remains effectively under house arrest, 10 months after his release from prison on subversion charges, his family said on Wednesday. Gao, 52, is currently under 24-hour surveillance by state security police at the home of his wife’s parents in the […]
Originally published by EL MUNDO on May 2, 2015 “Hola, soy Big Rabbit. He vuelto. Muchas gracias por todo, contactaré con vosotros en cuanto descanse un poco. Gracias”. Con esta declaración, subida a una red social al poco de ser excarcelada, la activista china Zheng Churan agradecía las muestras de apoyo recabadas durante su cautiverio, que […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 30, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong are moving ahead with the subversion trial of women’s rights activist Su Changlan, who publicly supported Hong Kong’s Occupy Central pro-democracy movement, her husband said on Thursday. Su was detained last October by police in Guandong’s Foshan city […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 24, 2015 The wife of an online activist detained for subversion in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong after he publicly supported Hong Kong’s Occupy Central pro-democracy movement says she fears for his health and safety as the the authorities look set to prosecute him. Police in Guangdong’s Huizhou […]
Originally published by AFP on April 24, 2015 A Chinese court on Friday commuted the death sentence of a woman who killed her abusive husband, her lawyer told AFP, with a rights group labelling the move a “landmark verdict”. The case of Li Yan, who in 2010 beat to death her husband — who had physically […]
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on May 1, 2015 BEIJING – A Chinese court on Friday gave a suspended death sentence, which can be transmuted to a life sentence if the prisoner shows good conduct, to Li Yan, a domestic violence victim who killed her husband. Since her arrest, Li has become a symbol […]
Originally published by Big News Network on April 24, 2015 Beijing, April 24 (IANS): A Chinese court on Friday gave a suspended death sentence, which can be commuted to a life sentence if the prisoner shows good conduct, to Li Yan, a domestic violence victim who killed her husband, Efe news agency reported. Since her arrest, […]
Wu Rongrong 武嵘嵘 (released) Crime: “Creating a disturbance” Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 7, 2015 (detained); April 13, 2015 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Haidian District Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background Hangzhou police detained Wu Rongrong (武嵘嵘) on March 7 and searched her […]
Li Maizi 李麦子 (released) Crime: “Creating a disturbance” Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: March 6, 2015 (detained); April 13, 2015 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Haidian District Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background Beijing police seized activist Li Maizi (李麦子, real name Li Tingting, 李婷婷) […]
![[CHRB] “Inciting Subversion” Cases Move Forward; Pu Zhiqiang Still in Legal Limbo (4/23-5/7/15)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Inciting-CHRB-photo.jpg)
Six human rights defenders—five activists and a lawyer—facing charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and other “political” offenses have seen developments in their cases this week. As partly seen in these cases, authorities since late 2014 have returned to using more explicitly political charges, like those involving “subversion” and “state secrets,” to persecute human rights defenders. These cases include four activists detained for “inciting subversion” during the crackdown on supporters of the Hong Kong democracy protests, human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), and activist Chen Yunfei (陈云飞).
Guangzhou police seized housing and women’s rights activist, Su Changlan (苏昌兰), after she expressed support for the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that began in late September 2014. She was originally summoned for “creating a disturbance,” but police criminally detained her the next day on a more serious charge, “inciting subversion of state power.” Local authorities held Su incommunicado for months until she was formally arrested.
On the eve of 2015’s World Press Freedom Day, CHRD calls on the Chinese government to release the dozens of journalists, bloggers, and citizen journalists imprisoned in China, including the recently imprisoned 71-year old journalist Gao Yu (高瑜). On April 17, a Beijing court sentenced Gao to seven years in prison for “illegally disseminating state secrets overseas” for allegedly sending a Chinese Communist Party directive to a US-based website. By the end of 2014, more journalists were in prison in China than in any other country, according to press freedom NGOs.
(The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders — April 24, 2015) Following a retrial of the death penalty case that was returned by the Supreme People’s Court, the Sichuan Provincial People’s High Court issued its verdict of death with a 2-year delay in execution to Li Yan (李彦), who had killed her husband after suffering […]
![[CHRB] Alleged Torture To Coerce Confessions in Criminal Gang Case, Violence Against Lawyers (4/17-23/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The-injured-wrists-of-Zhou-Wuwen-周武文-a-criminal-case-defendant-who-alleges-police-in-Hunan-Province-shackled-and-tortured-him.jpg)
Police allegedly tortured several defendants in a criminal gang case in Hunan Province in order to extract confessions, which prosecutors then used as evidence against them at trial, according to their lawyers. Among 47 total defendants in the case—all accused of being members of the triad known as “Zhou clan 118”—at least eight individuals have told their lawyers that they were tortured by police while in detention. The trial opened on March 24 at the Hengyang City Intermediate People’s Court, but proceedings were suspended this week after several defense lawyers were physically attacked outside the courthouse.
Originally published by Telegraph on April 17 A veteran Chinese journalist has been sentenced to seven years in prison for “leaking state secrets” in what activists described as the latest chapter in an unyielding Communist Party offensive against its opponents. Gao Yu, a 71-year-old writer who has spent decades chronicling Chinese politics, was arrested in April […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 16, 2015 Hundreds of lawyers and rights activists are calling for an independent investigation into the alleged beating of Beijing-based lawyer Cui Hui by court officials in the Chinese capital. Cui, 51, says she was attacked by judges and bailiffs at the Tongzhou District People’s Court on the […]
Originally published by Nacion on April 16, 2015 El activista chino Guo Feixiong ha denunciado que las autoridades han abusado sexualmente de compañeros de su celda en la prisión del sur del país en la que está encarcelado. Guo, que lleva veinte meses bajo detención esperando la sentencia de su juicio, ha desvelado detalles de supuestos abusos […]
Originally published by Terra on April 14, 2015 La liberación de las cinco feministas ha supuesto una victoria para la comunidad internacional y de activistas en China, si bien es un logro menor que no necesariamente supone un avance para los derechos humanos en el país, según coincidieron hoy varios expertos. Algunas aún están de camino, pero […]
Originally published by Milenio on April 13, 2015 Pekín Las autoridades chinas pusieron hoy en libertad bajo fianza a tres de las cinco feministas arrestadas hace más de un mes y cuyo caso había provocado una gran campaña de protesta internacional e inusual en China, aunque las dos más activas siguen retenidas. Wang Man, Zheng Churan […]
Originally published by HERALDO on April 7, 2015 La detención hace un mes de cinco de las feministas más activas en China ha provocado la mayor campaña de protesta local e internacional contra un arresto en los últimos años, según coinciden este martes organizaciones de derechos humanos y activistas. Wu Rongrong, Wei Tingting, Wang Man, Zheng […]
Originally published by Financial Times on March 16, 2015 China is sharply increasing its use of criminal prosecution as a tool for maintaining control in 2014, two reports have found, in a shift away from ad hoc measures preferred in the past. The past few years have seen a crackdown on dissent in the midst of […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on April 12, 2015 The families of five Chinese feminists detained by authorities for “picking quarrels” have called for their immediate release. The young women were detained on the eve of International Women’s Day on March 8, which they had planned to mark by distributing leaflets and stickers to raise awareness […]
Originally published by Open Democracy (blog) on April 8, 2015 Prominent human rights activist Pu Zhiqiang has languished in pre-trial detention since his arrest last May – in the lead-up to the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre – on charges for several crimes including “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”. His case remains at acrossroads […]
Originally published by The Guardian on April 5, 2015 It is a month since Chinese police seized five feminists who planned to distribute stickers and leaflets to highlight sexual harassment. China under Xi Jinping has proved increasingly intolerant of civil society; last year alone, almost 1,000 activists were detained, according to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on March 31, 2015 From an Evan Osnos article on Xi Jinping in the April 6 issue of the New Yorker: Xi describes his essential project as a rescue: he must save the People’s Republic and the Communist Party before they are swamped by corruption; environmental pollution; unrest in […]
Originally published by Irish Times on March 24, 2015 Concern is growing over the health of one of the five feminist activists detained in Chinathis month, with reports that Wu Rongrong has had her medication withdrawn in the detention centre where she is being held. Ms Wu, who has hepatitis, and several other activists were picked […]
Originally published by Al Jazeera on March 22, 2015 Beijing, China – Despite the abolition of communist reeducation through labour camps, China’s rulers continue to allow security agents to detain government critics within a vast network of secret gulags and psychiatric facilities spread across the People’s Republic, according to an international coalition of human rights monitors. […]
Originally published by The New York Times on March 20, 2015 HONG KONG — Sixteen people who went to a Beijing detention center on Friday to push for medical treatment for one of five detained women’s rights activists were themselves taken into custody, according to one of the 16 detained and a website that documents rights […]
![[CHRB] Call for Independent Investigation After Attack on Lawyer in Courthouse (3/20-4/16/15)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CuiHui.jpg)
CHRD joins more than 300 lawyers in China in calling for an independent investigation into the alleged violence against lawyer Cui Hui (崔慧), and for the perpetrators to be held legally accountable. Judges and bailiffs at a Beijing courthouse attacked Cui on April 2. The physical assault on Cui follows a pattern of increased violence against Chinese human rights attorneys while they conduct their work. This fall, the UN will review the Chinese government’s implementation of the Convention against Torture. CHRD calls on Chinese authorities to take measures to properly investigate the numerous allegations of officially-sanctioned violence against human rights lawyers.
Originally published by AFP on March 16, 2015 BEIJING (AFP) – Chinese authorities detained nearly 1,000 human rights defenders in 2014, an advocacy group said Monday, accusing President Xi Jinping s government of setting China s “worst record of human rights violations since the mid-1990s”. The figure nears the number detained in the previous two years combined, the […]
Originally published by New York Times on March , 2015 China detained at least 10 women’s rights activists over the weekend to forestall a nationwide campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation that was to overlap with International Women’s Day, according to human rights advocates and associates of those detained. At least five of the detained […]
Originally published by Asia News.it on March 5, 2015 Li took part in land rights campaigns and ran as an independent candidate in a local election. She accuses police of assaulting her whilst being handcuffed, depriving her of food and water and denying her medical care. She also accuses police of forcing her to submit to […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 17, 2015 The ruling Chinese Communist Party allows a climate of impunity for those who torture and mistreat inmates and detainees, which is now endemic throughout the country’s judicial and law enforcement system, a network of rights groups told the United Nations on Tuesday. While China ratified the […]
Originally published by New York Times on March 8, 2015 BEIJING — China detained at least 10 women’s rights activists over the weekend to forestall a nationwide campaign against sexual harassment on public transportation that was to overlap with International Women’s Day, according to human rights advocates and associates of those detained. At least five […]
Originally publish by Radio Free Asia on March 12, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have detained a man after he retweeted calls for an anti-smog protest last weekend, his lawyer told RFA on Thursday. Guangzhou-based rights activist Guo Chunping was handed a 14-day administrative sentence for suspicion of “planning to hold an illegal […]
Originally publish by Radio Free Asia on March 16, 2015 China’s persecution of human rights activists was “unusually severe” in 2014, according to a report released Monday by an overseas-based rights group, which said President Xi Jinping had intensified a campaign last year to “purge universal values” in the world’s most populous nation. Harassment of activists “was […]
Originally publish by Cosmopolitan UK on March 17, 2015 Five women are being criminally detained by Chinese authorities after being suspected of “picking quarrels and creating a disturbance”. The women are known for campaigning for the LGBT community and women’s rights, and were apparently detained after authorities discovered they were planning on highlighting sexual harassment on International Womens Day. […]
Originally publish by Radio Free Asia on March 17, 2015 Dozens of top Chinese lawyers have announced a boycott of the annual review of their licenses by the authorities, saying the practice is illegal, and amounts to political control over the country’s embattled legal profession. At least 38 lawyers from Beijing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Shandong signed […]
Originally publish by New York Times (blog) on March 17, 2015 The Chinese authorities last year detained more people advocating greater civic rights than at any time since at least the mid-1990s, a United States-based organization said in a new report. The rights activists encompass a broad group of people, including opponents of sexual discrimination, groups pushing […]
Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on March 16, 2015 Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing new criticism of her record on human rights violations in China. In Clinton’s book Hard Choices, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate for 2016 touted her efforts to secure asylum in the United States for Chen Guangcheng, a blind […]
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Wu Rongrong (武嵘嵘), one of the five female human rights defenders under criminal detention in Beijing after a coordinated police action last week, has been denied any treatment for a serious medical condition. March 14 marked the one-year anniversary of the persecution to death of activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利), with supporters taking to the streets in several Chinese cities to commemorate her life. In a previously unreported incident, a friend and supporter of Cao Shunli, Wang Ling (王玲) recounted her experience of being put under criminal detention in February 2014 and subjected to mistreatment after she tried to visit Cao in the hospital.
Originally published by ABC on March 12, 2015 Five women’s rights activists who were reportedly planning to raise awareness of sexual harassment on public transport are being criminally detained in China. Li Maizi (also known as Li Tingting), Wu Rongrong, Zheng Churan, Wang Man and Wei Tingting were taken away by police in the lead up […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on March 12, 2015 Human rights activists have called on Beijing to release five female campaigners who were detained last weekend after reportedly printing stickers and leaflets calling for an end to sexual harassment. Li Tingting, Wei Tingting, Wu Rongrong, Zheng Churan and Wang Man are understood to be facing charges […]
Originally published by USA Today on March 12, 2015 BEIJING — China’s chief justice Zhou Qiang vowed Thursday to stop wrongful convictions and weed out corrupt judges, as authorities try to build trust in the nation’s “socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.” Top prosecutor Cao Jianming also pledged better access for lawyers and to stop police […]
Originally published by The Guardian on March 12, 2015 Concern is growing for five Chinese feminists detained on suspicion of “picking quarrels and creating a disturbance” after planning to highlight sexual harassment on International Women’s Day. The detainees are known for their work on women’s and LGBT rights and include some who have launched eye-catching, imaginative […]
Originally published by Noticias24 on March 9, 2015 (Pekín, 9 de marzo, EFE).- Las autoridades chinas han arrestado a dos ciudadanos que se manifestaron el domingo para pedir más medidas al Ejecutivo contra la contaminación, un problema que, según datos oficiales, provoca hasta 500.000 muertes prematuras cada año. Según confirmó a Efe la organización Chinese Human […]
Originally published by NPR on March 9, 2015 A human rights group says that police in China detained two people Monday for protesting the government’s approach to air pollution. One of the protesters was detained for slander, according to China Human Rights Defenders. The group says the pair were released after being held overnight, with an […]
Originally published by Eldia.es on March 15, 2015 Tamara Gil, Pekín, EFE Más control de sus actividades y menos facilidades para instalarse en el país. Esas son algunas de las claves de la nueva ley que el Gobierno de China planea aprobar para regular el trabajo de las organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG) extranjeras y que, según las […]
Human rights defenders in China experienced unusually severe reprisal in 2014, says CHRD in its annual report, Silencing the Messenger: 2014 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China. CHRD asserts that the government’s persecution of human rights defenders in 2014 was as severe as it has been since the mid-1990s. The government has launched relentless and aggressive assaults on fundamental liberties to tighten its stranglehold on the rapidly shrinking space for civil society, targeting HRDs, the messengers of human rights.
Activist Zhou Weilin (周维林) has been named the first recipient of the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders, selected by three Chinese groups sponsoring the award. The award committee, made up of three Mainland-based NGOs—Human Rights Campaign in China, Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch, and Rights Defense Network—announced the decision on March 13, a day before the one-year anniversary of Cao Shunli (曹顺利)’s death in 2014.
![[CHRB] 5 Women’s & LGBT Rights Activists Detained in Escalating Clampdown on NGOs (3/6-12/15)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/five-women.jpg)
Five female activists working on women’s and LGBT rights issues have been put under criminal detention on suspicion of “creating a disturbance” after authorities in three Chinese cities seized nine activists in total on March 6 and 7. They were all taken into custody prior to a planned anti-sexual harassment campaign for International Women’s Day. Given the surrounding circumstances, the five criminal detentions appear to be government retaliation for the activists’ NGO advocacy work promoting equal rights for women, including holding China accountable to commitments made before the United Nations to eliminate discrimination against women.
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A law firm in Henan Province has forced out lawyer Ma Lianshun (马连顺) in likely reprisal for his representing “politically sensitive” cases of clients seized prior to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. In a related issue, more than 100 Chinese lawyers signed on to an open letter to the National People’s Congress, calling on the NPC to repeal administrative measures taken during the annual review of lawyers and law firms. For years, government authorities have manipulated the review to delay or revoke lawyers’ licenses, often in political retaliation.
Submission to Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: Communique on Behalf of Li Biyun, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
By Frances Eve | A prominent pro-bono lawyer disappeared into police custody in Beijing last November. The family of Xia Lin, a man known for defending death penalty cases and environmental activists, has received no information about him for more than three months.
![[CHRB] 82-Year-Old Dissident Writer Found “Guilty,” Given 2.5-Year Suspended Sentence (2/20-26/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Tie-Liu-after-the-trial-e1424910999966.jpg)
A court in Sichuan tried the writer Tie Liu (铁流), an outspoken government critic, on February 25, convicting him of “illegal business activity” but issuing him a suspended sentence in a case fraught with rights violations. Liu was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, suspended for four years. His caretaker, Huang Jing (黄静), was tried as an accomplice and sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years.
![[CHRB] UN Body Rules 3 Detentions “Arbitrary”; 27 Still Held for Supporting HK Protests (2/13-19/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CHRB-13-19-Feb-image.jpg)
Three arrested Guangzhou activists are being held unlawfully and should be released and provided reparations by the Chinese government, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention decided in an opinion issued in November and recently made public. Meanwhile, CHRD has documented 115 detentions of individuals swept up since October in the crackdown on supporters of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. Of all those, 27 individuals are still in police custody—24 who have formally arrested and 3 others who are under criminal detention. Additionally, 4 more detainees in urgent need of medical treatment have been added to CHRD’s “medical watch list.”
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 13, 2015 Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hunan have handed down jail terms of up to 25 years to the relatives and friends of a former ethnic minority official after he criticized corruption in his local government, an overseas rights group said on Friday. Long Baorong, […]
Torture and mistreatment of detainees is endemic in China, CHRD has reported to the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT). The Chinese government has taken very few measures that are effective in combating acts of torture and instead provides impunity for alleged perpetrators of torture. CHRD raised these and other concerns in information submitted to CAT prior to its review of China’s implementation of the Convention against Torture, which is set for November.
Civil Society Information Submission to the Committee Against Torture For the review of the fifth periodic report of China (CAT/C/CHN/5): Specific information on the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by Chinese Human Rights Defenders – February 9, 2015
Originally published by New York Times on February 12, 2015 BEIJING — A court in southern China has sentenced to prison 27 family members and supporters of a former official, now dead, who had sought to expose local corruption, a lawyer for one of them said Thursday. The large number of people sentenced in a […]
Kou Yanding寇延丁 (Released) Crime: Creating a disturbance Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 9, 2014 (detained); February 14, 2014 (released) Place of Incarceration: Haidian District Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background Beijing police seized writer and activist Kou Yanding (寇延丁) from a train en route to Shanxi […]
Xia Lin 夏霖 (released) Crime: Fraud Length of Punishment: 12 years (reduced to 10 on appeal) Court: Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: June 17, 2016 Sentencing Date: September 22, 2016 Dates of Detention/Arrest: November 8, 2014 (detained); December 15, 2014 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Beijing No. 3 Detention Center Defence statement: Lawyer […]
Yu Shiwen (于世文) and his wife, Chen Wei (陈卫), were disappeared on May 23, 2014, until May 28, when their family received a notice saying both of them had been criminally detained on charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place.” The charges apparently stem from their organizing a June Fourth memorial event in February 2014 in the hometown of Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳), a high-ranking politician who was sympathetic to the students during the protest.
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On February 9, a Hunan court sentenced relatives and supporters of Long Baorong (龙保荣), an ethnic Miao leader and former party official imprisoned for exposing corruption, who died right after his medical release. His son-in-law, Long Xianyuan (龙贤员), received 15 years in prison while Long Xianjiang (龙贤江), the brother of Long Xianyuan, received 25 years. They were convicted of “triad-related” crimes in Jishou City, Hunan Province, with charges apparently stemming from their support of Long Baorong at his 2011 trial and after his death in 2012. The court convicted the brothers on concocted charges and sentenced them based on evidence obtained through police torture.
Originally published by China Digital Times on February 5, 2015 Chinese Human Rights Defenders has published partial data on detentions of rights activists in China over the past three years. The figures indicate that there were at least 955 detentions of five days or longer last year, almost as many as in 2012 and 2013 combined […]
Originally published by Quartz on February 4, 2015 Last year, China detained at least 940 Chinese citizens working on human and civil rights—a 72% increase from the year before, according to new data from the advocacy group Chinese Human Rights Defenders. The figure demonstrates what critics say is a worsening government crackdown on the country’s civil society. Authorities are targeting not […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 30, 2015 Authorities in the northern Chinese province of Hebei have confiscated the business license of a prominent human rights lawyer after she tried to visit a client in a police-run detention center. Beijing-based attorney Wang Yu’s license allowing her access to judicial and law-enforcement facilities as a […]
![[CHRB] Hampered Investigation Into Death in Custody; Ineffective New Rules on Lawyers’ Input in Capital Cases (1/30-2/5/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/The-Supreme-Peoples-Court-passed-guidelines-on-taking-defense-lawyers-opinions-into-account-in-reviews-of-death-sentences-which-legal-experts-say-are-ineffective.jpg)
The family of Anhui Province farmer Yang Wusi (杨五四) has called on local authorities to explain how he died in detention, suspecting that he may have been tortured to death. During his autopsy, Yang was found to have no food in his stomach, bruises on his body, a wound on his head, and bloodstains on his clothes, strongly suggesting that he may have been beaten and even starved to death. Meanwhile, recently announced guidelines issued by China’s Supreme People’s Court on taking defense lawyers’ opinions into account in reviews of death sentences are unlikely to strengthen oversight on such cases, according to a legal expert who spoke to CHRD.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 29, 2015 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have formally arrested an online activist for subversion after he publicly supported Hong Kong’s Occupy Central pro-democracy movement, his wife and lawyer said. Huizhou-based Ye Xiaozheng, known online by his nickname Humian Yizhou (“A boat on the lake”), […]
Guo Yushan 郭玉闪 (released) Crime: Illegal business activity Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 9, 2014 (detained); January 3, 2015 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Beijing No. 1 Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background In the early morning of October 9, 2014, Beijing police summoned Guo Yushan […]
On February 25, the Sichuan court convicting Tie Liu of “illegal business activity” but issuing a suspended sentence in a case fraught with rights abuses. The trial at the Qingyang District People’s Court in Chengdu lasted for about one hour, and the court sentenced Liu to two-and-a-half years in prison, suspended for four years, and issued him a fine of 30,000 RMB (approx. $4,900).
Wang Zang 王藏 Current detention Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 30, 2020 (detained); July 3, 2020 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Chuxiong City Detention Center, Yunnan Province Background on Current Detention Police officers from Chuxiong City in Yunnan province […]
![[CHRB] Rule Without Law: Prolonged Pre-Trial Detentions of Human Rights Defenders (1/23-29, 2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Beijing-police-released-Transition-Institutes-managing-director-Huang-Kaiping-黄凯平-on-January-28-following-110-days-of-enforced-disappearance.jpg)
During a string of crackdowns since the spring of 2013, CHRD has documented an alarming number of excessive pre-trial detentions of human rights defenders (HRDs), who were not brought in front of a judge after having been in police custody for at least eight months, and with some held for more than a year-and-a-half. Meanwhile, Huang Kaiping (黄凯平), the managing director of the Beijing-based independent think tank Transition Institute, returned home on January 28 after being disappeared for 110 days. Huang still does not know where he was held, according to a lawyer who spoke with him.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 22, 2015 The husband of women’s rights activist Su Changlan, held on subversion charges after she supported Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, says he will sue the authorities over their refusal to allow her a meeting with a defense lawyer, and over a total lack of official communication about […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 20, 2015 China’s embattled legal profession ended last year with at least seven prominent rights attorneys behind bars, in one of its worst years since its renaissance in the 1980s, an overseas rights group said in a recent article. The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group, which translates […]
![[CHRB] Forced Psychiatric Detention & Reprisal Against Torture Victim Seeking Justice (1/16-22/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Liu-Jie.jpg)
Chinese authorities continued to illegally use forced psychiatric detention in 2014 to silence and punish petitioners, activists, and dissidents, according to a new report by a China-based NGO. This form of illegal detention was routinely used to “maintain stability,” particularly around “politically sensitive” periods of the year. Also, authorities in Heilongjiang have denied medical parole for imprisoned activist Liu Jie (刘杰), who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Beijing authorities held Jia Fengzhen (贾凤珍) of Liaoning in a black jail after she tried to file a petition over the lack of official response to her complaints of torture in a labor camp.
(Geneva) – Chinese authorities should withdraw or substantially revise a proposed counter-terrorism law which could be used to further monitor, censor and criminalise the work of human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists, the International Service for Human Rights and Chinese Human Rights Defenders said in a joint statement today. ‘China’s draft Anti-Terrorism Act contains a range of vague and […]
By Frances Eve | As 2014 came to a close, at least seven prominent Chinese human rights lawyers rang in the New Year from a jail cell. Under President Xi Jinping, the year was one of the worst in recent memory for China’s embattled civil society.
Originally published by The New York Times on January 14, 2015 A correspondent for the German newspaper Die Zeit who left China after her Chinese researcher was detained in October, and security agents said they thought she herself might be a spy, has now published the harrowing details of the ordeal. In her account in Die […]
Originally published by Big News Network on January 13, 2015 WASHINGTON — China’s rulers continue to oppress personal freedoms using harsh tactics that include obstructing activism and shutting down public protest even as they declare their commitment to human rights, an independent watchdog group said. Freedom House, a Washington D.C.-based watchdog group, said the country’s Communist […]
Originally published by UCA News on January 13, 2015 Repression in China has worsened since Xi Jinping became president in 2013, according to a report published by Freedom House on Tuesday, a sign that the Communist Party is struggling to maintain legitimacy and control despite China’s rise. In a study examining internal party records and testimony […]
Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on January 15, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping has revived the prosecution of dissidents for political crimes, according to a human rights group. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) says at least 22 political activists have beencharged with “inciting subversion of state power” and “subversion of state power” since May 2014. […]
Originally published by USA Today on January 13, 2015 BEIJING — A U.S. report Tuesday accused China’s rulers of intensifying their repression of personal freedoms, even as the communist government has proclaimed a commitment to greater human rights. Freedom House, a Washington advocacy group, said that since Communist Party leader Xi Jinping came to power in […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on January 8, 2015 Top Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng remains effectively under house arrest, five months after his release from prison on subversion charges, his family said on Thursday. Gao, 52, is currently under 24-hour surveillance by state security police at the home of his wife’s parents in the […]
Originally published by AFP on January 8, 2015 BEIJING: China arrested or prosecuted more than 2,300 people for political offences in 2013, the vast majority in secret, an advocacy group reported Thursday as the ruling Communist party continues a crackdown on dissent. A total of 2,318 people were arrested or indicted on charges of “endangering state security”, […]
Originally published by Quartz on January 14, 2015 There are over 40 Chinese citizens that continue to be detained—some of them tortured—by Chinese authorities for supporting pro-democracy protests in neighboring Hong Kong, according to researchers at Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) . At least 42 people are still in police custody after expressing solidarity with protesters of Hong […]
Author(s): Frances Eve Published in: China File As the year came to a close, at least seven prominent Chinese human rights lawyers rang in the New Year from a jail cell. Under President Xi Jinping, 2014 was one of the worst years in recent memory for China’s embattled civil society. Bookending the year were the cases of […]
![[CHRB] Torture & Ill-treatment of Detainees & Political Charges Returning Under Xi (1/8-15/2015)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Beijing-activist-Song-Ze-宋泽-has-been-tortured-and-mistreated-in-Daxing-District-Detention-Center.-image-CRLW.jpg)
Police at two detention centers in Beijing have tortured and mistreated two activists – Song Ze (宋泽, real name Song Guangqiang, 宋光强) and Xu Chongyang (徐崇阳) – arrested during the crackdown on supporters of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, CHRD sources have confirmed at least 22 cases of human rights defenders (HRDs) charged with “inciting subversion of state power” and “subversion of state power” since May 2014. This is a sign that overtly political crimes as applied to dissidents, activists, and rights lawyers may be making a comeback under President Xi Jinping.
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In view of this year’s UN Committee against Torture review of the Chinese government’s implementation of the international convention against torture, CHRD will provide focused reporting and analysis on cases of torture and related law and regulations. In this issue of CHRB, we report on four recent cases of detainees who have been subjected to torture and other ill treatment by police or prison guards. They include: Beijing artist and poet Wang Zang (王藏), Guangzhou independent election candidate Li Biyun (李碧云), Guangzhou activist Sun Desheng (孙德胜), and Jiangsu petitioner You Baofen (尤宝芬).
Originally published by Asia News on December 31, 2014 In eastern China, the Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court rejected appeal by companies, which now have 30 days to pay US$ 26 million in fines. The mainland’s environmental situation is getting worse with 70 per cent of rivers and lakes polluted, this according to government data. […]
By Victor Clemens | The booming construction and development industry in China has brought about a devastating side effect: violent episodes of land appropriation, housing evictions, and demolitions that typically victimize the poorest citizens, especially in urban areas.
Author(s): Victor Clemens Published in: Fletcher Forum The booming construction and development industry in China, where the government faces no democratic constraints and rule of law exists only on paper, has brought about a devastating side effect: violent episodes of land appropriation, housing evictions, and demolitions that typically victimize the poorest citizens, particularly in urban areas. Often in […]
Originally published by AFP on November 28, 2014 Two prominent Chinese political activists went on trial on Friday (Nov 28) for helping to organise small-scale protests against censorship, their lawyer said, the latest prosecution in a deepening government crackdown on dissent. BEIJING: Two prominent Chinese political activists went on trial on Friday (Nov 28) for helping […]
Originally published by Reuters on November 28, 2014 Two Chinese human rights activists are standing trial Friday on charges of “disturbing public order,” becoming the latest dissidents to be prosecuted by Beijing. Guo Feixiong and Sun Desheng were arrested in August 2013 after taking part in rallies outside a newspaper that had complained of government censorship. The […]
Originally published by EFE on December 4, 2014 Chinese authorities have arrested a number of public intellectuals and shut down two independent organizations in what many see as a preventive response to the threat of Hong Kong’s revolution spreading to the rest of the country, the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, CHRD , group said on Thursday. […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on December 4, 2014 Roughly two years ago, free-speech protests outside the offices of a celebrated Chinese newspaper sparked a government crackdown on proponents of constitutionalism. Today, China’s government is leading the celebrations to mark its first national Constitution Day. The seeming about-face illustrates how slippery the language of […]
Originally published by Quartz on December 2, 2014 The cheer of America’s holiday season is typically lost on China. Over the past decade, Chinese officials have increasingly chosen to hold trials for detained political dissidents during Western holidays, when diplomats, journalists, and other observers are off duty or distracted. Last week’s American Thanksgiving holiday was no exception. On […]
Originally published by Business Standard on December 2, 2014 Beijing, Dec 2 (IANS/EFE) Immigrant’s rights activist Zhao Fengshin has been sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly encouraging the use of violence in letters that were posted online, according to media reports Monday. According to Boxun magazine, the sentence was passed Friday by a court in […]
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on December 15, 2014 BEIJING – Chinese authorities have arrested a number of public intellectuals and shut down two independent organizations in what many see as a preventive response to the threat of Hong Kong’s revolution spreading to the rest of the country, the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) […]
Originally published by The New American (Magazine) on December 12, 2014 Meriam Ibrahim sat shackled in Khartoum’s Omdurman Federal Women’s Prison, sentenced to 100 lashes and death by hanging. Her 20-month-old son, Martin Wani, who shared her prison cell, was ill from the filth and the stress of the imprisonment. And now, Ibrahim, a Christian Sudanese who […]
Originally published by IANS on December 12, 2014 China’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiabo, who is serving a 11-year sentence in prison for inciting subversion, Friday called for the world to pay more attention to the fate of lesser known Chinese rights activists. He said this in a message to his writer friend, Liao Yiwu, […]
Originally published by Bloomberg on December 9, 2014. China sentenced seven students of incarcerated scholar Ilham Tohti, a member of the country’s Uighur minority, to three to eight years in prison for separatism, Hong Kong government broadcaster RTHK said. The verdicts followed a trial held last month, RTHK said on its website, citing Tohti’s lawyer, […]
In 2014, Chinese activists, writers, lawyers, journalists, artists, and citizens experienced one of the harshest years in government repression and retaliation. CHRD has recorded nearly 1,000 detentions in 2014 for exercising and defending human rights. We have produced an image gallery showcasing major trends and figures in China’s human rights landscape of 2014.
Jiang Liuyong 姜流勇 & Li Dongmei 李冬梅 (released) Crime: Creating a disturbance Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: September 30, 2014 (detained); November 6, 2014 (arrested); May 30, 2015 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Fengtai District Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background Police summoned and later detained Beijing-based activists […]
Jia Lingmin 贾灵敏 (released) Crime: Creating a disturbance Length of Punishment: 4 years Court: Gongyi City People’s Court, Zhengzhou, Henan Province Trial Date: June 2, 2015 Sentencing Date: November 5, 2015 Dates of Detention/Arrest: May 7, 2014 (detained); May 30, 2014 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Xinxiang Women’s Prison, Henan Province Appeal Hearing Date: April 28, […]
Han Ying 韩颖 (released) Crime: Creating a disturbance Length of Punishment: N/A Court: N/A Trial Date: N/A Sentencing Date: N/A Dates of Detention/Arrest: October 1, 2014 (detained); November 6, 2014 (arrested); May 30, 2015 (released on bail) Place of Incarceration: Fengtai District Detention Center (Beijing Municipality) Background Police forcibly entered the home of Beijing-based housing and […]
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On December 12, a court in Anhui Province handed down sentences to three activists—Li Huaping (李化平), Yao Cheng (姚城), and Zhou Weilin (周伟林)—based largely on their roles in the 2013 protests advocating for the education rights of activist Zhang Lin (张林)’s daughter. Elsewhere, a village leader in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Bachen Gyewa, reportedly died in police custody on November 21. It is suspected that he was detained and killed in retaliation for challenging “stability maintenance” measures in Diru County, where government policies have become increasingly suppressive since late 2013.
Communiqué on Behalf of Seven Students of Ilham Tohti: Perhat Halmurat, Shohret Nijat, Abduqeyum Ablimit, Atikem Rozi, Akbar Imin, Mutellip Imin, & Luo Yuwei, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of the rights of minorities, Freedom of Expression, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
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Five activists and lawyers seized since the spring of 2013 may face trial around Christmas, a common government tactic in recent years, intended to deflect international attention. Tibetan activist Tenzin Choedak died on December 5 in Lhasa City, two days after he was released after serving less than six years of a 15-year sentence. Lawyers and activists commented on changes to the National People’s Congress’ draft ninth amendment to the Criminal Law in a public statement, urging the NPC to drop proposals that could encroach on citizens’ legal rights and human rights.
![[CHRB] Beijing Police Detain Outspoken Intellectuals, Close 2 Independent Groups (11/21-12/4, 2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/He-Zhengjun-何正军-of-the-Transition-Institute-and-well-known-writer-Xu-Xiao-徐晓-were-both-detained-on-November-26-a-sign-of-growing-suppression-against-government-critics.gif)
In strident moves meant to further silence government critics, Beijing authorities have shuttered the Transition Institute, an independent research group, and also the Liren Group, which runs a private school and independent libraries, while detaining several individuals affiliated with these groups as well as other independent writers. Elsewhere, over the past two months, Chinese authorities have sentenced to prison several Tibetans, including both monks and musicians, verdicts issued in retaliation against the men for exercising their freedom of religion and expression.
Ding Hongfen 丁红芬 (released) Crime: Intentional damage to property Length of Punishment: 21 months Court: Binhu District People’s Court (Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province) Trial Date: October 25-26, 2014 Sentencing Date: November 27, 2014 Dates of Detention/Arrest: June 23, 2013 (detained), May 29, 2014 (arrested); June 11, 2015 (released) Place of Incarceration: Wuxi No. 2 […]
Originally published by ABC on Novermber 27, 2014 Un peticionario, ciudadanos que viajan a Pekín para pedir justicia al Gobierno central y que son perseguidos por el régimen, ha fallecido cuando llevaba bajo custodia dos días, un caso que según organizaciones de derechos humanos pone en evidencia la falta de controles en centros de detención. Según […]
Originally published by Diario Información on November 28, 2014 A más de dos horas del centro de Pekín se encuentra el “pueblo de los peticionarios”, un conjunto de chabolas de ciudadanos que viven pidiendo justicia en China y que forman parte de una lista negra del régimen que les impide tener trabajo o una vivienda digna. […]
Originally published by Business Standard on November 29, 2014 BEIJING – More than two hours away from the center of Beijing is the “petitioners village,” a group of huts that belong to citizens demanding justice in China and who are unable to find work or decent housing as they have been blacklisted by the regime. Wang, […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on NOVEMBER 28, 2014 Two prominent Chinese political activists went on trial today for helping to organise small-scale protests against censorship, their lawyer said – the latest prosecution in a deepening government crackdown on dissent. Guo Feixiong and Sun Desheng both face possible five-year prison sentences for their attempts […]
Originally published by Voice of America on NOVEMBER 28, 2014 Two Chinese human rights activists are standing trial Friday on charges of “disturbing public order,” becoming the latest dissidents to be prosecuted by Beijing. Guo Feixiong and Sun Desheng were arrested in August 2013 after taking part in rallies outside a newspaper that had complained of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on NOVEMBER 27, 2014 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou will try two prominent rights activists on Friday on public order offenses after they took part in street protests for press freedom and called for greater government transparency and protection for human rights. Activists Yang Maodong, better known […]
Originally published by Big News Network on NOVEMBER 28, 2014 More than two hours away from the centre of Beijing is the “petitioners village”, a group of huts that belong to citizens demanding justice in China and who are unable to find work or decent housing as they have been blacklisted by the regime. Wang, 60, […]
Originally published by Bloomberg on NOVEMBER 26, 2014 HONG KONG – China put seven students of imprisoned Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti on trial on separatism charges for their involvement in his website, which the nation’s government says promotes disunity. The students may face prison sentences of five to 15 years on conviction, according to Li Fangping, […]
Originally published by National Review Online on NOVEMBER 24, 2014 In 1950, the “conservative impulse” expressed itself in “irritable mental gestures,” in Lionel Trilling’s famous phrase. If Trilling’s liberal successors are to be believed, that impulse has come a long way since then — into a full-blown pathology. Consider Michael Eric Dyson’s exchange with former […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Police in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou have formally arrested a third activist on subversion charges after he publicly supported the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. Wang Mo has been formally arrested on suspicion of “incitement to subvert state power” after he took part in […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Authorities in the Chinese capital have indicted two prominent rights lawyers on charges related to separatism and subversion, paving the way for an imminent trial, the indicted men’s attorneys said. Gao Guangqing, defense attorney for Beijing-based Pu Zhiqiang, who met with his client in the […]
Zhao Haitong 赵海通 Crime: Inciting subversion of state power Length of Punishment: 14 years Court: Urumqi Intermediate People’s Court (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) Trial Date: May 13, 2014 Sentencing Date: Unknown Dates of Detention/Arrest: August 10, 2013 (detained); September 12, 2013 (arrested) Place of Incarceration: Wusu City Prison Appeal Sentencing Date: October 2014 Background Activist […]
Gao Yu 高瑜 (released on medical parole) *Previously under medical watch Crime: Illegally disseminating state secrets overseas Length of Punishment: Seven years Court: Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court Trial Date: November 21, 2014 Sentencing Date: April 17, 2015 Dates of Detention/Arrest: April 24, 2014 (detained); May 30, 2014 (arrested); November 26, 2015 (released on parole) […]
CHRD calls on Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release activists Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄) and Sun Desheng (孙德胜), who face trial at the Tianhe District People’s Court in Guangzhou on November 28. Guo and Sun took part in anti-corruption and free speech demonstrations in early 2013, and were later arrested in September and October, respectively. They were among dozens targeted as part of President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on peaceful assembly, association, and expression that began soon after Xi took power. During pre-trial detention, Guo and Sun have both been subjected to torture and inhumane treatment, and denied a fair trial in a reasonable time period.
![[CHRB] China Must Free Journalist Gao Yu and Others Detained during June Fourth Anniversary Crackdown as They Face Trial (11/15-20/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/The-cases-of-Tang-Jingling-唐荆陵-Gao-Yu-高瑜-and-Pu-Zhiqiang-浦志强-have-moved-closer-to-trial.jpg)
Gao Yu (高瑜), Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), and Tang Jingling (唐荆陵), arrested in the suppression surrounding around this year’s June Fourth anniversary, will face trial imminently, with court proceedings in Ms. Gao’s case scheduled to begin this Friday. Meanwhile, Guangdong activist Wang Mo (王默), detained as a part of the crackdown on mainland supporters of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, has been arrested on a charge of “inciting subversion of state power,” joining two others who have been criminally detained on such a serious charge.
Originally published by Caracol Radio on NOVEMBER 8, 2014 El Gobierno chino ha blindado las calles de Pekín con 28.000 policías, agentes de seguridad y militares, y más de 80.000 voluntarios para que nada altere la cumbre del Foro APEC de los máximos líderes mundiales en la capital, en la que durante el lunes y martes […]
Originally published by The New American on OCTOBER 28, 2014 A Chinese civil rights monitoring group has issued a report documenting the existence in Communist China of “black jails,” off-the-radar detention centers where potentially thousands of individuals — 80 percent women — who have raised the ire of local officials are imprisoned without trial, facing violence, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on NOVEMBER 6, 2014 As the United Nations reviews China’s record in preventing violence against women, the authorities continue to detain and harass outspoken women activists, according to petitioners and rights activists Thursday. Authorities in the central city of Wuhan handed a 10-day administrative sentence to activist Ye Haiyan after […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on OCTOBER 31, 2014 Authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday detained a prominent women’s rights activist after she organized an online activity in support of Hong Kong’s Occupy Central pro-democracy movement. Ye Haiyan, who founded the Women’s Rights Workshop, was taken away by police in her home […]
Originally published by Terra México on OCTOBER 21, 2014 El 80% de las víctimas son mujeres y han estado entre días y hasta seis años encerradas sin derecho a juicio Las habitaciones de hotel o fábricas utilizadas como cárceles ilegales, donde miles de personas -la mayoría mujeres- son cada día torturadas para evitar que la sociedad conozca sus […]
Originally published by The Washington Post on OCTOBER 27, 2014 Readers of the print edition of The New York Times on Friday saw a three-column headline on page A12, China Moves to Reinforce Rule of Law. On the facing page were two one-paragraph news briefs that illustrated what “rule of law” really means in China. Critic of […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on OCTOBER 21, 2014 Eighty percent of people held in China’s unofficial detention centers, or “black jails,” are female, and many suffer routine abuse at the hands of their captors, according to a report published on Tuesday by the overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group. Published as Beijing’s women’s rights […]
Originally published by Indileak on OCTOBER 21, 2014 Beijing: The use of hotels and factories as clandestine prisons where thousands of people — mostly women — are tortured to prevent their complaints against the government from coming to light has rapidly increased in China, an organisation Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said on Tuesday. In a […]
Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on OCTOBER 24, 2014 Illegal detention facilities mostly house female prisoners, force detainees to receive ‘legal education’ Illegal detention centers known as “black jails” have proliferated in China, according to a new report, even as government officials deny their existence before a United Nations committee this week. The report by the […]
Originally published by The Washington Post on OCTOBER 26, 2014 READERS OF the print edition of the New York Times on Friday saw a three-column headline on page A12, “China Moves to Reinforce Rule of Law .” On the facing page were two one-paragraph news briefs that illustrated what “rule of law” really means in China. “Critic of Mao […]
![[CHRB] Arbitrary Detentions & Restrictions for “Harmonious” APEC & Over 100 Detentions Tied to Hong Kong (11/7-14/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Petitioners-protest-against-the-APEC-Summit-in-Beijing-holding-signs-that-read-We-Want-Human-Rights-We-Want-Food-We-Dont-Want-APEC-image-RDN.jpg)
Anhui authorities have detained two activists after the Washington Post interviewed them. Authorities tightened restrictions on the movement of dissidents, activists, and petitioners in Beijing during the APEC Forum, and lawyers representing two detained activists have faced apparent reprisals for handling “politically sensitive” cases. CHRD has confirmed that 101 individuals have been detained for supporting protests in Hong Kong, with four individuals formally arrested. Also, a UN body has published recommendations to the Chinese government after reviewing China’s record on protecting women from discrimination.
Fujian-based activist Lin Yingqiang (林应强) was intercepted in Beijing during the Chinese Communist Party’s Third Plenum as he tried to raise awareness about corruption in his home province. His family lost contact with him after Lin told them that he was seized and detained in a “black jail,” an extralegal detention facility, waiting to be taken back to Fuzhou.
![[CHRB] Women’s Rights Defenders Face Reprisals Over UN Review (10/31-11/6/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Police-have-administratively-detained-womens-rights-activist-Ye-Haiyan-叶海燕-because-of-her-attempt-to-draw-public-attention-to-the-UN-CEDAW-review-of-China.-image-CRLW.jpg)
Two women’s rights activists have faced reprisals for drawing attention to—or planning to contribute to—the review of China by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which took place on October 23. At the review itself, the All-China Women’s Federation, a government-run body, posed as a “non-governmental organization,” in effect taking up space that should have been reserved for genuine civil society groups. In addition, imprisoned magazine editor Wang Hanfei (王寒非) continues to be subjected to ill treatment, and his health has badly declined.
Hubei-based democracy activist Liu Jiacai (刘家财) was administratively detained for “disrupting public order” for 10 days in August 2013, but on the day of his release, police criminally detained Liu on suspicion of the more serious criminal charge of “inciting subversion.” Prior to his detention, Liu had posted and shared views online about legal rights and organized gatherings in Yichang City for activists to discuss issues of rights and social justice.
Originally published by The New York Times on OCTOBER 20, 2014 One night in June last year, Ding Hongfen and about 20 others stormed the Dongjiao Guesthouse in the city of Wuxi in eastern China, breaking down an iron door with crowbars. They freed five people held inside in a “black jail,” an extralegal detention facility […]
Originally published by LA Prensa on October 21, 2014 Beijing, Oct 21 (EFE).- The use of hotels and factories as clandestine prisons, where thousands of people – mostly women – are tortured to prevent their complaints against the government from coming to light, has rapidly increased in China, the organization Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 16, 2014 As Hong Kong’s mass civil disobedience movement entered its 19th consecutive day on Thursday, authorities on the Chinese mainland have detained more than 60 people for openly supporting the move for universal suffrage, rights activists and lawyers said. According to the overseas-based Chinese Human Rights […]
Originally published by AFP on October 13, 2014 07:43 GMT – AFP IS CLOSING ITS LIVE REPORT on Hong Kong protests after a day that saw chaos erupt as dozens of masked men rushed barricades at the city’s main pro-democracy site triggering clashes with protesters, hours after police had moved in to remove some barriers. Groups […]
Originally published by SCMP on October 15, 2014 Chinese employees of foreign media organisations on the mainland said they were no stranger to pressure and fear imposed by authorities following the arrest of a Chinese woman who was working as a news assistant for a German newspaper and helped report on stories related to Hong […]
Originally published by AFP on October 12, 2014 Beijing (AFP) – Chinese police have detained two Beijing activists who took part in a Hong Kong pro-democracy march, a friend said Monday, the latest of dozens of arrests over the protests. China has in recent weeks held around 40 people on the mainland who had expressed […]
Originally published by Washington Post on October 10, 2014 HONG KONG — Thousands of people of all ages flocked back into the streets of Hong Kong on Friday evening as the government’s decision topull out of talks breathed new life into the pro-democracy movement. Crowds at the protest sites in the city had been dwindling […]
Originally published by AsiaNews.it on October 13, 2014. After a first wave of repression, mainland police continues to persecute those who express support for pro-democracy demonstrations in the Special Autonomous Region. In Beijing, arrests, searches, violence and detentions continue. The persecution also affects Chongqing, Guangzhou and Anhui province. Beijing (AsiaNews) – Into the second week […]
![[CHRB] Guangzhou’s New Restrictions on NGOs & UN Experts Call For Release of Detained Chinese Journalist (10/17-30/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Guangdong-police-criminally-detained-Su-Changlan-苏昌兰-for-her-involvement-in-Hong-Kong-related-activities.jpg)
Draft rules on the prohibition of “illegal” civil society organizations in Guangzhou were released on October 20, leading to protests from civil society organizations. CHRD launched a focus campaign tracking the suppression of individuals after they supported the protests demanding genuine universal suffrage in Hong Kong. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an opinion in August that declared Wang Hanfei (王寒非)’s imprisonment is a deprivation of his liberty, and asked the Chinese government release him. CHRD has compiled 10 more in-depth case files of prisoners of conscience, providing background information on these individuals and details of their persecution.
CHRD has released a new report, “We can Beat You to Death With Impunity:” Secret Detention & Abuse of Women in China’s “Black Jails”. The report examines widespread detention in extralegal facilities known as “black jails,” and particularly abuses against women locked up in the facilities, where roughly 80% of detainees are female. Inside these shadowy holding cells, detainees—including elderly women, migrant women, women who lost land or were victimized by forced eviction, women with disabilities, and mothers with young children—are subjected to appalling abuses, from physical and sexual assaults to deprivation of medical treatment.
CHRD has produced this gallery of images, cases, and data to accompany the report “We’ll Beat You to Death With Impunity”: Secret Detention & Abuse of Women in China’s “Black Jails.” The report examines abuses in black jails across China in these facilities, and particularly against women, who make up roughly 80% of the black jail population. The gallery details some types of abuse that occur in black jails, the impunity officials enjoy, and the reprisals against black jail victims who seek justice.
A number of Chinese citizens have faced reprisals for supporting the Hong Kong protests for universal suffrage, which began in September 2014. The occupation of several areas in the territory, including parts of its financial and political center, has inspired many Chinese on the mainland. To date, CHRD has documented 119 cases of detention in total, of which 10 are still in custody.
![[CHRB] Discrimination against Women in China under UN Review; More Detained for Backing Hong Kong Protests (10/10-16/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Police-have-detained-activists-for-appearing-in-photos-such-as-this-one-in-which-the-banners-read-Support-Hong-Kong-and-Embrace-Freedom-Through-the-Storm.jpg)
On October 23, the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) will review China’s implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. CHRD jointly submitted a report assessing the conditions in key areas of women’s rights with a coalition of Chinese NGOs. Meanwhile, authorities continue to crack down on individuals who express support for the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. Since the demonstrations began, CHRD has documented more than 60 detentions in total, including 23 criminal detentions, 3 administrative detentions, and 35 cases of people in other forms of police custody.
Originally published by Kyodo News International on October 10, 2014 China has detained over 40 mainlanders over the past two weeks for supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, according to reports compiled by human rights activists and lawyers. The detainees come from a cross-section of Chinese society, ranging from artists and democracy activists to dispossessed Chinese farmers. […]
Originally published by USA Today on October 9, 2014 BEIJING — Saying “constructive dialogue” is impossible, Hong Kong’s government canceled plans for much-anticipated talks with protesters in an unprecedented civil disobedience movement that has paralyzed parts of the city for the past two weeks. The announcement by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam on Thursday came hours […]
Originally published by South China Morning Post on October 8, 2014 Police in Beijing detained at least seven people over a poem reading meeting last week in support of pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. They are among the dozens of people who have been reportedly detained in China as the country’s online censors mount their […]
Originally published by AFP on October 1, 2014 BEIJING, CHINA: Authorities have detained more than a dozen activists across China and questioned as many as 60 others who expressed support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests in recent days, campaign groups said Wednesday. The clampdown comes with Beijing’s propaganda machine in overdrive to suppress news of […]
Originally published by Reuters on Oct 1, 2014. (Reuters) – In the heart of Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated districts on earth, an abandoned Hong Kong police van is enveloped in the student-led demonstrations paralyzing swathes of the city. Along with yellow ribbons and flowers, symbols of the city’s pro-democracy movement, protesters […]
Originally published by NewsPakistan.PK on September 26, 2014 Life imprisonment and confiscation of all his property. This is the statement that a Chinese court has imposed for “encouraging separatism ” Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti, 44 years and a very moderate line defender of the rights of their ethnicity. With this conviction, harder than in years China has […]
Originally published by USA TODAY on September 23, 2014 BEIJING — A court in China on Tuesday found a prominent scholar from the country’s Uighur minority group guilty of “separatism” and sentenced him to life in prison, his lawyer said. Ilham Tohti, 44, was convicted of advocating for separatism for Xinjiang, the Uighur homeland in northwest […]
![[CHRB] Beijing’s Newest Crackdown: Update on Detentions of Mainland Supporters of HK Protests (10/2-9/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BzBkGRuCIAArmbM.jpg)
Into the second week of demonstrations in Hong Kong demanding universal suffrage, police across China have taken into custody dozens of activists, petitioners, artists, and others who had posted messages online or gathered to show support for the protestors. CHRD has now documented more than 40 cases in total, with the majority taking place in Beijing, including 11 criminal detentions and two administrative detentions, along with 29 individuals who remain in custody and at least five known to have gone into hiding. Police have harassed and intimidated countless others by visiting their homes and issuing warnings or taking them to police stations for questioning.
“Her spirit is not dead. [Cao Shunli] is still with us.” Fellow Activist Cao Shunli, a Chinese activist who paid the ultimate price for defending human rights. Her pursuit of justice for the dispossessed gave her strength and courage to devote her life to help China improve its rights conditions despite reprisals by government […]
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders & a Coalition of NGOs Civil Society Report Submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women for its Review at the 59th Session of the Combined 7th & 8th Report by the People’s Republic of China on its Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Guangzhou-based human rights lawyer Tang Jingling was criminally detained in mid-May 2014 on suspicion of “creating a disturbance.” After police seized Tang, they searched his residence and confiscated a laptop, a tablet computer, cell phones, and books. On the same day, police took into custody two other Guangzhou activists, Wang Qingying and Yuan Xinting, who are close associates of lawyer Tang in the “Non-violent Citizens’ Disobedience Movement.”
![[CHRB] Activists Across China Detained for Supporting Democracy Protests in Hong Kong (9/19-10/1/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/13-14093016063MI.jpg)
Many Chinese citizens have faced reprisals for supporting the protests in Hong Kong, as police are concerned that they may try to travel to Hong Kong or take to streets to protest. Tibetan student Lhamo Tashi (拉莫扎西) died from his injuries after self-immolating on September 17 in Gansu Province, the seventh individual to self-immolate this year. Meanwhile, 3 NGOs groups in China have launched an annual award to support human rights work in honor of activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利). CHRD sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee to draw attention to reports of human rights violations in the lead up to, and surrounding, the Nanjing Youth Olympics held on August 16-28.
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.
中国残障妇女尚未享有平等权利 Women with Disabilities Still Have Unequal Rights
农村妇女土地问题 Land Issue Concerning Rural Women
中国妇女就业歧视状况观察报告 Report Based on Observations of the Situation of Women’s Employment Discrimination
中国妇女在政治和公共事务决策中的代表性严重偏低 Chinese Women Seriously Unrepresented in Political and Public Decision Making.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 23, 2014. Prominent Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday after a court in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang convicted him for “separatism,” a charge he has vehemently rejected. The former Beijing-based Central University for Nationalities economics professor immediately protested when the […]
Originally published by Time on September 23, 2014. It was supposed to be an adventure. It was Feb. 2, 2013, and Ilham Tohti, a Beijing-based professor and writer, and his 18-year-old daughter, Jewher Ilham, were on their way from China to the United States. He was to start a year-long residency at Indiana University, she was […]
Originally published by Bloomberg on September 23, 2014. Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted of promoting separatism in the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang in a verdict that underlines China’s intolerance toward criticism of its ethnic policies. The court also ordered the seizure of all of Tohti’s […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 18, 2014. A Chinese blogger and a rights activist are being held in mental institutions, rights groups and activists say, sparking fears for their well-being. Authorities in the southeastern province of Fujian detained outspoken blogger Shi Genyuan at his home on June 3 and forcibly committed him to the […]
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 and his trial, held on September 17-18, have been rife with abuses of his human rights and due process rights, in violation of Chinese law and international standards. Ilham should not be imprisoned for exercising his human right to free expression.
Guangdong-based activist Sun Desheng (孙德胜, also known as Sun Sihuo 孙思火) was seized and criminally detained on August 13, 2013. Authorities held Sun incommunicado until they transferred him to residential surveillance. He was formally arrested that October and moved into a detention facility. His participation in several civil society campaigns were all cited in his indictment on a charge of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place.”
![[CHRB] New Cases of Forced Psychiatric Commitment, Detentions of Prominent Writer & Democracy Activist (9/12-18/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/The-mental-health-ward-of-the-Quanzhou-City-No.-3-Hospital-where-Shi-Genyuan-施根源-has-been-held-since-June-2014.jpg)
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 Beijing police officers took away 81-year old writer Tie Liu (铁流) on September 13, then searched his home and seized, among other materials, books and a computer.
Originally published by Jurist on September 15, 2014. [JURIST] Chinese writer Huang Zerong, known also by his pen name Tie Liu, was detained by Chinese authorities Sunday morning for allegedly publishing articles critical of Communist Party propaganda chief Liu Yunshan [Brookings backgrounder]. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the 81-year-old writer was [SCMP […]
Originally published by The Washington Post on September 14, 2014. THEY KEPT him in a cell so small he could walk barely two steps in any direction. There was no sunlight, no ventilation; just one five-watt bulb, burning dimly 24 hours a day. He was allowed nothing to read and no one to speak with, […]
![[CHRB] Rights Campaigners Detained in Guangzhou, Activist Zhang Lin Sentenced to 3½ Years (9/5-11, 2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Police-in-Beijing-confronting-supporters-of-lawyer-Cheng-Hai-程海.jpg)
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 imprisoned in the crackdown on peaceful assembly, association and expression, which ramped up in March 2013. In Beijing, police detained dozens of activists and lawyers, eventually sending two of them to administrative detention, after supporters tried to attend the hearing on the recent one-year suspension of lawyer Cheng Hai (程海)’s license.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights issued the Concluding observations on the second periodic report of China on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at its 17th and 18th meetings (E/C.12/2014/SR.17-18) held on 8 May. The below video is about the situation of the forced eviction and demolition […]
Originally published by CATO at Liberty on August 27, 2014. BEIJING—Today China’s big cities look much like urban areas anywhere in the world. There are lots of cars. What I didn’t expect was to see a Christian “fish” on an auto. Religion is “on the rise,” one U.S. diplomat told me. It also is under attack by […]
![[CHRB] Imprisoned Tibetan Monk in Urgent Need of Medical Attention, 5 More Cases Go Under Medical Watch (8/29-9/4/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rights-lawyer-Chang-Boyang-常伯阳-has-been-deprived-of-his-right-to-legal-counsel-for-over-three-months-since-his-detention-at-the-Zhengzhou-No.-3-Detention-Center.jpg)
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 cases to its “watch list” of detained individuals in urgent need of medical treatment, and CHRD recently wrote to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers about the alarming trend in China of authorities’ denying detained human rights defenders visits from their lawyers.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is writing to bring to your attention the increasing use by Chinese authorities of denial of lawyers’ visitation to detained human rights defenders, including both lawyers and activists, in recent months. This pattern violates the detainees’ right to legal counsel and undermines the independence of lawyers in providing legal consultation.
Prominent rights lawyer Chang Boyang (常伯阳) had his home raided and was taken away for questioning in late May 2014 after local authorities repeatedly denied his requests to visit his clients – activists who were detained for organizing a memorial event earlier that year to commemorate June Fourth as well as former Chinese leaders Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦) and Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳).
Christian pastor Zhang Shaojie, along with approximately 20 church members, was forcibly taken into custody without a warrant in November 2013. In addition to a 12-year prison sentence, the court also ordered Zhang to pay a fine of 100,000 yuan (more than US$ 16,000) after he was convicted on a trumped-up “fraud” charge.
![[CHRB] Hundreds Face Harassment Around Youth Olympics in Nanjing, 21 Buddhists Detained in Guangdong (8/22-28/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-28-at-13.38.28.png)
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 and leader, Wu Zeheng (吴泽恒). Two human rights lawyers are facing administrative penalties as a result of representing imprisoned human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜). Authorities forced the cancellation of an independent film festival in Beijing. The annual event was due to run from August 23-31 in Songzhuang.
Originally published by Crossmap on August 18, 2014. Zhisheng, 50, is a Christian lay leader as well as a Beijing-based lawyer. He came to prominence for defending activists and religious minorities before Chinese authorities closed down his law practice in 2005, and arrested him for ‘subversion’ a year later, a charge that is often used by […]
![[CHRB] Tibetan Smuggles Out Prisoner List, Lawyers Call for Investigation Into Church Demolition (8/15-21/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/A-group-stands-outside-the-Salvation-Church-in-Wenzhou-City-Zhejiang-Province-after-authorities.jpg)
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 the Salvation Church in Zhejiang Province, who the attorneys are representing in a lawsuit against authorities. Meanwhile, CHRD submitted information to UN experts alleging arbitrary detention, violation of freedom of expression, and reprisals against human rights defenders in cases involving Tang Jingling (唐荆陵), Wang Qingying (王清营) and Yuan Xinting (袁新亭).
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, and Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. Communique on Behalf of Tang Jingling, Wang Qingying and Yuan Xinting, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 15, 2014. A group of lawyers has called for an investigation into allegations of torture under the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s internal disciplinary system, known as “shuanggui,” an overseas-based rights group said on Friday. Lawyers representing a number of former party officials in the southern province of Hunan say […]
Originally published by The Irish Times on August 8, 2014. One of China’s most prominent human rights activists, Gao Zhisheng, has been released after three years in jail, activists reported yesterday, although it remained unclear whether he will be subject to restrictions on his freedom. Mr Gao is best known for his work defending Falun Gong adherents, […]
![[CHRB] Details of Torture Emerge, Official Order Blocks Detainees’ Access to Lawyers (8/7-14/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/wangdak.jpg)
A group of lawyers disclosed details of the torture of their clients, former party officials held in Hunan under shuanggui. Meanwhile, authorities in a Heilongjiang city apparently issued an ordinance barring Beijing-based lawyers from visiting clients in the city’s detention facilities. Beijing police have reportedly arrested two petitioners-turned-activists, Mr. Guo Hongwei (郭洪伟) and Ms. Liu Xiaohua (柳小华), who made repeated requests to obtain information on how authorities investigate alleged abuses against petitioners. Also, veteran democracy activist Lü Gengsong (吕耿松) was formally arrested by in Huangzhou on a charge of “subversion against state power.” Tibetan unarmed protestors were shot by security forces in Sichuan Province on August 12.
Activist Zhao Zhenjia (赵振甲) was seized at the Beijing South Railway Station in June 2013 and held incommunicado for weeks before his family members in Liaoning Province received his detention notice. Zhao’s detention stemmed from his participation in public gatherings that commemorated June Fourth. He is suffering from poor health in detention, but authorities have denied his lawyer’s request for bail.
Chinese blogger and Internet activist Dong Rubin was sentenced to 6 and 1/2 years in prison in July 2014. In addition to handing down a lengthy prison term, the Court fined Dong 350,000 yuan (nearly US$ 57,000). Seized in the previous September, Dong told the judge that he was subjected to 7-8 hours of interrogation while chained to a chair for 70 to 80 straight days, including when he was sick and receiving medication intravenously. He was charged with the crimes of “creating a disturbance” and “illegal business activity.”
![[CHRB] Jailed Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Released Into Control by Authorities (7/30-8/7/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/QQ图片20140803095541.jpg)
Authorities released human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng (高智晟) on August 7 from a Xinjiang prison, but Gao is apparently not free. He appeared to be accompanied by Chinese security personnel and barred from speaking on the phone to family so far. In Henan, police seized dozens of the supporters on August 1 outside the Zhengzhou No. 3 Detention Center. Of the 42 initially taken into custody that day, all but 7 were released by early the next morning. The trial of activists Zhou Weilin (周维林) and Yao Cheng (姚城) opened on August 6 in Anhui Province, and the court did not issue a sentence after a three-hour hearing.
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on July 29, 2014. Chinese authorities are ramping up their persecution of Christian churches in response to what they perceive as an emerging threat to the communist regime, according to reports. Public security officials in recent days forcibly removed crosses from two churches in the southeastern coastal province of Zhejiang, the New […]
Originally published by Worthy News on August 1, 2014. By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent BEIJING (Worthy News)– Chinese authorities are escalating their attacks on churches since they perceive the growth of Christianity as a threat to their communist regime, according to The Washington Free Beacon. Security officials have forcibly removed crosses from two churches […]
![[CHRB] Accused Murder Suspects Severely Beaten; Several Activists’ Trials Beginning](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ZhangXiaoyu.jpg)
Henan petitioner Zhang Xiaoyu (张小玉) and her husband, Xu Youchen (许有臣), were severely beaten by police after being detained on suspicion of killing a policeman. A lawyer who was able to meet the couple has confirmed that Zhang has nearly lost her eyesight as a result of the brutal assault, while Xu’s sustained serious injuries to his face. In addition, trials and pre-trial proceedings are taking place or set to start for four activists detained in the summer of 2013 during the crackdown on free assembly, association, and expression.
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on July 24, 2014 A Chinese online activist was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on Wednesday amid an ongoing crackdown on free speech in the country, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) reports. Dong Rubin, an outspoken advocate for human rights and environmental protections in China, received the […]
Originally published by The Washington Free Beacon on July 22, 2014 The Chinese government routinely uses psychiatric confinements as a tool to control dissidents, a Chinese human rights group said on Monday. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) highlighted the case of Xing Shiku, a Chinese petitioner who has been involuntarily detained at the Daowai District Psychiatric Hospital in […]
![[CHRB] Another Long Sentence for Detainee From 2013 Crackdown; 1,600 Cases of Arbitrary Detention & Torture Tracked Since 2012](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Yunnan-based-activist-Dong-Rubin-aka-Bian-Min-has-been-sentenced-to-six-and-a-half-years-in-prison.jpg)
Yunnan-based activist Dong Rubin (董如彬), also known as Bian Min (边民), was sentenced in Yunnan Province to six-and-a-half years in prison on charges of “creating a disturbance” and “illegal business operations” on July 23. Dong’s sentence matches the longest yet for anyone detained during last year’s crackdown on peaceful assembly, association, and expression. Also, CHRD has released data on Chinese human rights defenders who were detained, tortured, or otherwise mistreated between April 1 and June 30. More than 200 cases were documented in the quarter, a third of which are related to suppression around the June Fourth anniversary.
Originally published by Christian Today on July 17, 2014 Friends, family, and supporters of Pastor Zhang Shaojie are speaking out against his 12-year prison sentence for fraud and “gathering a crowd to disrupt public order.” They say the conviction and sentence were a “miscarriage of justice.” The Christian pastor was sentenced on July 4 after being detained […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on July 17, 2014 One of three Chinese anti-graft activists detained by authorities in the southern province of Guangdong may have been secretly tried and jailed for four years on subversion charges, a lawyer has revealed. Rights attorney Zheng Jianwei came across a court judgment sentencing Huang Wenxun to […]
CHRD welcomes the opinion adopted by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention (WGAD) that the lengthy detention of Heilongjiang petitioner
Xing Shiku (邢世库) in a psychiatric hospital has been “arbitrary.” In an
opinion issued on May 20, the Working Group calls for Xing’s release and
requests the Chinese government compensate him for the harm he has
suffered during more than seven years in detention. The Working Group, a
panel of five independent human rights experts, also has referred the case
of Xing and his wife, who was detained in black jails after seeking Xing’s
freedom, to the Special Rapporteur on Torture for investigation.
![[CHRB] Activist Said to Be Secretly Sentenced to 4 Years, Enforced Disappearance of Tibetan Monk (7/10-17/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/HuangWenxun.jpg)
Guangdong activist Huang Wenxun (黄文勋) is said to have been secretly tried and sentenced to four years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power” in Hubei Province. Senior Tibetan monk and scholar Tenzin Lhunrup (丹增龙珠) reportedly disappeared in May 2014 after being seized by police in Diru County in the Tibet Autonomous Region, which saw a number of anti-government protests last year. In addition, family members and lawyers of detained Beijing lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) and Guangdong activist Yuan Xinting (袁新亭) are alarmed at their worsening health.
Originally published by RFA on July 10, 2014 Recent rules issued by China’s top media regulator to formalize a ban on the reporting of state secrets by the country’s tightly controlled media are too vague to be useful to journalists, and will instead leave them vulnerable to individual interpretations, analysts said on Thursday. In what is […]
Originally published by AFP on July 4, 2014 BEIJING, July 4 — Chinese police have charged seven activists who held a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, rights groups said today.The activists were formally accused yesterday of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in the central province of Henan, […]
Beijing police seized Ilham Tohti from his home in January 2014. He was arrested in February on a charge of “splittism” after Xinjiang authorities had held him incommunicado for weeks. In September, Ilham Tohti was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, in a case rife with human rights and due process rights violations.
Communique on Behalf of REN Ziyuan, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
Originally published by The New York Times (blog) on July 7, 2014 A meeting on May 3 in Beijing to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen democracy movement led to the detentions of several participants and criminal charges against a prominent lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, in events widely reported abroad and spoken of, quietly, in China. But another […]
A court has sent Christian pastor Zhang Shaojie (张少杰) to prison for 12 years, an indication of the CCP’s uneasiness with rights activism connected to religious institutions. Rights lawyer Chang Boyang (常柏阳) was formally arrested on July 3 on a charge of “illegal business activity,” apparently due to his work with the nonprofit Zhengzhou Yirenping, while China Democratic Party member Lü Gengsong (吕耿松) of Hangzhou was criminally detained on July 8 on suspicion of “subversion of state power.” In addition, Chinese media regulators have issued a new set of rules to governing use of information deemed “states secrets.”
Originally published by The Weekly Standard on July 2, 2014 In a 2007 article in THE WEEKLY STANDARD, “Let a Hundred Flowers Be Crushed,” the Chinese lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, told of being followed by security agents every year around the anniversary of the June 4, 1989 massacre of democracy protesters. Pu responded by ushering the agents to a conference room […]
Hunan police seized rural activist Zhao Fengsheng (赵枫生) in late 2013 from his home and put him under criminal detention on a charge of “subversion of state power,” confiscating his computer and other materials without a warrant. In January 2014, local authorities formally arrested him for “using dangerous methods to endanger public safety,” but he was tried months later on yet another charge. Zhao’s detention is reportedly related to two open letters that he posted online shortly before he was seized.
On July 2, 2013, national security guards took away activist Zhang Xiangzhong (张向忠) for questioning, shortly after they had followed him home from Beijing No. 3 Detention Center, where he had left money for detained activists. He was then criminally detained on charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt public order” but tried for a different crime nearly a year later. Zhang’s family did not receive formal notification of either his criminal detention or arrest.
Originally published by Quartz on June 26, 2014 Chinese activist Liu Ping, connected with the loosely organized New Citizens Movement, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison last week. Human rights groups and Liu’s lawyer argue she should be given medical parole: They claim that over the course of the past year she has spent in detainment, the 49-year-old […]
![[CHRB] Arrested Uyghur Scholar Ilham Tothi Suffering From Multiple Illnesses & Other News (June 20 – June 26, 2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Uyghur-scholar-Ilham-Tohti-arrested-for-splittism-is-not-receiving-adequate-medical-treatment-for-several-illnesses.11.jpg)
Arrested Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti (伊力哈木土赫提) is suffering from serious and insufficiently treated illnesses while facing other forms of abuse, according to a lawyer who was finally granted a visit with him on June 26. In another case, lawyers for imprisoned Tibetan monk Karma Tsewang (堪布尕玛才旺) were denied a request to see him on June 16 as concerns mount over illnesses that may be threatening his life. Meanwhile, more rights lawyers and democracy activists are arrested for “inciting subversion of state power.” In Guangdong Province, disbarred human rights lawyer Tang Jingling (唐荆陵)and activists Wang Qingying (王清营) and Yuan Xinting (袁新亭) were formally arrested on charges of “inciting subversion of state power, ” on June 20. On June 25, democracy activist and freelance writer Jiang Lijun (姜力均) was formally arrested on charges of “creating a disturbance” and “inciting subversion of state power,” allegedly for information that he circulated online.
剥夺身患疾病的在押良心犯的医疗健康权是危及他们生命的一种酷刑。拒绝为他们提供充足的治疗违犯了中国法律的有关规定和国际人权标准，比如，《禁止酷刑和其它残忍、有损人格或非人道待遇或惩罚公约》，《公民政治权利国际公约》，以及《囚犯待遇基本原则》。 联合国《经济社会文化权利国际公约》委员会在2014年5月审议中国后得出的“结论性意见”里，对他们所获悉的剥夺在押维权人士和律师医疗健康权的情况表示关注，这种剥夺成了当局报复这些人士的一种手段；委员会要求中国保障这些人士“在任何情况下能得到充分的康复治疗”。
CHRD launched the Medical Watch List on June 26 to mark the UN’s International Day of Support of Victims of Torture. There are 11 cases of currently detained or imprisoned individuals who suffer from deteriorating health and have been deprived of adequate medical treatment and denied release on medical grounds. Some of them are experiencing the same pattern of abuse that led to the death of Cao Shunli—a lack of access to adequate medical treatment in custody, a gradual decline of health and development of new illnesses or injuries from torture, and rejection of requests for medical release. CHRD will be updating this list on a regular basis.
CHRD condemns the harsh punishments issued to Jiangxi activists Liu Ping (刘萍), Wei Zhongping (魏忠平), and Li Sihua (李思华) and demands their immediate release. The activists were sentenced by the Yushui County District Court in Xinyu City on June 19, over 14 months after they were first detained and more than six months after their trial. Liu, 49, and Wei, 51, received six-and-a-half-year sentences, having been convicted of “creating a disturbance,” “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place,” and “using an evil cult to undermine implementation of the law.” Li Sihua, 57, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for “creating a disturbance.”
Imprisoned Guizhou dissident Chen Xi (陈西) is suffering from an untreated and serious intestinal illness and has been denied medical parole since he began serving his current 10-year sentence. His wife fears his life may be in danger if authorities do not provide him adequate medical care. In addition, Jiangxi activists Liu Ping (刘萍), Wei Zhongping (魏忠平), and Li Sihua (李思华) have been sentenced to prison on trumped-up charges and after more than a year in detention. Also, more information continues to emerge about individuals deprived of their freedom due to suppression connected to the June Fourth anniversary.
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on June 13, 2014 BEIJING—Chinese police formally arrested a hard-charging rights lawyer on multiple criminal charges on Friday, making him the latest prominent target in a tightening clampdown on dissent. Pu Zhiqiang faces charges of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles,” as well as illegal gathering of personal information, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 13, 2014 A Beijing college student has written to China’s president calling for the release of her classmate currently under criminal detention for sending out a tweet linked to the 25th anniversary of the military crackdown on student-led protests in Tiananmen Square. Beijing International Studies University student […]
Originally published by CNN on June 13, 2014 Beijing (CNN) — Chinese authorities formally arrested prominent lawyer Pu Zhiqiang on Friday for “picking quarrels and creating a disturbance.” His other alleged crime was “illegally obtaining citizens’ personal information,” Beijing police said on their official microblog, adding that the investigation into Pu is still ongoing. Pu, 49, […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on June 12, 2014 Authorities in the Chinese capital have tried a member of the New Citizens’ Movement in secret on fraud charges, his lawyer said, in the latest action against the group campaigning for government transparency. Zhang Xiangzhong stood trial at Beijing’s Haidian District People’s Court on Wednesday […]
Originally published by SCMP on June 12, 2014 A human rights group has released a list of over 100 activists, journalists, lawyers, dissidents and other assorted individuals who are thought to have been detained by the government in the wake of the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. The frequently updated list, documented […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on June 9, 2014 Zhang Kun, a young Chinese activist profiled by The Wall Street Journal in a June 4thfront-page story, has been criminally detained on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” according to his lawyer. Chen Jiangang said Mr. Zhang was taken into custody more than […]
Originally published by The Huffington Post on June 10, 2014 It’s easy to think Chinese political art stops at Ai Weiwei, the embattled provocateur who is arguably the art world’s most famous living figure. In fact, a small circle of Chinese artists routinely court danger with their work, not to mention derision from mainstream stars […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on June 6, 2014 HONG KONG—Chinese authorities released a few of the dozens of activists and critics detained in the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the bloody 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square protests. But human-rights advocates say the continued detention of others suggests Beijing intends to continue […]
Originally published by The StarPhoenix on June 4, 2014 Relatives of Chinese citizens shot dead during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre have defied unprecedented Communist Party attempts to silence them and are demanding the truth about their loved ones’ deaths ahead of Wednesday’s 25th anniversary of the uprising. More than 150,000 people are expected to […]
Originally published by The Telegraph on June 3, 2014 By Tom Phillips in Hong Kong Relatives of Chinese citizens gunned down during the 1989 Tiananmen massacre have defied unprecedented Communist Party attempts to silence them to demand the truth about their loved-ones’ deaths ahead of today’s 25th anniversary of the crackdown. More than 150,000 people […]
Prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) has been formally arrested after more than a month in detention, charged on June 13 with “creating a disturbance” and “illegally obtaining personal information.” A notice issued by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said that “police are conducting further investigation of other criminal facts concerning Pu Zhiqiang,” indicating that more charges may be made against him. CHRD urges the Chinese government to release Pu Zhiqiang and others who have been detained for peacefully exercising their rights to free expression and assembly, including dozens in custody due to the crackdown around this year’s June Fourth anniversary.
Pu Zhiqiang is a prominent human rights lawyer and partner at the Huayi Law Firm in Beijing. Police seized Pu on May 4, 2014, after he had attended a private event the previous day commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. Pu was arrested just as the legal limit for holding him under criminal detention was set to expire. He told his lawyer during a visit that he was being interrogated for up to 10 hours a day and that his health was worsening, in part due to inadequate treatment for his diabetes.
![[CHRB] University Student Criminally Detained for June Fourth Tweet (6/6-12/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Zhao-Huaxu-赵华旭-a-university-student-has-been-criminally-detained-on-suspicion-of-after-sending-out-a-message-on-Twitter-about-June-Fourth.jpg)
Individuals continue to be detained after June 4. Prominent human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) was denied medical bail on June 9. University student Zhao Huaxu (赵华旭) was criminally detained after posting on twitter an article relating to June Fourth. On May 31, Yin Zheng’an (尹正安), a longtime labor activist from Hunan Province, was criminally detained and continues to be in detention. Meanwhile, more than 30 lawyers gathered in Zhengzhou demanding to meet lawyers Chang Boyang (常伯阳), Ji Laisong (姬来松), journalist Shi Yu (石玉) and other activists who were criminally detained in late May.
Originally published by EL DÍA on June 6, 2014 Tamara Gil, Pekín, EFE Tras la masacre de Tiananmen la noche del 3 al 4 de junio de 1989, vino la persecución: juicios sumarísimos y miles de encarcelamientos de estudiantes y trabajadores. Hoy, 25 años después, sólo queda una persona entre barrotes: Miao Deshun, el último prisionero de […]
Originally published by US News on June 6, 2014 The anniversary of the June 4, 1989, suppression of China’s democracy protests has passed. However, dissidents and activists detained in the weeks leading up to the anniversary are still in custody. According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, more than 40 have been criminally detained or arrested. In light […]
Originally published by The Jakarta Globe on June 3, 2014 Google services in China face blockages as the government tightens Internet controls ahead of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to Greatfire.org, a site that tracks Web access in the country. Google features including search, Gmail and Google Translate have been blocked in China since […]
Originally published by Bloomberg Buesinessweek on June 5, 2014 China’s internal security forces effectively kept any would-be protestors or vigil holders off Tiananmen Square yesterday, the 25th anniversary of the 1989 massacre. Meanwhile, paranoid police activity also spread far beyond Beijing. In what the Washington (D.C.) nonprofit Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) has labeled the “most” […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on June 3, 2014 A quarter-century after Chinese leaders sent the military to crush student protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, one activist’s short career shows how the events of 1989 inform the Chinese authorities’ iron-fisted approach to dissent. As Josh Chin reports: After Chinese police rounded up the leaders […]
Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on June 2, 2014 BEIJING—China’s leadership is leaving little to chance ahead of this week’s 25th anniversary of the bloody quashing of the Tiananmen Square protests, having embarked on a widespread clampdown on dissent that has targeted lawyers, rights activists and journalists, among others. Rights groups say […]
![[CHRB] Nearly 100 Detained, Restricted in Movement Around 25th Tiananmen Anniversary (5/30-6/5/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Activists-Luo-Qian-罗茜-Jia-Lingmin-贾灵敏-and-Wang-Aizhong-王爱忠-are-among-several-dozen-to-have-been-detained-in-the-crackdown-around-the-25th-anniversary-of-the-Tiananmen-Massacre.jpg)
CHRD to date has documented 43 criminal detentions and two arrests, beginning in April, in the most suppressive crackdown seen in China around June Fourth anniversaries. In total, CHRD has confirmed that 91 individuals have been detained, disappeared, questioned by police, or put under house arrest or forcibly taken “to travel” outside their cities of residence. These individuals include activists, dissidents, and scholars, many of whom were involved in the 1989 movement. The actual numbers are likely higher.
Miao Deshun (苗德顺), born in 1963, is believed to be the last person still imprisoned since being detained when the 1989 pro-democracy movement was suppressed in Beijing and other cities. Miao, a factory worker at the time, was seized on June 4 for allegedly throwing a basket on a burning tank near Wukong Bridge in Beijing. In October 1989, he was issued a death sentence, suspended for two years, on a charge of “arson.” His sentence was subsequently commuted twice, and he is due to be released in 2018.
Originally published by The Daily Beast on June 2, 2014 The Chinese regime steps up suppression every year before June 4, but this year is worse, suggesting officials are more nervous than usual. Twenty-five years ago, on the night of June 3-4, troops of China’s People’s Liberation Army crushed the democracy protests that had spread […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on May 30, 2014 Authorities in the Chinese capital have poured hundreds of thousands of security personnel into the Beijing municipality ahead of next week’s 25th anniversary of the June 4 military crackdown on the 1989 student movement, official media reported on Friday.Security posts have been set up at […]
Allegation Letter on behalf of Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian, Wang Cheng, and Zhang Junjie, citizens of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arbitrary Detention, Violation of the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, CHRD urges the Chinese government to end the impunity for gross human rights violations during the 1989 suppression of pro-democracy protests, to stop its suppression of survivors and outspoken critics, to guarantee the victims’ right to obtain redress and reparations, and to lift its information blockade and prohibition on public discussion.
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Authorities continue to detain citizens in the days before the quarter-century anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. To date, CHRD has tracked 50 individuals affected by the crackdown. In addition, police in separate cases have criminally detained writer Jiang Lijun (姜力均) and netizen Liu Wei (刘伟), each on a charge of “creating a disturbance.” In Beijing, blogger Zhang Jialong (张贾龙) has been fired from the Internet company Tencent after making critical comments about Chinese government censorship at a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in February 2014.
Originally published by SCMP on May 29, 2014 Two more civil rights activists on the mainland have been placed under criminal detention ahead of the 25th anniversary next week of the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. Yu Shiwen and his wife, Chen Wei , were detained for “gathering a crowd to disturb public order” after […]
Two months before the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, authorities in China began detaining, disappearing, questioning, and intimidating Chinese dissidents, human rights lawyers and activists, journalists, and others. Many of the targeted individuals took part in the pro-democracy demonstrations in the spring of 1989. CHRD has documented 152 individuals who have been affected. To date, 11 have been put on trial and all were convicted.
Originally published by RFA on May 21, 2014 Updated at 5:00 p.m. ET on 2014-05-22Authorities in the eastern city of Hangzhou have detained and questioned an outspoken writer, while a detained rights lawyer was assaulted by police amid a widening clampdown on dissent ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square military crackdown.Writer and […]
Originally published by RFA on May 22, 2014 Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on Thursday adjourned the trial of a woman who tried to stand as an independent election candidate amid growing fears for her health after extreme mistreatment in police custody, her lawyer and supporters said.More than 100 supporters arrived outside […]
Ren Ziyuan, born in 1979, was a language and literature teacher at the Zoucheng No. 10 Middle School in Jining, Shandong before he was detained and arrested by the Jining City Public Security Bureau in May 2005 for allegedly trying to form a political party. In 2006, the court claimed in its verdict that Ren had attempted to establish the “Mainland Democratic Front” in order to “overthrow the reactionary and decadent rule of the Chinese Communist Party.” The court used a handbook he wrote, called “Road to Democracy,” and communication with other like-minded individuals as evidence for scheming a government takeover.
Liu Benqi (刘本琦) was sentenced after posting his opinions about democracy online and contacting political dissidents. He was initially taken into custody on suspicion of “spreading rumors or slanders or using other means to incite subverting state power or overthrow the socialist system.” He was held for almost a year before he was tried and issued a sentence nearly six months later. An active netizen promoting peaceful means to achieve democracy, Liu posted a petition in February 2012 called “Declaration of Chinese Free Citizens Calling to End Dictatorship.” That July, he commented in an online forum that citizens should exercise their constitutional right to protest and suggested a demonstration in Beijing. Days before he was detained, national security officers from three different provinces reportedly summoned Liu for questioning and confiscated two laptop computers from his home.
Karma Tsewang, 38, also known as Khenpo Kartse, is a senior monk from the Gongya Monastery in Nangchen (CH: Nangqian) County in the Yulshul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. He is very well known among younger Tibetan Buddhists, particularly for his support for environmental protection and his work to promote Tibetan culture and language. He was seized by police officers in Chengdu, Sichuan Province and was taken to Chamdo (Changdu) County in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Originally published by RFA on May 6, 2014 Chinese authorities have detained a top rights lawyer and questioned dozens of activists and family members of victims of the 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square student-led pro-democracy movement after they held a seminar to mark the sensitive 25th anniversary. The move came after around 20 […]
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Wu Guijun (吴贵军), a labor organizer in Guangdong Province, has been detained for one year a charge of “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order,” and been tried four times without a verdict.Five individuals have been detained in Hubei Province for “inciting subversion of state power,” including Sheng Guan (圣观), an activist-turned-Buddhist priest who was jailed after taking part in the 1989 pro-democracy movement. Also, lawyers Liu Shihui (刘士辉) and Tang Jingling (唐荆陵) are facing threats and abuse under criminal detention. They are among a growing list of individuals who have been locked up prior to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.
By Renee Xia & Perry Link | The detention of activists by the Chinese government is well known, but there is relatively little discussion about medical treatment in detention facilities. This issue is crucial for understanding what happened to Cao Shunli, a legal rights activist who died in custody in March 2014.
Originally published by The New York Review of Books on May 15, 2014 Renee Xia and Perry Link Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese legal rights activist Cao Shunli (1961–2014) On May 3, fifteen Beijing citizens—scholars, journalists, and rights lawyers—gathered informally at the home of Professor Hao Jian of the Beijing Film Academy to reflect on the twentieth-fifth anniversary […]
More lawyers and activists have been detained or disappeared in the run-up the June Fourth anniversary. Prominent human rights lawyers Tang Jingling (唐荆陵) and Liu Shihui (刘士辉) have been criminally detained. In Guangzhou, activist Wang Qingying (王清营) has been criminally detained as well, while activist Yuan Xinting (袁新亭), who has been disappeared, is believed to have met the same fate as Wang. Lawyer Qu Zhenhong (屈振红), Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强)’s niece who has served on Pu’s defense team, has also been placed under criminal detention. In Shanghai, activist Chen Jianfang (陈建芳) has been out of contact since May 15.
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Two participants in a June Fourth commemorative seminar being detained in Beijing are not getting proper medical care, according to lawyers who visited them on May 8. Human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) is not receiving “ideal” treatment for his diabetes, while retired scholar Xu Youyu (徐友渔) has grown very gaunt, and police have not let him take diabetes medication that Xu himself brought into detention. In addition, Beijing-based journalist Wu Wei (吴微) has been detained, quite likely for her ties to Pu Zhiqiang. In Henan, five activists have been criminally detained for supporting fellow activist Li Weiguo (李维国), who filed a complaint over his detention and deprivation of assembly rights that occurred last year after he applied to hold a demonstration on June Fourth.
On May 3, fifteen Beijing citizens—scholars, journalists, and rights lawyers—gathered informally at the home of Professor Hao Jian of the Beijing Film Academy to reflect on the twentieth-fifth anniversary of the 1989 June Fourth massacre in Beijing. Two days later, five of the participants were arrested and charged with “creating a disturbance in a public place, causing serious disorder.” All five remain in detention.
Communique on Behalf of Ge Zhihui, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Religion or Belief, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders. Ge Zhihui (葛志慧), a petitioner, was a victim of a violent forced demolition of her home that left her disabled and reliant on crutches for movement. She has been detained and harassed many times for petitioning for compensation over the demolition and related injuries, as well as her broader activism, including participation in UN human rights mechanisms.
Communique on Behalf of Ding Jiaxi, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders. Ding Jiaxi, a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, most recently has taken part in the “New Citizens’ Movement,” a loose grouping of activists that since 2011 has been advocating social justice and political and legal reforms. (The movement has been spearheaded by the professor and legal advocate Xu Zhiyong (许志永), who himself was issued a four-year sentence in January 2014 in reprisal for his activism.) Ding began his activism in 2010 by pushing for the right of migrant workers’ children to take college entrance exams at the location of their urban residence rather than needing to return to their rural place of origin (as required under China’s “household registration” system).
Originally published by SCMP on May 6, 2014 At least four prominent participants at a low-key event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen pro-democracy movement have been placed under criminal detention, their lawyers and families said yesterday. One thing that is certain is that it was not an uprising; even the […]
Originally published by Reuters on May 7, 2014 (Reuters) – The United States urged China to release rights activist Pu Zhiqiang and other rights campaigners detained this week after attending a meeting that called for a probe into the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. “The United States is deeply concerned over reports that […]
Originally published by Reuters on May 6, 2014 BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Tuesday detained five rights activists, three lawyers and a rights group said, after they attended a weekend meeting that called for a probe into the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Among those held was Pu Zhiqiang, a prominent […]
Originally published by CNN on May 6, 2014 Editor’s note: Johan Nylander is a freelance journalist who has lived in Hong Kong since 2011. He reports mainly on the politics, business, and culture of China. (CNN) — Wu Yuanhong, a man suffering from schizophrenia in China’s southeastern Jiangxi Province, was forced by his mother to live in […]
Originally published by Wall Street Journal on May 6, 2014 By Josh CHINE BEIJING—Chinese authorities have detained a prominent rights lawyer on charges of creating a disturbance, according to lawyers and his family, in a sign of increased government scrutiny of activists ahead of the 25th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square demonstrations. […]
Originally published by SCMP on April 21, 2014 Keen to learn about the United Nations’ review of human rights in China, Cao Shunli planned to travel to Geneva last September. She never made her flight. Beijing police barred her from boarding her plane on September 14. Then the human rights activist disappeared. Her family had […]
Originally published by Bloombergon April 18, 2014 China sentenced four activists linked to a movement that sought to promote citizens’ rights to jail for disturbing the public order, a court in Beijing said. Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, the longest sentence of the group, a court in Beijing’s Haidian district […]
Originally published by The Guardian on April 18, 2014 A Chinese court sentenced four anti-corruption activists to prison on Friday, closing another chapter in a protracted crackdown on dissent. The four belonged to the New Citizens Movement, a loose-knit grassroots organisation known for holding small dinner parties to discuss political issues such as children’s education […]
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Five dissidents and activists have been criminally detained after taking part in a seminar commemorating June Fourth held on May 3 in Beijing, while a veteran journalist who supported the 1989 pro-democracy protests also has gone under criminal detention. In Hunan Province, police also gave five-day administrative detentions to three activists who went to Shaoyang City to pay tribute to the 1989 labor leader Li Wangyang (李旺阳). Li died under mysterious circumstances in a hospital while under police custody around the June Fourth anniversary in 2012. Police also questioned and forcibly sent back to Hong Kong six journalists from the region who had come to Shaoyang.
CHRD is alarmed by reports that Beijing police have summoned intellectuals and family members of Tiananmen victims after they organized or attended a seminar on May 3 about June Fourth. It is unusual that, with still one month to go before the anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, Chinese authorities have taken these actions against citizens who gathered to mark the tragic event, though such measures have been taken closer to the “sensitive” date in past years. “This is an act of intimidation, clearly intended to send a signal to anyone who might contemplate any public expression to remember the bloody crackdown from 25 years ago,” said a Chinese activist who wishes to remain anonymous.
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Police in Guangdong Province criminally detained labor activist Lin Dong (林东) on April 22 for allegedly posting information online about the strike at the Yuyuan shoe factory in Dongguan City that began on April 14. Chu Liang (初亮), a China Democracy Party member, was interrogated and tortured by police on April 17-18 in Hangzhou. He was forcibly taken to an interrogation room, handcuffed, and hung up on an iron pipe attached to a wall. Authorities have denied visitation by the family of Lin Yingqiang (林应强), a Fujian-based activist who was arrested 4 months ago. Lin went missing in November in Beijing, just prior to the Chinese Communist Party’s Third Plenum.
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What is the current situation of individuals, including participants in the New Citizens’ Movement, who were swept up by Chinese authorities last year in President Xi Jinping’s strident crackdown on civil society? Since March 2013, CHRD has documented the detentions of 70 people—including activists, lawyers, and other citizens—and monitored their situation and changing status. Of individuals whose cases CHRD has recorded, 44 have been arrested, including seven having been issued prison sentences. In addition, seven more have been put on trial. Several activists have been “released on bail awaiting trial,” and at least seven more current detainees have been indicted, but their trials have not yet taken place.
Cao Shunli (曹顺利) Selected as One of Three Final Nominees for the Martin Ennals Award 2014. This award is selected by the International Human Rights Community (See Jury Below) and given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and face great personal risk. The aim of the award is to highlight their work and protect them through increased visibility.
Cao Shunli (China): She died in detention on March 14th after being denied medical attention for known health conditions until it was too late. Cao Shunli was taken away by airport security on September 14th shortly before boarding a flight in order to participate in the Human Rights Council. Then, she disappeared. Chinese authorities only acknowledged her detention a month later, when she was arrested on charges of “creating a disturbance”.
Activist Cao Shunli’s death on March 14, 2014, showed the lengths that China’s leaders are willing to go to suppress civil society voices. Cao Shunli unwaveringly pursued the goal to make use of international human rights mechanisms to improve rights conditions in China. As she said: “In China, those involved in drafting the government’s reports [to the UN] are the government and agencies servile to the government, the scope [of participation] is very narrow, and there is no participation by genuine civil society forces…If there were only 50 or 100 words in that report that had objectively described our human rights conditions, many of our problems could start to get addressed.”
Four New Citizens’ Movement Activists Sentenced in Beijing The Haidian District People’s Court announced guilty verdicts on April 18 for lawyer Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) as well as activists Li Wei (李蔚), Zhao Changqing (赵常青), and Zhang Baocheng (张宝成) who were all tried last week in Beijing (see report). Ding was sentenced to three and a […]
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Guangdong lawyer Wang Quanping (王全平) was criminally detained on a charge of “creating a disturbance” by Beijing police. Wang had driven to Beijing all the way from Jiangmen City in Guangdong with his car painted with sarcastic messages mocking the government’s persecution of New Citizens’ Movement members. Shenzhen labor rights NGO staff Jian Hui (简辉) and volunteer Wang Shishu (王时树) were seized by local police on April 15 after attempting to investigate a strike by workers at a shoe-making factory in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. CHRD and a number of NGOs jointly submitted information to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights before its upcoming review of China in May 2014, highlighting areas of concern regarding non-discrimination, equal rights, social security, education, cultural rights, and others.
Appendix 5 to “CHRD & Coalition NGOs Report Submitted to CESCR”: The Situation of Freedom of Association in China (Summary in English, followed by excerpts in Chinese) From The Rights Defense Network Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, new features have become noticeable in the government’s […]
Appendix 4 to “CHRD & Coalition NGOs Report Submitted to CESCR”: Chinese Workers Need Independent Trade Unions (Summary in English, followed by full text in Chinese) From Civil & Political Rights Monitor Almost a decade has passed since the Committee recommended the Chinese government “amend the Trade Union Law to allow workers to form independent […]
Appendix 3 to “CHRD & Coalition NGOs Report Submitted to CESCR”: Violence in Forced Eviction & Violation of Rights to Adequate Housing (Summary in English, followed by full text in Chinese) From Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch Despite Chinese government claims that forced home evictions and violent demolitions are declining, authorities continue to illegally pressure […]
Appendix 2 to “CHRD & Coalition NGOs Report Submitted to CESCR”: End Discriminatory Household Registration System (Hukou) (Summary in English, followed by full text in Chinese) From Beijing Yirenping Center China’s system of national household registration (or hukou system), a central element of the government’s social management, inherently discriminates against rural residents. Compared to registered […]
Appendix 1 to “CHRD & Coalition NGOs Report Submitted to CESCR”: Discriminatory Population Policies Lead to Unequal Protection of Socio-Economic Rights (Summary in English, followed by full text in Chinese) From The Center for Equal Opportunity I. Population and family planning law restricts reproduction rights The Third Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party’s 18th Congress […]
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders & a Coalition of NGOs – Report Submitted to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for its Review at the 52nd Session of the Second Report by the People’s Republic of China on Its Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – April 2014
Originally published by New York Times (blog) on April 9, 2014 It’s no longer politically correct to use the word “Oriental” in the West. But nowhere has the word “despotism” fallen out of favor. Put the two together and you get the title of a book by the German-American historian and student of China Karl August […]
Originally published by The Guardian on April 8, 2014 Two activists from the Chinese civil society organisation New Citizens’ Movement appeared in court on Tuesday in what human rights groups have called a protracted crackdown on freedom of assembly and expression. Ding Jiaxi, 46, a Beijing-based lawyer, stood trial on Tuesday morning for “gathering […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on April 7, 2014 On April 6, after 15 days of detention by security forces in the north of China, three human rights lawyers were released, quickly telling the story of what happened to them while in custody: torture, beatings, and verbal abuse, for their attempt to secure […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 4, 2014 Rights lawyer Zhang Junjie was released last Thursday after being detained alongside fellow attorneys Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian and Wang Cheng on March 21. Zhang later said he had been severely beaten by a state security police officer named Yu Wenbo during detention. “Yu smacked […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 3, 2014 Thousands of protesters converged on government buildings in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong as protests against a planned petrochemical plant entered a fifth day on Thursday, residents said. Protesters gathered outside the offices of the Maoming municipal government as the authorities held a news […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on April 1, 2014 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou have suspended a “baby hatch” scheme after it was overwhelmed with infants left by poverty stricken parents looking to leave them anonymously in a safe place. China launched similar drop zones for unwanted infants in 25 cities […]
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Three human rights lawyers recently released from detention in Heilongjiang Province—Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Tang Jitian (唐吉田), and Wang Cheng (王成)—have confirmed reports of being torture in police custody, adding to the spate of violence against lawyers and activists in Jiansanjiang since late March. In addition, delayed trials for three activists involved in the “New Citizens’ Movement” opened again this week, with proceedings marred by irregularities and harassment of activists. In Tibet, three villagers, including two village leaders, were given sentences of 10 or more years in connection to resistance in restive Diru County over Chinese government policies.
Yuan Xiaohua was detained in Chibi City, Hubei with fellow activists Yuan Fengchu (袁奉初) and Huang Wenxun (黄文勋) in late May 2013 while on an “advocacy tour” that was intended to encourage civic activism and promote democracy and rule of law. Initially detained on “unlawful assembly,” Yuan’s charges were then changed to “inciting subversion of state power,” which was amended once more several months afterwards. He had been previously detained in April 2013 in Dongguan City in Guangdong Province for taking part in a rally calling for the release of other activists seized in the crackdown on peaceful assembly, association and expression.
Yuan Fengchu (aka Yuan Bing 袁兵) was detained in Chibi City in Hubei Province with fellow activists Yuan Xiaohua (袁小华) and Huang Wenxun (黄文勋) in late May 2013 while on an “advocacy tour” that was intended to encourage civic activism and promote democracy and rule of law. He was denied access to his lawyer until that October, five months after he was first taken into custody. Yuan reported mistreatment in the detention facility by a fellow inmate, but guards ignored this issue. Initially detained on charges of “unlawful assembly,” local authorities then arrested him on “inciting subversion of state power.” Several months later, his crime was changed again.
人权捍卫者 (CHRD)对近日发生在黑龙江的多名律师及他们的声援者遭到来自警察和暴徒的暴力侵害感到震惊。这是又一起维权律师因捍卫被代理人的权利而遭到报复性攻击的恶性事件。3月21日，黑龙江省建三江市的警察关押了四名代理遭到非法羁押的法轮功学员的律师：张俊杰、江天勇、唐吉田和王成。随后，警察又抓了赶来呼吁要求释放四名律师的其他律师和公民。前后共有至少23人被行政拘留。截至目前，仍有15位公民被关押。CHRD强烈要求中国政府调查这一系列事件件中所涉及的暴力侵害、任意羁押、和对这些律师和公民实施的恐吓威胁，并追究相关人员的刑事责任。
CHRD is alarmed at the recent violent attacks by police and thugs against dozens of lawyers and their supporters in Heilongjiang Province, in another episode of human rights lawyers being assaulted in retaliation for defending their clients. Since initially detaining four lawyers on March 21—Zhang Junjie (张俊杰), Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Tang Jitian (唐吉田), and Wang Cheng (王成), who represented Falun Gong practitioners held in a black jail—police in Jiansanjiang City have seized other lawyers and activists who went to demand the lawyers’ release; at the time of writing, authorities have issued a total of at least 23 administrative detentions tied to the events.
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More than two dozen individuals, including human rights lawyers, activists, and relatives of detained Falun Gong practitioners, now have been physically assaulted or given detentions in Heilongjiang Province in connection to a black jail investigation. Jiansanjiang City authorities have admitted to administratively detaining 11 people on March 22 on suspicion of “using cult activities to harm society.” More recently, 12 others have been detained on charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order” for trying to free those detainees. Elsewhere, Liu Hua (刘华), a former detainee at the Masanjia Women’s Re-education through Labor (RTL) camp, remains detained after being seized on March 12 for “creating a disturbance.”
Originally published by New York Times on March 28, 2014 Updated, 5:40 a.m.ET | A lawyer for Cao Shunli, a human rights activist who died in detention on March 14, said her family wants an independent autopsy by pathologists from outside China, saying they do not trust local pathologists or the police to make an accurate […]
Chinese authorities on Thursday released a top rights lawyer but continued to keep three others in a detention center after they tried to campaign for the release of an inmate from a “black jail” in northeastern China, activists said.
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Tibetan political prisoner Goshul Lobsang died on March 19 in Gansu Province following torture that he suffered in prison, about five months after being released on medical parole. Reportedly, Lobsang, 43, was brutally tortured while detained, including being shackled and beaten. Also, four human rights lawyers were seized on March 21 after going to Heilongjiang Province to investigate the case of an individual illegally held in a “legal education center,” a “black jail” used to lock up religious practitioners. Taken into custody in Jiamusi City, lawyers Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Tang Jitian (唐吉田), Wang Cheng (王成), and Zhang Junjie (张俊杰) were given administrative detentions.
In what one Western diplomat called a “very unusual”development, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva has postponed the adoption of China’s human rights report amid protests over the death in custody of a rights activist in Beijing and reports of delaying tactics by China.
CHRD has rebutted declarations made by a Chinese government delegation at the 25th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva during a debate on March 18 involving deceased activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利). CHRD maintains that the government chose to neglect key facts, namely: authorities did not send Cao to an emergency room until her life was already in danger; Cao was in good health when she went to board a flight to Geneva on September 14, 2013, the day she was detained; and it is difficult to verify treatment that Cao may have received at the hospital (or whether she could have made a full recovery) due to restrictions authorities have placed on her lawyer, family, and supporters.
Chinese human rights activist Cao Shunli died on Friday after falling critically ill in police detention where she was at first denied treatment, a rights group and prominent dissident said.
Police have detained the founder of a human rights website and at least four writers after the site reported on a self-immolation in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and a defacement of Mao’s portrait there.
我们沉痛哀悼一位无畏的人权捍卫者，曹顺利。她用自己的生命向中国政府对内暴力镇压人权和人权捍卫者、对外虚假承诺“保护人权”标榜“人权进步”发出她最后的一次挑战。曹顺利之死再次证明了中国政府对人权捍卫者的残酷打压、对争取民间参与联合国人权机制运作竭尽全力的报复
We are overwhelmed with grief over the death of Cao Shunli (曹顺利), a fellow human rights defender. Cao Shunli will be remembered by those in China and elsewhere for the sacrifices that she made in unflinchingly promoting human rights, especially her leading role in a campaign to demand the Chinese government allow genuine civil society participation when China underwent the Universal Periodic Review in 2009 and 2013. Cao Shunli passed away at the Beijing No. 309 Military Hospital on March 14, 2014.
Originally published by SCMP on March 13, 2014 Three citizen journalists have been placed under criminal detention for reporting on two incidents at Tiananmen Square last week – a woman who attempted to set herself on fire, and the defacing of the famous portrait of Mao Zedong – the founder of the human rights website […]
![[CHRB] (3/7-3/13/2014) Guangdong Activists Going to Trial, Jiangsu Police Assault Pregnant Petitioners](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2014-03-13-13.39.331.png)
The pre-trial meeting for Guangdong activists Huang Wenxun (黄文勋), Yuan Fengchu (袁奉初) (aka Yuan Bing, 袁兵) and Yuan Xiaohua (袁小华) will reportedly begin on March 13 at the Chibi City People’s Court in Hubei Province. In late May of 2013, the three men were seized in Chibi while taking part in an “advocacy tour” that encouraged citizen activism and spread democratic ideas, and they were later arrested on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” In other news, police in Jiangsu recently committed violent acts against two pregnant petitioners, putting the women’s unborn children at great risk and further exposing the problem of physical assault faced by female petitioners in China.
Communique on Behalf of Xu Zhiyong, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, of Independence of Judges & Lawyers, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
WORKING GROUP ON ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES – Information concerning the disappeared person Mi Chongbiao (糜崇标)
Communique on Behalf of Zhao Changqing, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March 7, 2014 A group of top Chinese lawyers has called for an end to the controversial system of business licenses, which must be reapplied for annually and which gives officials the power to strip lawyers of their right to practice. Lawyer Deng Xiaolin, who is part of […]
Originally published by Naharnet Newsdesk on March 5, 2014 A Chinese activist allegedly detained to stop her taking part in a U.N. review of the country’s rights record is seriously ill in custody, her lawyer and an advocacy group said Wednesday. Police detained Cao Shunli last September at Beijing’s international airport, her lawyer Wang Yu said, […]
Originally published by Tibetan Review. net on March 5, 2014 (TibetanReview.net, Mar05, 2014) – China’s fifth generation leadership which took government power under President Xi Jinping in March last year was responsible for the harshest suppression of civil society in over a decade, reported US-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Mar 3, quoting prominent […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on March3, 2014 The number of arrests and disappearances of government critics tripled in a “nightmarish” first year of Xi Jinping’s presidency, an overseas rights group said in an annual report on Monday. The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) documented more than 220 criminal detentions of human rights activists in […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on March 3, 2014 Last year was the worst for human rights since at least 2008, says an annual report from Chinese Human Rights Defenders. The signature “Chinese Dream” of the new leadership has instead become a “nightmare,” they say. “The Chinese government’s assault on activists last year indicates just how […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 27, 2014 Victims of China’s “reform through labor” camp-based punishment system are being harassed and mistreated by police as they try to seek compensation, even after the system was officially abolished at the end of last year, rights activists said on Thursday. On Feb. 19, police […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on January 24, 2014 Critically ill rights advocate Cao Shunli, who was prevented from attending a United Nations human rights review of China last fall, was taken to intensive care on Feb. 16 after being denied medical treatment for months while in detention. “Cao Shunli is unconscious and on a […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 21, 2014 A prominent China rights activist detained after she tried to take part in a United Nations review of China’s human rights record is in intensive care after being denied medical treatment for months, her lawyer and rights groups said on Thursday. Cao Shunli, who suffers […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on February 6, 2014 Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou are believed to be holding an elderly democracy activist who had complained to the UN about the human rights situation in China and his wife in an unknown location since the couple went incommunicado for the […]
![[CHRB] (2/28-3/6/2014) Activist Detained After Attending Human Rights Training; Cao Shunli Still in Critical Condition](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Activist-Liu-Shasha-刘莎莎-is-reportedly-being-held-in-Beijing-No.-1-Detention-Center.jpg)
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 friend. Police in Beijing have also criminally detained activist Ge Zhihui (葛志慧), seemingly in retaliation for her attending a human rights training program abroad earlier this year.
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 the worst year for human rights since at least 2008, which saw crackdowns on civil liberties around the Beijing Olympics and on the Charter 08 campaign for reform. Some even said that 2013 saw the most severe level of suppression of any period since the late 1990s, when many organizers of the Democracy Party of China were jailed.
CHRD has produced an image gallery showcasing major trends and figures in China’s human rights landscape for 2013. The gallery is being released in conjunction with CHRD’s annual report, A Nightmarish Year Under Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream”: 2013 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China.
Communique on Behalf of Liu Yuandong & Yang Maodong, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
![[CHRB] (2/14-27/2014) Police Beat Former Masanjia Labor Camp Detainees, Uyghur Scholar Arrested](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Former-detainees-of-the-Masanjia-Womens-RTL-camp-were-recently-beaten-while-petitioning-for-compensation-in-Liaoning-Province.jpg)
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 being assaulted by police, who also confiscated property belonging to the women. In addition, authorities in Xinjiang have arrested prominent Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti (伊力哈木土赫提) on charges of “splittism” after holding him incommunicado since mid-January. Several of Tohti’s students are still missing, and another has been criminally detained.
Zhang Baocheng was seized with three other Beijing-based activists, Ma Xinli (马新利), Yuan Dong (袁冬), and Hou Xin (侯欣), in March 2013 after holding a demonstration in Beijing’s Xidan shopping district where they unfurled a banner calling on officials to publically disclose their assets.
Beijing police seized Yuan Dong along with three fellow activists, Ma Xinli (马新利), Zhang Baocheng (张宝成) and Hou Xin (侯欣) in March 2013 after they held a demonstration in Beijing’s Xidan district calling on officials to disclose their wealth. The protest was part of an anti-corruption campaign that began in late 2012, spearheaded by the New Citizens’ Movement—a loose network of activists promoting social justice and legal reforms.
Li Wei, born 1971, was detained in April 2013 after taking part in demonstrations to protest the banning of Annie Zhang (张安妮), the daughter of Anhui dissident Zhang Lin (张林), from attending school. Prior to his current detention, he was actively involved in the New Citizens’ Movement, a loose network of activists and lawyers promoting social justice and legal reforms. He participated in an anti-corruption campaign that began in late 2012 and defended the right to education in Beijing.
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. Her younger brother apparently has been able to see her, but her lawyer, Wang Yu (王宇), has been denied access to her client and was not notified that Cao was hospitalized. Amid a heavy police presence at the hospital, several activists have been blocked from entering the hospital and questioned by police. Authorities have so far hindered family requests to have Cao transferred to a specialist hospital.
This joint submission is prepared by several collaborating Chinese human rights NGOs with the assistance of the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD). The contents are based on the participating NGOs’ and CHRD’s documentation and research, in consultation with other human rights activists, academics, and lawyers. The names of the participating NGOs are withheld due to concerns for possible retaliations by the Chinese government.
![[CHRB] (2/14-20/2014) Henan to Close Illegal “Discipline Centers”; Guangzhou Activist Arrested](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Zhang-Fengmei-张风梅-a-petitioner-from-Henan-was-being-held-in-an-illegal-discipline-center-days-before-authorities-announced-such-facilities-would-be-closed.1.jpg)
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 business” on February 10. He had been detained for allegedly planning to mark the anniversary of a protest for press freedom in front of the “Southern Weekly” building in Guangzhou, and for joining a hunger strike to commemorate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the June Fourth massacre.
![[CHRB] Activist Given 3 Years for Inciting Subversion, Tibetans Tortured to Death (2/7-13/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/The-family-of-dissident-Ren-Ziyuan-任自元-has-consistently-been-blocked-from-communicating-with-him-during-his-10-year-prison-sentence-issued-in-2006-for-subversion.jpg)
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, two detained monks have reportedly been beaten and tortured to death by police, and two other Tibetans have been given prison sentences of 10 and 11 years, respectively.
![[CHRB] Guizhou Activist Disappeared; Police Role Suspected in “Suicide” of Activist’s Father (1/31-2/6/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Guizhou-activist-Mi-Chongbiao-糜崇标-and-his-wife-Li-Kezhen-李克珍-have-been-forcibly-disappeared-since-September-20131.jpg)
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 a complaint that he had submitted to the UN about rights violations that his family has suffered. In addition, Xue Fushun (薛福顺), the father of activist Xue Mingkai (薛明凯), recently died after falling from the roof of a procuratorate building. Authorities in Shandong Province have declared the death a “suicide,” but family members strongly believe that he was killed by police.
A Chinese former policewoman has been detained for protesting outside the trial of activist Xu Zhiyong in Beijing last week.
Tian Lan, 55, and at least three others were seized by police in Tongzhou shortly after gathering outside the courthouse in support of the legal scholar, according to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders network (CHRD).
Authorities in the Chinese capital put on trial two more members of the anti-graft New Citizens’ Movement on Thursday, a day after the trial of its founder member Xu Zhiyong, who viewed the hearing as illegal and stayed silent in protest.
Veteran pro-democracy activist Zhao Changqing and another activist Hou Xin were tried separately in Beijing on charges of “gathering a crowd to disturb public order,” which carries a maximum five-year jail term.
(TibetanReview.net, Jan23, 2014) As China prepared to try legal scholar and accountable governance activist Mr Xu Zhiyong in Beijing on Jan 22 for allegedly “gathering a crowd to disturb order in a public place,” rights groups have called for his immediate freedom if China was serious about addressing the corruption issue. Xu, who has also called on China’s top officials to reveal their wealth, could be jailed for up to five years if convicted. Xu is also well known for his vocal and learned criticism of his government’s policies on the Tibet issue and a global coalition of Tibet campaigners has also joined the clamour for his release.
Xu, who has been in detention since Jul 2013, wrote an article in May 2012, titled China Needs a New Citizens’ Movement, which is credited with spurring a loose network of activists who aimed to promote government transparency and expose corruption. Noting this, London-based rights group Amnesty International Jan 21 called for the scholar-activist’s immediate release.
Prominent human rights scholar and activist Xu Zhiyong’s trial began and concluded on Wednesday, with both Xu and his lawyer remaining silent in protest of what they said were the illegal procedures taken by the court during the trial.
Both refused to talk during the trial proceedings to demonstrate their objection to the court’s refusal to allow any of Xu’s 68 witnesses to appear, lawyer Zhang Qingfang told Epoch Times. He said that other defendants arrested in the same case were also prevented from appearing during the trial.
BEIJING — Legal scholar Xu Zhiyong missed his daughter’s birth last week. The human rights advocate is unlikely to rejoin his family for next week’s Chinese new year, nor for the next five years.
Detained since July, Xu enters a Beijing courtroom Wednesday in the first of a rapid series of trials to punish numerous activists who tried to expose corruption and promote government transparency in China.
Communique on Behalf of Zhang Lin and Zhou Weilin, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Torture, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association, and Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading […]
![[CHRB] Show Trials of Anti-Corruption Activists Held, Suspended (1/17-1/30/14)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/201401180132china3.jpg)
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.
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.
Xu Zhiyong, the founder of China’s New Citizens’ Movement, went on trial today. His supporters vow to continue their push for greater transparency among Chinese officials.
The nephew of blind Chinese activist is suffering from appendicitis, but prison authorities refuse to allow his release on medical grounds, or allow surgery in the prison hospital, reported Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) in a briefing last week.
![[CHRB] Uighur Scholar Seized, Pre-trial Hearing Set for Legal Advocate Xu Zhiyong (1/10-1/16/14)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/A-pre-trial-hearing-has-been-set-in-the-case-of-Xu-Zhiyong-许志永-who-has-led-the-New-Citizens-公民-Movement.png)
Around 3pm on January 15, several dozens of police officers from Beijing and Xinjiang took away Ilham Tohti (伊力哈木土赫提), an outspoken Uighur professor at the Central National Minorities University, from his residence in Beijing and searched his apartment for more than 6 hours. Also, pre-trial proceedings are scheduled to take place at the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate Court on January 17 in the case of legal advocate and activist Xu Zhiyong (许志永), who has been charged with “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place” in the widespread crackdown on assembly and association.
Just days after China’s parliament voted to abolish the controversial “re-education through labor” system, Beijing police detained and tortured a former inmate who penned an open letter about abuses she had suffered under the system, a rights group said this week.
Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are holding five activists who began a hunger strike to mark the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square military crackdown this year, as well as a lawyer who enquired about them, according to rights groups and lawyers.
Ma Xinli, born in 1966, is a former bus driver who has petitioned to protect intellectual property rights for his inventions, and called for reforming China’s Patent Law. Detained previously for such activities, he was seized along with other activists in mid-March 2013, when they attempted to submit an open petition with over seven thousand signatures demanding anti-corruption measures. A day after he was taken into custody, police searched his home and confiscated his computer without a warrant. Though subsequently released, he and others continued to publicly call on officials to disclose their assets until police eventually detained them again in late March. Police initially held him on charges of “unlawful assembly,” but they later changed the crime to “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place.”
![[CHRB] Guangdong Activists Seized for Hunger Strike, Lawyer Also Detained (1/3-1/9/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/A-former-detainee-at-the-Masanjia-Womens-RTL-camp-Shi-Yunxiang-史云香，was-detained-and-tortured-after-trying-to-push-authorities-to-make-public-information-about-the-facility.jpg)
Police in Guangzhou detained five activists on January 4 for taking part in a hunger strike organized to mark 25 years since the Tiananmen Square massacre. The detainees are all involved in the so-called “Southern Street Movement,” a loose network of activists in Guangdong Province. Police also took into custody human rights lawyer Liu Shihui (刘士辉) when he tried to find out information about the activists. In other news, Chen Kegui (陈克贵), the imprisoned nephew of activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), is seriously ill, but authorities have denied his family’s application for medical release.
Originally published by Epoch Times on January 6, 2014 In response to enormous pressure from inside and outside China, the Communist Party last year made it official: it was going to abolish the system of re-education through labor camps that it has used to punish dissidents since the 1950s. But if it wanted that to be […]
Shanghai-based Li Huaping, born in 1966, was a successful businessman before becoming a pro-democracy activist and supporting the development of an active civil society. Li was detained in a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began in early 2013. He supported and participated in the New Citizens’ Movement (NCM), a loose network of activists who have peacefully promoted social justice and political and legal reforms. Li Huaping was arrested several months after he joined other activists in Anhui Province to protest against local authorities barring the daughter of dissident Zhang Lin from attending elementary school. Li also had reportedly initiated a “solidarity watch” project in June 2013 to gather support and financially assist individuals swept up in the crackdown. In addition to his advocacy efforts on the ground, Li was also active on social media, and often posted articles and appeals to the public. In promoting the NCM, he wrote, “once we reach several thousand people, the authority will be at a loss; once we reach several tens of thousands, our country will change.”
Police took Anhui-based activist Zhou Weilin from his home in September 2013 without any warrant. The authorities also confiscated several of his personal belongings, including a computer, cell phone, and materials concerning human rights. In spring 2013, Zhou was put under administrative detention for protesting against violations of children’s right to education. Zhou and several activists and lawyers, including Zhang Lin, staged rallies and hunger strikes in front of government buildings in support of Zhang’s 10-year-old daughter Anni’s right to return to school. Zhang Anni was blocked from attending a school in Hefei in February 2013 due to her father’s pro-democracy activism.
CHINA’S National People’s Congress has passed ground-breaking resolutions to abolish re-education-through-labour camps and to relax the one-child policy.
Tang Hui sobbed. She had fought for years for harsher punishment for those responsible for raping her daughter and forcing the 11-year-old into prostitution, but the authorities did not put the perpetrators behind bars longer. Instead, they locked her up in one of China’s re-education camps. They did not stop her, though. She continued to fight, this time against the camps and the police who put her there.
![[CHRB] Tibetan Received 6 Years over Self-immolation; Cao Shunli Denied Treatment in Detention (12/19/2013-1/2/2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Popular-Tibetan-monk-Karma-Tsewang-38-was-detained-on-December-6-2013-in-Sichuan-Province-before-being-taken-to-the-Tibet-Autonomous-Region.2.jpg)
A monk from Bora Monastery was sentenced in December 2013 to six years in prison for “intentional homicide” on charges related to the self-immolation of another monk in Bora. Gedun Gyatso, 47, had been held incommunicado for a year before the Sangchu (CH: Xiahe) County People’s Court in Gansu Province handed down the sentence, which is the latest instance of the Chinese government’s policy to criminalize self-immolations. In Beijing, activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利)’s case has been transferred to the Chaoyang District Procuratorate, as her health has rapidly deteriorated while in detention and as authorities have denied her access to medical treatment.
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits this reply to the Government’s response made to the communiqué submitted on behalf of Mr. Wang Hanfei (王寒非), a citizen of the People’s Republic of China. Wang is the former editor of the China Special Watch magazine, which is legally registered within the People’s Republic of China. He is serving a 42-month prison sentence after being convicted in April 2013 of “fraud” and “illegal business activity” for publishing articles that authorities allege were “politically sensitive.”
Originally published by Latin American Herald Tribune on December 20, 2013 BEIJING – The founder of a Chinese civil rights group known as the New Citizens’ Movement has been formally charged with disturbing public order and could face trial this month, rights activists said Saturday.The charges against Xu Zhiyong, whose group promotes upholding the Chinese constitution […]
![[CHRB] Violence Against Lawyers Representing Christians in Henan, Many Activists Indicted (12/12-12/18, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Zhang-Lin-张林s-daughter-Annie-安妮-protesting-outside-the-Bengbu-City-No.-1-Detention-Center-in-Hefei-Province-where-her-father-is-being-held.jpg)
Authorities have harassed and assaulted a group of lawyers in retaliation for taking on the cases of Zhang Shaojie (张少杰), a church pastor in Henan Province who has been detained, and 23 other detained church members. The lawyers have been consistently blocked from meeting their clients, who were taken into custody in mid-November. Also, around a dozen activists who have been detained in the crackdown on assembly and association have been recently indicted, and they may face trial before the end of the year. Another arrested activist, Zhang Lin (张林), was tried in a six-hour hearing on December 18, but the court has yet to issue a verdict.
Prominent Anhui-based activist Zhang Lin was arrested in a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began in early 2013. Authorities seized Zhang in apparent retaliation for protests in support of his 10-year-old daughter, Anni Zhang, who was blocked by authorities from attending school in Hefei City. On February 27, 2013, Anni was removed from Hefei Hupo Elementary School and detained before she and her father were put under house arrest. In April, Zhang Lin along with several activists and lawyers tried to help Anni return to her school by staging rallies and hunger strikes in front of government buildings, but with no success.
Yang Lin (aka Yang Mingyu 杨明玉) went missing in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province on June 12, 2013, and his fate was unknown until his family received a detention notice in August 2013, stating that he had been arrested on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” Shortly before he went missing, Yang had attempted to meet with the American ambassador to discuss human rights violations in China, but was intercepted by Beijing police.
Shanghai-based activist Wei Qin was seized along with activist Wang Kouma (王扣玛) in September 2012 on charges of “gathering a crowd to disturb order of a public place.” She was detained for nearly a year before being convicted of a different crime, for which she was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison. According to the verdict, Wei Qin was found guilty of participating in a memorial service in January 2012 for the mother of Wang Kouma, who had died mysteriously in a “black jail.”
Shanghai police initially detained Wang Kouma on charges of “gathering a crowd to disturb order of a public place” but then convicted him of “creating a disturbance.” He was held for nearly a year before receiving a hearing, and tried along with fellow activist Wei Qin (魏勤).
Three monks from Wonpo Monastery in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Choedar, Sonam Gonpo, and Sonam Choedar, were sentenced in September 2013 for unknown crimes after being held incommunicado for nearly a year. Since the Tibetan uprising in 2008, the Wonpo area has been under tight surveillance in addition to the Chinese government imposing patriotic policies such as demanding monasteries to fly the Chinese flag. Monks at the Wonpo Monastery have refused to comply, leading to scores of them being detained, including these three monks. In addition, local authorities have intensified the crackdown on Tibetans, as some have pulled the Chinese flag off of government buildings, schools, and monasteries in protest.
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Local authorities detained 73-year-old petitioner Xu Wanying (许万英) in a “black jail” in Hubei Province, after she was intercepted. During her detention, the head of the local women’s association group violently assaulted Xu. In a separate incident, Wang Defang (王德芳) and Shi Wenxuan (时文选) were badly beaten by two unidentified men in Jilin on their way to a meeting with officials. Meanwhile in Hebei, authorities told farmer and petitioner Bo Shuying (博淑英), who has attempted to file a case about her one-year detention in a RTL camp, that higher-level government instructed officials not to docket lawsuits seeking redress for RTL detention.
December 10, 2013, marked the 5th anniversary of Charter 08—a manifesto on human rights and democracy in China—and the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, that day of great inspiration was marred because the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), continued to languish in prison for promoting Charter 08 and its proposed political and rule-of-law reforms.
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Police seized rural activist Zhao Fengsheng (赵枫生) on November 28 in Hunan Province on charges of “subversion of state power.” In Jiangxi, the long-delayed and suspended trial of activists Liu Ping (刘萍), Wei Zhongping (魏忠平), and Li Sihua (李思华) resumed on December 3. On the next day, the scene outside the courthouse at times reportedly became chaotic, as a large number of plainclothes officers and thugs attacked lawyers and supporters. In addition, two more incidents of brutality against lawyers had occurred; one in Shangdong against Li Changqing (李长青) and the other in Beijing against Cheng Hai (程海).
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) respectfully submits the following reply to the Chinese government’s response to the communiqué on Mr. XING Shiku. Upon receiving the response from the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, CHRD contacted a group inside China that has been in touch with Mr. Xing’s wife. The group reached the wife and provided information to address the government’s claims.
Wang Gongquan, a prominent Beijing-based financier and philanthropist, was criminally detained and arrested during a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began in March 2013. More than 20 police officers searched Wang’s home before taking him away. They also confiscated his computer and “New Citizen Movement” (NCM) badges. The movement is a loose association of activists advocating for democratic and rule-of-law reforms, constitutionalism, human rights, and social justice. Born in 1961, Wang has had an active interest in the development of China’s civil society. He was a legal researcher for the “Open Constitution Initiative” (Gongmeng, 公盟), a non-governmental organization working on various pro-democracy issues.
Guo Feixiong (also known as Yang Maodong, 杨茂东) is a prominent human rights lawyer from Guangzhou. He was criminally detained in August 2013 and formally arrested a month later in a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began the previous March. Guo was not allowed access to a lawyer until mid-November, and the lawyer reported that the activist had staged a hunger strike for over 20 days to protest the criminal charge against him. Police in Guangzhou accused Guo of organizing rallies in front of the Southern Weekly headquarters in January 2013, and organizing a campaign calling on the government to ratify the ICCPR.
Gu Yimin, a Jiangsu-based activist, was seized at his workplace on June 1, 2013, days before the June Fourth anniversary, which he had hoped to commemorate with a public gathering. His detention came shortly after he refused to withdraw his application for the event and also posted photos online of the 1989 massacre.
China’s Communist party leadership concluded an important agenda-setting meeting in Beijing on November 12. At this point much remains unclear about the decisions made at the Third Plenum of the 18th Communist Party Central Committee conclave, including changes to the One China policy, market reforms, and the abolition of the practice of Reeducation Through Labor. Independent media have no access to the proceedings, and even analysts able to read official party documents weren’t completely sure of what they meant. “Native Chinese language speakers like us with years of intensive training in Chinese . . . found it very difficult” to say whether the party’s statement on market reforms represented a meaningful change, a top Chinese executive of Bank of America Merrill Lynch wrote in an internal note, Business Insider reported.
China’s planned easing of its controversial one-child policy will allow several million couples, especially in urban areas, to have a second child.
China celebrates its membership of the UN Human Rights Council. Elsewhere, reactions are mixed.
![[CHRB] New Allegations of Torture, Lawyer for a Political Prisoner Threatened with Disbarment (11/21-11/27, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Shanghai-police-shackled-and-hung-Yin-Huimin-尹慧敏-from-an-iron-railing-for-48-hours-during-a-9-day-detention.jpg)
Petitioner Yin Huimin (尹慧敏) was released on November 23, after being administratively detained for nine days and tortured by Shanghai police. Yin recounted torture and mistreatment during her detention, including being shackled and hung from an iron railing for 48 hours. During this period, the 49-year-old Yin was deprived of food and prohibited to use the toilet. In Guangzhou, human rights lawyer Liu Zhengqing (刘正清), who is representing imprisoned democracy activist Wang Bingzhang (王炳章), received a warning on November 21 from Guangzhou judicial authorities that his license may be revoked if he continues to represent Wang.
![[CHRB] Lawyers Warn Against Other Forms of Arbitrary Detention to Replace RTL (11/14-11/20, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/People-in-Shanghai-demanded-National-Peoples-Congress-to-abolish-the-draconian-Re-education-Through-Labor-system.jpg)
The Chinese Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights issued a statement highlighting six major recommendations for the effective abolition of Re-education Through Labor (RTL) system, after the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced its decision to abolish it at the end of its Third Plenum on November 15, 2013. While the lawyers support the reform, they also have vowed to maintain “a high degree of vigilance and concern” over the CCP’s proposal that it would “perfect the laws for punishment and correction of illegal and criminal behavior” to be carried out by “local community correction” centers.
Originally published by New York Times on November 14, 2013 China has won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for three years starting in January 2014, one of 14 countries chosen to join the 47-member council on Tuesday, the United Nations said. It was selected in a “single, secret ballot” by 176 of 193 […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 14, 2013 Six months after a new health law took effect, Chinese psychiatric institutions are continuing to commit petitioners and rights activists to hospitals for “mental illness,” a rights group said on Thursday. While some psychiatrists are refusing to admit “patients” who have no symptoms of mental […]
Originally published by AsiaNews on November 14, 2013 The authorities continue to lock up and feed drugs to those who struggle for citizens’ rights, a practice that violates China’s own laws. Under the latter in fact, only certified psychiatrists (not government officials) can have someone committed. One of the cases involves a 71-year-old activist held […]
Originally published by Shanghaiist on November 11, 2013 China is ‘almost certain’ to be elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, when the UN General Assembly will elect 17 new member states to the 47-member council, and human rights activists at this moment are adamantly protesting to keep the country excluded from […]
Originally published by Agencia EFE on November 8, 2013 Pekín, 8 nov (EFE).- Las autoridades chinas han arrestado a decenas de ciudadanos que pretendían presentar sus denuncias al Gobierno central en Pekín, en vísperas de la importante reunión del Partido Comunista Chino (PCCh) que comienza mañana en la capital. Según confirmaron a Efe diversos ciudadanos […]
Originally published by Agence France-Presse on November 8, 2013 The official mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party on Friday firmly rejected Western-style political reforms as reports emerged of tightened security a day before a major party meeting. The party “must uphold its leadership… in the face of some people in society who advocate imitation of the […]
![[CHRB] Six Months after Mental Health Law Took Effect, Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment Continues (11/8-13, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Shanghai-based-71-year-old-activist-Fan-Miaozhen-范妙珍-was-committed-to-psychiatric-facilities-three-times-against-her-will.-.jpg)
China’s first Mental Health Law took effect on May 1, 2013 with the aim to regulate the mental health industry. One of the most significant provisions in the law is that psychiatric commitment must be voluntary, thus only a certified psychiatrist would have the authority to commit a person suffering from mental illness. However, in spite of some loopholes for involuntary commitment, the main legal provisions have not been fully took effect since this law has been in effect. This special issue of CHRB looks at the continued use by Chinese authorities of involuntary psychiatric commitment as a retaliatory measure for petitioners and activists, highlighting selected cases of abuse.
Liu Ping, a prominent Jiangxi-based activist, was detained in April 2013 as part of a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began in March of that year. Liu was initially arrested for “inciting subversion of state power,” but local authorities later charged her with three other crimes. During her prolonged pre-trial detention, Liu was reportedly physically assaulted and subjected to other forms of mistreatment.
Wei Zhongping, born in 1963, is a petitioner-turned-activist from Jiangxi Province. He was detained in April 2013 after calling for the release of other activists arrested in a nationwide crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression that began the previous month. Xinyu City authorities initially arrested Wei for “inciting subversion of state power,” but then changed the criminal charges. Wei has been held in pre-trial detention longer than the three-month limit under Chinese Law as local authorities repeatedly delayed his trial.
Li Sihua, a rights activist from Jiangxi Province, was initially detained in April 2013 on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” He was formally arrested on charges of “unlawful assembly” in June and was reportedly beaten while in custody. Li was tried alongside Liu Ping (刘萍) and Wei Zhongping (魏忠平). On October 28, after repeated delays, the trial was postponed with Li being forced to dissolve his lawyers’ representation to defend him because the court prevented a fair hearing.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 7, 2013 The brother of New York-based Chinese blind dissident Chen Guangcheng arrived in the city on Thursday to visit the activist, saying he hoped to see for himself whether government propaganda handed down to Chinese schoolchildren about the U.S. is true. Chen’s mother Wang Jinxiang and brother […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on November 7, 2013 A loose community of activists inside China has repeated the demands made by those outside: That the People’s Republic of China is in no way suited to be part of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations. The sentiment seems counterintuitive for a people that are […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on November 4, 2013 Anti-graft activist Sun Desheng, arrested in Guangzhou in August, has twice been denied visitation by his lawyer, according to a recent interview. Sun Desheng was formally charged with “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place” on Oct. 16, after being held in detention since Aug. […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on November 1, 2013 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou have formally arrested an anti-graft activist who demonstrated on the street in support of detained movement founder Xu Zhiyong, his lawyer said on Friday. Sun Desheng was detained after he held up a placard with the words […]
![[CHRB] Arrest and Detentions in Xinjiang, Another “Black Jail” Uncovered in Beijing (11/1-7, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Zhao-Haitong-赵海通-right-with-fellow-activist-Huang-Wenxun-黄文勋-protesting-against-Internet-censorship-in-early-2013.1.png)
After having disappeared for twelve weeks, activist Zhao Haitong (赵海通) of Xinjiang has resurfaced, with his family learning that he was formally arrested on September 12 on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” Currently held at Urumqi City Liudaowan Detention Center, Zhao went missing in mid-August in the process of helping local Uyghurs to lodge their grievances. In Beijing, a previously unknown “black jail” came to light recently. A hotel in the name of Jiruigong Hotel (吉瑞公宾馆), run by Jilin Provincial Public Security. Local officials use state-allocated “stability maintenance fees” to pay for abducting and detaining the petitioners.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders is concerned that the government of China, which is seeking a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for a third time, has clearly failed to comply with the standards established by the UN General Assembly. CHRD urges UN Member States to take into account, before casting their votes to elect members of the HRC on November 12, “the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights,” their record in upholding “the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights,” and demonstrations that candidates have “fully cooperated with the Council,” as required by UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251.
CHRD is deeply concerned about the safety of Shanghai-based activist Chen Jianfang (陈建芳) and the imminent danger of torture she faces. Chen has been missing for more than 24 hours as of November 5, 2013. Chen was last in touch with friends on November 4 when she was on her way to her mother’s home, where dozens of police officers conducted a search. On September 14, authorities intercepted Chen and briefly detained her, thus blocking her from traveling to Geneva to participate in a training session on UN human rights mechanism and attend the 24th Session of the Human Rights Council. Since then, Shanghai police have interrogated Chen and closely monitored her.
Originally published by ABC.es on October 22, 2013 Paradojas de la diplomacia, China aspira a un puesto en el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de Naciones Unidas mientras sigue persiguiendo a los disidentes que critican al autoritario régimen del Partido Comunista. Dicho Consejo, encargado de «proteger los derechos humanos en los rincones más oscuros del mundo» […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on October 25, 2013 A state approved Chinese political theory journal rejects Western political ideas that are taking hold in China, saying they would “confuse the people’s minds”. A recent article in the journal Qiushi Theory was critical of Western ideological trends that would “confuse the people’s minds” and “crumble the […]
![[CHRB] Arrest of Cao Shunli Confirmed; Mysterious Death of Petitioner in Custody and More (10/24-31, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_20131101_1305161.jpg)
Detained activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利) is suffering from deteriorating health due to lack of medical attention, according to her lawyer. The 52-year-old Beijing-based activist looks very thin and needs urgent treatment for a severe liver disease. The lawyer submitted a bail request on October 31 for Cao to be released on medical grounds, but to no avail. In Shanghai, Shen Yong (沈勇), who had been fighting forced eviction, died in police custody one hour after being taken away from his temporary shelter on October 24. Family members saw bruises all over his body when they rushed to the hospital where he was found deceased.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders MODEL QUESTIONNAIRE TO BE COMPLETED BY PERSONS ALLEGING ARBITRARY […]
A Chinese court had to suspend the trial of activists Liu Ping (刘萍), Wei Zhongping (魏忠平), and Li Sihua (李思华) on October 28 in Jiangxi Province after defendants and lawyers protested myriad violations of legal rights. A lawyer told CHRD that the prosecutors and the court were pushed back in their attempt to rush the trial to a conclusion and convict the activists. The defendants’ lawyers demanded that the three be freed or, if the trial was to resume, released into residential surveillance or granted bail awaiting trial. The lawyers cited the prolonged pre-trial detention, which has gone beyond the 3-month limit allowed by Chinese law.
Originally published by SCMP on October 25, 2013 Politics Wall Street Journal Beijing’s new housing program will supply 20,000 “self-use” homes meant for the owner to live in, rather than to hold as an investment by the end of the year, another 50,000 next year. China Human Rights Defenders List of the more than 60 individuals who have […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on October 23, 2013 Lü Gengsong, a Chinese writer and advocate for political reform and democracy in China, was taken away by six security officers who forced their way into his home and ransacked it on the afternoon of Oct. 23, without providing any explanation to his family. Agents from […]
Originally published by London South East on October 22, 2013 GENEVA (Alliance News) – China vowed to significantly increase its funding of UN human rights work, but did not budge on domestic civil rights issues at a UN review of its human rights situation on Tuesday in Geneva. At the review session of the UN […]
Originally published by NBC News on October 21, 2013 By Eric Baculinao, NBC News Producer BEIJING – In a crackdown on dissent ahead of a crucial Communist Party gathering next month, Chinese authorities on Sunday formally arrested a billionaire venture capitalist who has turned his wealth toward supporting human rights issues. The detention of Wang Gongquan, who was […]
![[CHRB] Cao Shunli’s Detention Confirmed, Crackdown Expands as China Touts “Achievements” at UN Review (10/17-23, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Capture1.jpg)
On the eve of the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on China, two more activists were arrested in the crackdown on civil society, bringing the number of known arrests to 34 as authorities have suppressed peaceful assembly, association, and expression since March. Authorities also confirmed the criminal detention of activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利), who for years has sought civil society participation in UPR preparations for China, and who was seized in mid-September. Amid this current atmosphere of suppression, the government claimed at the second UPR on China that NGOs were allowed to participate in UPR, and that detained human rights activists in China were “criminal suspects.”
Xu Zhiyong (许志永), a prominent Beijing professor and rights activist, had his home searched and personal properties confiscated by police before he was taken away in July 2013. Before that, Beijing police had subjected Xu to unlawful house arrest for over four months. One of his lawyers has consistently been denied access to visit Xu and was reportedly beaten.
Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜), a Beijing-based rights lawyer, was taken into custody in April 2013 after police raided his home, office, and car. Ding was involved in an anti-corruption campaign that started that spring with calls for the disclosure of top Chinese officials’ financial assets. Police had been closely monitoring his role in the “New Citizens Movement,” a loose network of activists spearheaded by the professor and legal advocate Xu Zhiyong (许志永) that has promoted social justice and political and legal reforms.
Activist Zhao Changqing (赵常青), originally from Shaanxi Province, has been incarcerated and put under soft detention many times for his longtime political activism. His current detention is part of a nationwide crackdown on civil society that started in late March 2013. Born in 1969, Zhao has been active in pro-democracy and human rights campaigns since he was a student leader in the 1989 Tiananmen protests, a role for which he was imprisoned.
The parents of seven schoolgirls sexually abused by a teacher in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi have succeeded in getting their case heard again by a local court, following a petitioning trip to Beijing last month.
![[CHRB] Detained Activists Face Worsening Health & Mistreatment, Denied Access to Lawyers, and More (10/10-10/16, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/201310111802yuanqing1.jpg)
Detained Hubei activist Liu Jiacai (刘家财) appears to be dealing with worsening health, according to his lawyer. Liu’s wife said that her husband has a heart problem, and she has not been able to visit him. In Chibi City, activist Yuan Fengchu (袁奉初, aka Yuan Bing, 袁兵) was allowed to meet with his lawyer for the first time on October 8, almost five months after he was seized. Yuan told his lawyer that a fellow cellmate had beaten him, but that a prison guard had ignored this complaint. The lawyer of Shenzhen-based activist Yang Mingyu (杨明玉, aka Yang Lin, 杨林) was recently denied a visit with his client.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 15, 2013) – In the run-up to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on China at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on October 22, 2013, CHRD suggests governments of UN member states participating in the review make robust, specific, and relevant recommendations to China.
CHRD has compiled a list of 39 suggested recommendations, including an assessment of actions, if any, that have been taken by the Chinese government to implement the 2009 recommendations (column five of the list) and an assessment of the current conditions of the relevant areas of those rights (column six). The list is drawn up […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 10, 2013 Authorities in the Chinese capital have formally arrested a whistleblowing journalist amid a wave of detentions linked to online “rumors” and nationwide calls for greater transparency. Liu Hu, a reporter with Guangzhou’s Modern Express newspaper who had exposed official corruption in his hometown of Chongqing, was formally arrested earlier […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 9, 2013 The relatives of a high-school student from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong who died last month after being forced to work 12-hour shifts at an electronic appliance factory on a work experience program has hit out at local authorities for “passing the buck” over the teenager’s […]
Originally published by Epoch Times on October 6, 2013 Ni Yulan, a well-known property rights activist who was tortured and beaten so badly by police that she now gets around in a wheelchair, has been released after two years in prison. After being greeted by family, friends, and journalists from abroad on Oct. 5, she vowed to […]
Originally published by Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders (blog) on October 4, 2013 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are continuing to hold human rights lawyer Yang Maodong, better known as Guo Feixiong, without criminal activists said on 3 October. He was criminally detained on 8 August on charges of “incitement to disturb public order,” after being involved in […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on October 3, 2013 Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are continuing to hold a top human rights lawyer with no announcement of criminal charges against him, in spite of a vocal campaign for his release, activists said Thursday. Yang Maodong, better known as Guo Feixiong, was criminally detained […]
Originally published by Charter97 on September 30, 2013 Imprisoned human rights defender Ales Byalyatski has been awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. “In his daily struggle against violations of human rights, injustice, arbitrariness and authoritarianism, Ales Bialiatski [Byalyatski] has worked ceaselessly so that the citizens of Belarus may one day aspire to our European standards,” Jean-Claude Mignon, […]
The Chinese government has made little improvement in the critical areas of concern identified by CHRD for the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2009, namely: torture and other mistreatment, arbitrary detention, freedom of expression, and harassment of human rights defenders.
Liu Yuandong (刘远东), a longstanding supporter of democracy activists, was seized at Guangzhou’s People’s Park while participating in a protest against North Korea’s third nuclear test conducted in February 2013. He was first held for 15 days under administrative detention on a charge of “unlawful assembly and demonstration” before being criminally detained in April 2013 on suspicion of “withdrawing contributed capital after incorporation of a company.” Liu has been subjected to mistreatment such as sleep deprivation while in police custody. Born in 1978, Liu Yuandong is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist who owns a biotechnology company. Just before his current detention, he participated in a solidarity protest outside Southern Weekly’s headquarters in Guangzhou on January 9, and was briefly detained.
![[CHRB] Detained Activists Denied Access to Lawyers or Bail Request, Latest Detention (10/3-10/9, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/hu.png)
Police have not permitted Guangzhou-based activist Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄, aka Yang Maodong, 杨茂东) to meet his lawyers since he was criminally detained two months ago. In Anhui Province, activist Zhou Weilin (周维林) was denied his release on bail. In Beijing, police seized Hu Daliao (胡大料), a petitioner-turned-activist from Henan Province, when she tried to attend the trial of a celebrity’s son on September 26. Hu has petitioned over land rights, joined the recent anti-corruption drive, and also took part in the protest outside of the MFA, where activists demanded a civil society role in the upcoming UPR on China.
Two weeks before China undergoes a UN human rights review known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Beijing police once again suppressed demonstrations demanding civil society’s role in national preparations for UPR. On October 3 and 4, police forcibly removed more than a dozen activists who had returned to demonstrate outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Beijing. This was the fourth instance, and perhaps the last, where police cleared this location in order to obstruct the sit-in since it began in mid-June. During interrogations, police told the activists that officials from “high level” have ordered them to detain each and every demonstrator at the site of the protest.
![[CHRB] Missing Activist Cao Shunli Reportedly Detained on Order of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (9/26-10/2, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cao.jpg)
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reportedly ordered national security officers to prevent activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利) from leaving China to attend a training in Geneva on UN human rights mechanisms and then criminally detain her. Last November, the MFA had refused Cao and others’ request for disclosure related to Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of China’s human rights record, asserting that UPR materials and process involve “state secrets.” In addition, activist Gu Yimin (顾义民) of Jiangsu Province is the first activist detained in the ongoing crackdown against civil society known to have gone to trial, while Yin Weihe (尹卫和) of Hunan became the latest individual detained for “online rumors.”
“Above the Ghosts’ Heads: The Women of Masanjia Labor Camp” is directed by Du Bin, a contract photographer for the New York Times. In this film, Liu Hua, a female petitioner and survivor of Masanjia Women’s Labor Camp, describes the torture she and other women suffered there. Read Introduction to the film: http://zengjinyan.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/short-introduction-of-juvenile-laborers-confined-in-dabao-and-above-ghosts-heads/
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 26, 2013 China’s hidden household income—otherwise known as its “gray economy”—has topped 6.2 trillion yuan (U.S.$1 trillion) or about 12 percent of the world’s most populous nation’s economic output, a new report says, indicating a widening wealth gap fueled by corruption. The state-backed China Reform Foundation report, which provided the […]
Originally published byRadio Free Asia on September 25, 2013 The parents of seven schoolgirls abused by a teacher in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi have called for a meeting with the Ministry of Education to discuss compensation. Speaking on a trip to petition the ministry in Beijing, one of the parents said the families were pursuing […]
Originally published by Human Rights Watch on September 24, 2013 (New York) – The Chinese government should immediately release Cao Shunli, a Beijing-based activist who has been forcibly disappeared since September 14, 2013, Human Rights Watch said today. She has not been heard from since she was questioned and barred from boarding a flight to Geneva to attend a training session […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asias on September 19, 2013 Chinese authorities have formally arrested or sentenced a number of anti-graft and human rights activists on the eve of the traditional mid-autumn moon festival, rights groups said on Thursday. Authorities in the central province of Hubei formally arrested Liu Jiacai, an activist in the nascent New Citizens’ […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asias on September 18, 2013 Chinese authorities have detained two prominent rights activists who were en route to Geneva ahead of a U.N. review of Beijing’s rights record, and are questioning two more on suspicion of subversion after they campaigned against China’s application to join a U.N. human rights agency, overseas groups […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asias on September 10, 2013 Amid a nationwide crackdown on “false” online information, authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong have cut off the Internet service of the brother of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng after he traveled to Shanghai to meet with other activists. Chen Guangfu lost his Internet connection […]
Originally published by Businessweek on September 12, 2013 Chinese officials probably don’t care much about irony. The latest example came today in Beijing. At the same time China’s Internet censors are intensifying a crackdown on bloggers and other online activity, delegates convened in the capital for a two-day forum on human rights. The official Xinhua news agency reported the […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asias on September 3, 2013 China has failed to uphold the rights of the country’s children, with many left vulnerable to sexual abuse, child labor, and harm through shoddy goods and medicines and poor safety standards, an overseas-based rights group said on Tuesday. “China’s abysmal record in protecting children continues to raise […]
Originally published by FOX NEWS on August 17, 2013 BEIJING – A Chinese human rights group and a friend say authorities have detained Guo Feixiong, a leader of the country’s loose New Citizens campaign to promote democratic rights. Journalist Xiao Shu said Saturday that a sister of Guo, whose real name is Yang Maodong, was notified by the Tianhe […]
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 29, 2013 Authorities in Shanghai have suspended a prominent legal scholar and rights lawyer from his teaching post after he wrote an article promoting constitutional reforms in June, amid what rights groups say is a continuing crackdown on political activists and anti-graft campaigners. Zhang Xuezhong, law lecturer at Shanghai’s East […]
![[CHRB] Police Detain Online Whistleblowers as Judicial Interpretation Takes Effect (9/20-25, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/截图00.jpg)
Two individuals, including a high school student, Yang Hui (杨辉), were recently detained for using social media to question police handling of a man’s death. The detentions are the first known applied instances of a judicial interpretation on “spreading rumors” and “defamation” online that took effect on September 10. Also, another activist associated with the New Citizens’ Movement, Lin Zheng (林峥), has been detained in the crackdown against assembly and association, while Beijing-based activist Cao Shunli (曹顺利) remains missing since she was abducted at an airport in the capital on September 14, when she was to take a flight to Geneva to attend a human rights training.
The Chinese government must halt the imminent execution of Mr. Xia Junfeng (夏俊峰), a street vendor who was convicted of “intentional homicide” and sentenced to death for killing two city management officers in 2009. Information received by CHRD indicates that China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) is likely to announce on the morning of September 25 whether to approve Xia’s death sentence. Once the SPC approves the sentence, Chinese law allows for Xia’s execution to be carried out immediately or within seven days of the court’s decision.
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Allegation Letter on behalf of CHEN Jianfang, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging […]
Allegation Letter on behalf of CAO Shunli, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Reprisal Against a Human Rights Defender & Violation of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Freedom of Expression
![[CHRB] Two Activists Sentenced After One Year in Detention (9/12-19, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Capture4.jpg)
A court in Shanghai has sentenced activists Wang Kouma (王扣玛) and Wei Qin (魏勤) to prison on charges of “creating a disturbance” in apparent retaliation for their rights activities and petitioning. Police put many activists under surveillance at home to prevent them from attending the sentencing, and also blocked foreign journalists from entering the courtroom. In addition, authorities recently stopped two activists from boarding flights for a UN human rights training in Geneva, and one of them has since been disappeared. These actions are further indication the Chinese government is on high alert as the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on China approaches.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Allegation Letter on behalf of WANG Hanfei, citizen of […]
Authorities in China have stopped two activists from boarding their flights for a training on UN human rights mechanisms in Geneva, and one of them has since been disappeared after being taken away by security agents. These actions are further indication that the Chinese government seems to be on high alert as the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on China on October 22 rapidly approaches. International Service for Human Rights, a Geneva-based NGO, had invited the two to the training.
![[CHRB] Judicial Authorities Lend Support to Government Crackdown on Online Expression (9/6-11, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Liu_Jia-3.jpg)
On September 9, China’s highest judicial authorities issued an interpretation of the criminal code, specifying conditions under which “spreading rumors” and “defamation” online would be subjected to criminal punishment. Outlining criteria that appears arbitrary and open to abuse, the authorities stated that any “rumor-spreading” or “defaming” online post, if it has been clicked or viewed at least 5,000 times, or re-posted at least 500 times, would be considered a “serious offense.”Also, CHRD has sent allegations of rights abuses to the United Nations on behalf of three activists detained in the ongoing crackdown against peaceful assembly and association.
Produced by CHRD, this gallery of images, cases, and statistics is being released alongside CHRD’s newest report—“‘Flowers of the Country’: Mistreated and Abused,” which analyzes the record of the Chinese government in protecting the rights of children in the country. The gallery presents information on how authorities have handled selected incidents of rights violations and abuses committed against children, and includes sobering data about problems affecting children, including in the areas of education, labor, and health.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Allegation Letter on behalf of YANG Mingyu (aka YANG Lin), citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Arbitrary Detention & Reprisal Against a Human Rights […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Allegation Letter on behalf of LIU Jiacai, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Arbitrary Detention & Reprisal Against a Human Rights Defender I. IDENTITY […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Allegation Letter on behalf of LI Huaping, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Arbitrary Detention & Reprisal Against a Human Rights Defender I. […]
Chinese authorities have criminally detained two more activists involved in peaceful assembly while rounding up hundreds of microbloggers, as part of the government’s assault on “Western ideals” such as rule of law, a free press, and other officially disparaged “universal values.” Last week, police in Anhui Province criminally detained Zhou Weilin (周维林) and Yao Cheng (姚诚), who protested a case of flagrant violation of children’s education rights due to a parent’s political views earlier in the spring. Meanwhile, hundreds of bloggers have been detained in the past few weeks as judicial authorities have expanded the scope of criminalization for online expression.
![[CHRB] “Chinese Citizens vs. The Government” Over Participation in Universal Periodic Review (8/29-9/5, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Decision_FINAL.jpg)
A court in Beijing has refused to hear an administrative lawsuit filed by dozens of activists against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) seeking disclosure of information related to Universal Periodic Review, the latest move by authorities to block civil society efforts to participate in the UN Human Rights Council review of China’s human rights record. In other news, a popular singer is among several Tibetans reportedly imprisoned for alleged acts tied to self-immolations and peaceful student protests that occurred last fall in Qinghai Province, where authorities are waging an intensifying crackdown against self-immolations.
The link below contains Chinese-language documents and resource materials about UN human rights mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review, periodic reviews by treaty bodies, and Special Procedures. The materials are intended to assist civil society participation in UN human rights activities.
人权与公民社会 － 公民社会参与联合国人权机制运作实用信息资料，包括普遍定期审议、条约机构审议、特别程序等。
Three weeks before the UN review of China’s record in protecting the rights of the child (set for September 26-27), CHRD has released its own report on the subject, “‘Flowers of the Country’: Mistreated and Abused.” The report documents ongoing violations of children’s rights in China, examines their causes, and identifies protective measures and remedies. In the report, CHRD concludes that the Chinese government has largely failed to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which it ratified in 1992, as well as most of the recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child after its review of China in 2005.
![[CHRB] Law Professor Suspended in Reprisal for Representing Detained Activists (8/22-28, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Capture2.jpg)
Law professor and lawyer Zhang Xuezhong (张雪忠) has been suspended from his teaching post at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, apparently in a move to retaliate against him for an article he wrote promoting constitutional reform in China and for representing activists who have been detained in the crackdown on free assembly and association. In other news related to the crackdown, three more activists have been arrested, including legal advocate Xu Zhiyong (许志永), while authorities in Jiangxi Province have now changed the “crimes” against Liu Ping (刘萍) for a fourth time in a revolving series of charges.
HONG KONG — The authorities in Beijing have formally arrested one of China’s best-known human rights advocates on charges of disturbing public order, his lawyer and a friend said on Friday. It was the latest escalation in a case that has prompted a protest in China and criticism from the United States government.
Originally published by EPOCH TIMES on August 21, 2013 When two lawyers, Cheng Hai from Beijing and Tang Tianhao from Chongqing, went to the Dalian Detention Center on Aug. 15 to meet with their clients, Falun Gong practitioners that the local authorities are attempting to prosecute on dubious legal grounds, police said that they were not allowed […]
Chinese authorities have detained Yang Maodong, a leading member of the country’s loose New Citizens campaign that promotes democratic rights, his friend and an international human rights advocacy group said Saturday.
BEIJING (AFP) – Chinese police have detained a prominent human rights activist, signalling the continuation of a recent crackdown on dissent, an advocacy group said on Saturday.
The wife of a recently detained human rights activist issued an open letter to President Xi Jinping calling for the release of her husband and the implementation of the constitution.
A Chinese human rights group and a friend say authorities have detained Guo Feixiong, a leader of the country’s loose New Citizens campaign to promote democratic rights.
BEIJING — Chinese authorities have detained Yang Maodong, a leading member of the country’s loose New Citizens campaign that promotes democratic rights, his friend and an international human rights advocacy group said Saturday.
Tsondue and Gedun Tsultrim were among many Tibetan monks and lay people detained and interrogate shortly after a self-immolation protest on November 19, 2012. Tsondue was sentenced for being the chief chant-master during a prayer service held in honor of the self-immolation victim, Wangchen Norbu (旺青诺布). Gedun Tsultrim was charged with coordinating a group visit to the victim’s home to offer condolences and prayers. Both monks were sentenced after five months of secret detention. On the day of trial, Tsondue and Gedun Tsultrim had no legal representation.
![[CHRB] Activist Guo Feixiong Detained in Crackdown as Known Arrests Reach 25 (8/15-21, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/截图002.jpg)
On August 8, Guangzhou-based activist Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄) was criminally detained on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place” as part of the ongoing crackdown on peaceful assembly and association. Alleging that Guo’s case involves “state security,” Guangzhou police on August 21 did not allow lawyers to visit Guo. In other news, a Tibetan man has been sentenced to death for his wife’s self-immolation protest, with authorities claiming that he killed her and then burned her body to only make it appear that she self-immolated. It is the first known death sentence given to a Tibetan linked to self-immolations.
BEIJING (AFP) – Chinese police have detained a lawyer who sought to visit a prominent activist taken into custody this week, a Beijing-based dissident and overseas rights groups said on Friday.
BEIJING – A Chinese human rights group and a friend say authorities have detained Guo Feixiong, a leader of the country’s loose New Citizens campaign to promote democratic rights.
A detained Chinese activist has managed to release a video from behind bars urging citizens to fight for their rights in an act likely to further antagonise authorities.
BEIJING: China has arrested an activist on a charge of subversion, his brother and a rights group said on Sunday, the second such arrest in less than two months and the latest sign that the authorities are hardening their stance toward dissent.
Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hubei have detained a local activist on subversion charges after he organized “dinner parties” for fellow activists to discuss human rights and social justice.
Reuters reports that authorities have arrested dissident Yang Lin in Guangdong province on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” according to his brother:
![[CHRB] More Activists Detained for Peaceful Assembly & Association (8/8-8/14, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/复件SAM_00861.jpg)
Authorities have arrested one more activist and criminally detained two others in the crackdown on peaceful assembly and association that the Chinese government has waged since March. Shenzhen-based activist Yang Lin (杨林, aka Yang Mingyu, 杨明玉), was arrested on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” on July 19. In addition, Hunan activist Li Huaping (李化平) was criminally detained on August 10 in Changsha City for “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place.” Another activist, Liu Jiacai (刘家财) of Hubei Province，was criminally detained on August 12 on charges of “inciting subversion,” in possible reprisal for bringing together activists for “dinner parties.”
![[CHRB] Activist Now Detained One Year for Seeking Participation in UPR (8/1-7, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/yanglin.jpg)
Hunan activist Peng Lanlan (彭兰岚) has been detained for one year after pushing for civil society participation in China’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Peng, who has reportedly been very weak and had difficulty eating, was tried in June 2013 for “obstructing official business,” but no verdict has been handed down. In other news, the whereabouts of Shenzhen-based activist Yang Mingyu (杨明玉) have been unknown since June 12, after he was taken away by police. While interrogating Yang, officers reportedly warned that he could disappear by being “put into a bag and thrown to the bottom of the sea in the South, or buried in a pit dug in the desert in the North.”
Peng Lanlan, a leader of the campaign for civil society participation in China’s Universal Period Review and disclosure of China’s implementation of the government’s “National Human Rights Action Plan,” was detained in August 2012 on suspicion of “obstructing official business” and only released after nearly one year. From Hunan, Peng was seized in Beijing on her way to the State Council Information Office to submit an information disclosure request and questionnaires from petitioners. Police reportedly tortured Peng after taking her into custody. In June 2013, the Dongcheng District People’s Court conducted a hearing behind closed doors, with many activists and petitioners blocked from attending.
Originally published by Radio Free Asia on August 1, 2013 Chinese citizens who take the anti-corruption campaign of President Xi Jinping to heart by blowing the whistle on graft are likely to pay a high personal price, according to analysts. President Xi Jinping has warned that the ruling Chinese Communist Party must beat graft or lose power, […]
![[CHRB] More Than 30 Petitioners Detained for Joining Anti-Corruption Campaign (7/26-31, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/秀才江湖.jpg)
CHRD has been able to verify that, in May and June, Beijing police swept up more than 30 petitioners who had joined the drive calling for top Chinese officials to disclose their wealth while also appealing for the release of other detained anti-corruption activists. Most of the petitioners were freed on bail within 37 days—the legal limit for criminal detention without an arrest being approved—but some remain held on criminal charges. In other news, activist Wu Bin (吴斌) has been criminally detained in Guangdong Province in likely reprisal against his rights activism, including a lawsuit he has filed against police in Shenzhen for illegally detaining him.
(TibetanReview.net, Jul21, 2013) In a renewed crackdown on civil society and human rights activists, China recently detained a leading anti-corruption activist and also shut down a prominent non-government think-tank in a sudden raid. “Dozens of municipal civil affairs bureau officials and police searched the offices of transition Institute on Social Economic Research in Beijing, confiscating its publications and issuing it with an abolition order,” Radio Free Asia (RFA, Washington) Jul 19 quoted the institute’s director Guo Yusan as saying in an interview.
Chinese police have detained a lawyer who sought to visit a prominent activist taken into custody this week, a Beijing-based dissident and overseas rights groups said Friday
![[CHRB] Activists Detained, Disappeared, and Tortured After Uncovering Illegal Detention Cell (7/19 -25, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Untitled2.png)
Police in Jiangsu Province have criminally detained five activists–and 11 others have disappeared–following the group’s discovery of an illegal detention cell (a “black jail”) and after they had broken in and rescued five people unlawfully detained there. One activist informed his lawyer that he was tortured to confess to his role in the rescue. In other news, singer-journalist Wu Hongfei (吴虹飞) was criminally detained on July 22 after posting language to her weibo account that included the word “bomb,” and she is being held on suspicion of “creating a disturbance.”
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States on Thursday called on China to release a human rights lawyer who has campaigned against government corruption, saying it appeared he was being penalized for his activism.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders has an update on the arrest of citizens and activists in China. The latest detainee is prominent activist Xu Zhiyong, who is considered a moderate reformer. 25 individuals have been confirmed criminally detained since February for publicly appealing for an end to official corruption and for promoting other politically “sensitive” goals.
China has arrested a leading human rights lawyer and citizens’ rights advocate, in what appears to be part of a crackdown on the so-called “New Citizens’ Movement,” rights groups and supporters said on Wednesday.
BEIJING: Chinese police have detained a human rights lawyer who called for the release of activists arrested for demanding that government officials disclose their assets, a lawyer said Wednesday.
Police in Beijing have detained leading anti-graft campaigner Xu Zhiyong on charges of disrupting public order in a widening crackdown on activists who have called on government leaders to declare their assets, his lawyer and a rights group said on Wednesday.
(Geneva – 5 July 2013) – In a joint letter, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) requested the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council to urgently address alleged reprisals against human rights defenders in China.
WASHINGTON—The Congressional-Executive Commission on China heard testimony June 25 on the impact of cyber-attacks and espionage on American Intellectual Property (IP) and learned that over $300 billion each year are lost as a result. The majority of the theft emanates from China, concluded the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, one of whose members, former Senator Slade Gorton, testified before the CECC. Evidence abounds that these cyber-attacks are state-sponsored.
![[CHRB] Police Seize Lawyer After Blocking Visit to Detained Activist Xu Zhiyong (7/12-18, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/许志永-1.jpg)
The crackdown on peaceful assembly and free expression has taken an even more disturbing turn with the detention of Beijing professor and activist Xu Zhiyong (许志永), and the subsequent seizure and beating of his lawyer, Liu Weiguo (刘卫国). Taken into custody on July 16, Xu has been charged with “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order.” On July 18, officers prevented Liu from seeing his client, took him away, and reportedly beat Liu at a police station. In other news, Beijing officials have ordered the closure of the Transition Institute on Social Economic Research, which has been active in issues such as land rights and democratic transition.
Since late March of 2013, Chinese police have taken into custody activists, lawyers, and other citizens in a crackdown triggered by an advocacy campaign waged against official corruption and other politically sensitive issues. As of July 18, 2013, a total of 26 individuals tied to the drive are known to have been criminally detained in Beijing and the provinces of Jiangxi and Hubei. Among those detained to date, 16 have been formally arrested and five have been released, including three on “bail awaiting trial.” Those currently not in custody are still under tight surveillance.
Xu Zhiyong, a leading activist pushing for constitutional democracy and rule-of-law reform, was criminally detained on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt public order” by Beijing police on July 16. With Xu’s detention and those of two other activists on July 12 in Beijing, China’s newest crackdown on freedom of assembly, association, and expression has seen two dozen activists and lawyers taken into custody since late March. As has become clear especially with Xu’s detention, the crackdown is targeting a grouping of activists associated with the “New Citizens’ Movement,” who have advocated for democratic and rule-of-law reforms, constitutionalism, human rights, and social justice.
Beginning in March 2013, Chinese police took into custody dozens of citizens in a crackdown meant to suppress peaceful assembly, association and expression around the country. CHRD confirmed cases of 70 individuals taken into police custody, with 40 of these tried and convicted. Twenty-nine people were released on “bail awaiting further investigation,” and one detainee, Ms. Cao Shunli, died in police custody.
On July 1, CHRD sent a letter alleging arbitrary detention and torture on behalf of Xing Shiku (邢世库) of Heilongjiang Province, a petitioner who has been forcibly held for over six years in a psychiatric hospital in Harbin City. Xing was seized in early 2007 in Beijing and taken back to Harbin in retaliation for filing complaints to government authorities about corruption and violation of labor rights. In an interview, Xing said he has been tied up in chains, and that hospital staff have struck his head with electric pricks. In addition, he has suffered problems in his legs and other illnesses due to the extended detention and abuses.
![[CHRB] Chinese Court Set to Put Anti-Corruption Activists on Trial (7/5-11, 2013)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tawu-12.jpg)
The trial of three activists from Jiangxi Province is scheduled to open on July 18, the first cases to be heard of those detained in the crackdown on anti-corruption campaigners. Liu Ping (刘萍), Li Sihua (李思华), and Wei Zhongping (魏忠平) were formally arrested on June 4 on charges of “illegal assembly.” Including activists in Beijing and Hubei Province, 15 activists have been arrested after calling for disclosure of Chinese officials’ assets and pushing other politically “sensitive” goals. In other news, police in Sichuan injured many Tibetans who had gathered on July 6 to celebrate the birthday of the Dalai Lama, with at least nine sustaining gunshot wounds.
Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), a housing rights activist imprisoned in Beijing, is suffering from deteriorating illnesses, and authorities this spring rejected a request for her to be released on medical grounds. In mid-June, Ni’s daughter visited her at Beijing Women’s Prison and found that Ni’s thyroid tumor, which was detected last fall, has gone untreated and is now badly swollen. In other news, photographer Du Bin (杜斌) has been refused bail and remains held on a charge of “disrupting order of a public place,” and CHRD has submitted allegations of torture to the United Nations on behalf of Zhu Guiqin (朱桂芹), who was severely mistreated during a punishment served at the Masanjia Re-education through Labor camp.
On July 1, Beijing public security forces swept up and detained a large number of activists who had been taking part in a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) office, as they sought a role in participating in the drafting of the country’s national human rights report for China’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The peaceful, two-week-long sit-in, conducted day and night and under Beijing’s scorching heat and even thunderstorms, continues a five-year struggle by Chinese citizens demanding a role in China’s UPR. Most of the participants were women, including a number of elderly, who have endured abuses for years in efforts to achieve justice through petitioning.
Since June 18, group of more than 100 people have been staging sit-in in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask the government to participate in the drafting of the Annual Report on Human Rights be presented in October at the UN. For now, the police are just monitoring the area as a trial opens against a dissident who asked for the exact same thing in 2012.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China is to be heartily commended for bringing muchneeded attention to the extremely important issue of today’s intensified, globalized harassment of human rights activists working to bring about the rule of law and human rights in China.
Riot police in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan on Tuesday raided the hotel rooms of four rights lawyers who arrived to defend a dissident writer and escorted them back to the provincial capital.
Submission to: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on violence against women Letter on behalf of Zhu Guiqin, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arbitrary Detention, and Violence against Women […]
Kalsang Dhondup, Jigme Thabkey, and Lobsang were sentenced to six years, five years, and four years of imprisonment, respectively, in March 2013, on charges of “inciting splittism.” The verdict was handed down four months after a self-immolation protest near a monastery in Donghai Prefecture in Qinghai Province. The victim of the self-immolation was Wangchen Norbu (旺青诺布), also known as Huang Jian (黄尖), the younger brother of Jigme Thabkey.
![[CHRB] Labor Camp Victims Jailed for Seeking Justice; Accused “Illegal Demonstrator” Testifies to Torture in Court Trial (June 28 – July 3, 2014)](https://assets.ponds.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Victims-of-the-Masanjia-labor-camp-in-Liaoning-Province-demanding-that-an-abusive-RTL-guard-be-brought-to-justice.jpg)
Eight women once held at the notorious Masanjia Women’s Re-education through Labor camp in Liaoning Province were sentenced in mid-June to prison terms ranging from one year to 18 months in retaliation for seeking remedies for abuses they suffered. Ten more individuals have been formally arrested in the crackdown tied to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, bringing to 17 the number of such known arrests. Also, taxi driver Wen Zhonghua (温中华), who went on trial on June 19, stated in court that police had tortured him last year in order to coerce him into testifying against fellow drivers on fabricated facts.
Since June 18, a growing number of activists have staged a sit-in outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) office in Beijing, asking to meet with officials and awaiting a government reply to their requests to participate in drafting China’s national human rights report, which the Chinese government will submit to the UN Human Rights Council for the country’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in October. In other news, three activists detained in Hubei Province in late May have been formally arrested on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” bringing the number of arrests to 11 in the intensifying crackdown on anti-corruption campaigners around the country.
Forty-five-year-old officer Shi Zongwei from central China’s Henan Province publicly announced his withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in response to being removed from his post on June 17. His dismissal was reportedly in part because of his participation in local dinner parties for bloggers, a new form of democracy movement.
According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) , on June 17 the Yellow River Zhengzhou Bureau’s Party organization notified Shi Zongwei of the decision to relieve him of his position as Deputy Director at the Bureau of River Engineering.
After a buildup of frustration at a lack of pensions and dissatisfying petition results, an unknown number of film projectionists, who worked for decades to assist in the screening of pro-Party propaganda films, have said they plan to renounce their membership in the Chinese Communist Party.
Over 8,000 film projectionists, many of them Party members, live in rural parts of Hunan Province, where Mao Zedong plotted his revolutionary guerrilla activities before taking the helm of the Party.
Five activists have been criminally detained after being seized during an anti-corruption “road trip” whose aim has been to call for the release of Beijing activists arrested for seeking disclosure of Chinese officials’ assets. On May 25, Huang Wenxun (黄文勋) and four other activists were seized in Hubei Province and given administrative detentions, and they were then criminally detained. In addition, Zhao Zhenjia (赵振甲), an activist and petitioner from Liaoning Province, was seized at the Beijing South Railway Station on June 9 and has been held incommunicado ever since, likely for his own calls for top Chinese officials’ to reveal their wealth.
Photographer and documentary filmmaker Du Bin (杜斌) has been held incommunicado since Beijing police seized him at his home on May 31, and is reportedly facing a charge of “illegal publishing.” Du’s detention may well be reprisal for his recent documentary on abuses in the Masanjia Women’s Re-education through Labor camp and also a book he wrote on the Tiananmen Massacre that was recently published in Hong Kong. In other news, Liu Hui (刘晖), the brother-in-law of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), has been given a harsh 11-year sentence on a “fraud” charge in a punishment viewed as further retaliation against the imprisoned dissident.
Chinese police have blocked access to a cemetery for people killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests on the 24th anniversary of the deaths.
More than a dozen security officials were stationed outside the stone gate at the Wanan graveyard in western Beijing, which victims’ families visit each year.
A candlelight vigil is being held in Hong Kong on the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre as Chinese police blocked a cemetery for the victims.
liangxiaojun-305.jpg
Dozens of China’s top human rights lawyers are facing unexplained delays in getting their business licenses renewed, in what is possibly the biggest clampdown on the country’s embattled legal profession to date, lawyers and rights groups said this week.
Chinese police blocked the gate of a cemetery housing victims of the Tiananmen crackdown on its 24th anniversary on Tuesday, part of a sweeping annual effort to bar commemorations of the event. Authorities launch a major push every June 4 to prevent discussion of the violently crushed 1989 pro-democracy protests, China’s darkest human rights stain in recent decades, in which at least hundreds of people died.
In possibly the largest-scale reprisal against Chinese human rights lawyers in years, authorities have not renewed licenses for dozens of lawyers and some law firms. Officials have provided no explanation for the delay, with the deadline for renewals from the annual review by government judiciary bureaus having passed at the end of May. In other news, Jiangxi activist Liu Ping (刘萍) has been arrested on a charge of “unlawful assembly” in connection with an anti-corruption campaign that police have cracked down on since late March. In addition, UN experts have stated that the imprisonment of Jiangsu dissident Guo Quan (郭泉) on a “subversion of state power” charge is “arbitrary” and that he should therefore be released.
BEIJING — More than two decades later, China’s Communist Party is still facing calls for a full accounting of its bloody 1989 crackdown on protests in Tiananmen Square. And while the party shows no signs of changing its stance on the protests, the calls for more political openness and public disgust with official graft continue to this day.
The difference now, according to political analysts, historians and activists, is that the stakes are much higher and the problems the party faces are even bigger.
Chinese society is slipping into “general despair” and mistrust of the ruling Communist Party, according to an activist group representing the victims of those killed or maimed in the 1989 military suppression of a student-led pro-democracy movement on Tiananmen Square, 24 years ago next week.
In an open letter to the new administration of President Xi Jinping, who will shortly head to the U.S. for weekend talks with President Barack Obama, the Tiananmen Mothers said relatives of those who died had lived in “a hell-like darkness” amid repeated efforts to engage the government in dialogue.
Ailing democracy activist Zhu Yufu has been subjected to abusive treatment at his jail in the eastern province of Zhejiang following an international campaign for his release, relatives and rights groups say.
Prison authorities have handed out “punitive abuses” to Zhu, 60, after his relatives traveled to the United States to garner more support for his release, the China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group said in an e-mailed statement on Friday.
Liao Minyue last saw her mother, the rights activist Liu Ping, in mid-April, when she returned home from college to help after Ms. Liu had an operation to remove gallstones.
Now the third-year student at Anhui University of Finance and Economics says she hopes most of all that her mother is not being beaten in detention. Ms. Liu was taken away by security officials in their hometown of Xinyu in Jiangxi Province on April 27, apparently to face subversion charges, said Zheng Jianwei, one of Ms. Liu’s two lawyers.
Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou have detained and questioned a lawyer who attempted to visit detained anti-corruption activist Liu Ping.
BEIJING, May 9, 2013 (AFP) – Chinese authorities have arrested more than 10 activists who campaigned to have political leaders disclose their financial assets, lawyers said Thursday, with one charged with “inciting state subversion”.
BEIJING: A top Chinese anti-corruption official has warned against detaining whistleblowers, reports said Wednesday, amid concern that local bureaucrats are derailing Beijing’s efforts to project a graft-busting image.
For nearly a quarter-century, the Chinese government has maintained an impervious approach to the truth about its 1989 military suppression against pro-democracy protests. Authorities have denied responsibility for the massacre and stonewalled public reckoning of the People’s Liberation Army’s use of force that left hundreds, if not thousands, dead and countless injured when the military opened fire on civilians around Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 3-4, 1989. The government has blocked open discussion of the bloody crackdown, efforts to seek justice, and public events to commemorate the victims.
Days before the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, Chinese authorities have elevated repression and harassment of activists in order to control their movements and prevent any public gathering to commemorate the tragic events of 1989. Also, in the ongoing crackdown on anti-corruption campaigning, two more individuals in Beijing have been formally arrested for “unlawful assembly”—lawyer Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) and activist Zhao Changqing (赵常青)—and a procuratorate in Jiangxi Province may soon approve the arrest of detained activist Liu Ping (刘萍), who has been detained for the past month on a charge of “inciting subversion of state power.”
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update to an urgent appeal in the case of democracy activist Mr. XIE Fulin (谢福林), a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, who was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on March 26, 2010, for “larceny.” (See CHRD’s prior submission with respect to Mr. Xie’s case) According to his family, Xie Fulin, who is nearly 63 years of age, was hospitalized on May 8 after his already fragile health took a turn for the worse, and he is in urgent need of medical care.
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update to […]
Recent reports have surfaced about torture and other mistreatment suffered by Chinese in different forms of custody. Wang Hanfei (王寒非), the jailed editor of the Hong Kong-based journal “China Special Report,” has been seriously injured from beatings—with one result being an hearing impairment—and is being forced to work very long hours. In another case, a boy was held for four years in a black jail before being released in January, and reportedly has suffered developmental damage due to his confinement. Also, petitioner Lin Yingqiang (林应强) was held by police for 33 hours and also tortured and endured other forms of mistreatment beginning on May 18.
BEIJING: A new law has taken effect prohibiting Chinese from being committed to mental hospitals without their consent in an attempt to prevent “forced detentions”, state-run media said Thursday.
Read more: China bans forced mental hospital detentions: media – Latest – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/china-bans-forced-mental-hospital-detentions-media-1.269610#ixzz2TvdVcFMH
China’s first-ever mental health law came into effect on May 1. Now, mentally ill patients need to give consent before they’re institutionalized. The law was designed to better protect the rights of patients, but analysts say loopholes exist within the new law, and that abuse of the mental health system will still happen.
Eight activists have been detained in the past few weeks for calling on over 200 high-level officials in the Communist Party to make public details of their assets, alongside new leader Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.
LINYI, Shandong, China,—In apparent retaliation for the testimony of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng at a Congressional hearing two weeks ago, authorities in his home province of Shandong have exacted fierce retaliation against two of his brothers and a sister-in-law.
Do the names Zhou Decai, Cao Haibo, Chen Wei, Chen Xi or Cui Fufang ring a bell to you? They are all prisoners of conscience in China. The Chinese Human Right Defenders (CHRD) are doing all they can to make the stories of prisoners of consciousness heard.
Beijing (CNN) — Chinese authorities have detained at least a half-dozen activists this month, human rights groups said, in what appears to be a crackdown targeting a campaign to publicize the financial assets of top government officials.
As the new administration of President Xi Jinping vows to fight for a cleaner and more transparent government, Chinese authorities have launched a crackdown that appears directly targeted at activists calling for the disclosure of official assets, a rights group said on Friday.
BEIJING — The Chinese authorities have detained six anticorruption activists in recent days, expanding their crackdown on a citizen-led campaign that, on the surface at least, would appear to dovetail with the new leadership’s war on official graft.
[CHRB] Political Prisoners Zhu Yufu and Xie Fulin Critically Ill
Two political prisoners who have long suffered from debilitating illnesses behind bars—Hangzhou dissident Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) and Hunan activist Xie Fulin (谢福林)—need urgent medical attention. Zhu’s current state is partly due to a spike in mistreatment over the past few weeks, while Xie’s illnesses have worsened so much that he was hospitalized. In other news, it has been confirmed that more activists in Jiangxi Province have been criminally detained for taking part in an anti-corruption campaign. In other parts of China, many other activists are still in custody after calling for disclosure of officials’ worth and pushing the government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
During a particularly brutal spate of violence against human rights defenders, authorities have physically assaulted many activists and lawyers, some of whom have been hurt by thugs and officers. Sichuan-based activist and blogger Chen Yunfei (陈云飞) was attacked by four “thugs” and suffered numerous injuries and even a possible concussion. Also in Sichuan, a dozen lawyers were taken into custody, with police assaulting some while holding them for as long as 24 hours. In Jiangxi Province, lawyer Liu Jinbin (刘金斌) was beaten by national security police after he requested to meet activist Wei Zhongping (魏忠平), who has been criminally detained since late April.
Wang Hanfei, editor of the Hong Kong-based journal “China Special Report” (中国观察), was sentenced to four years in prison in April 2013, likely for publishing articles that authorities deemed to be politically sensitive. Activists were blocked from observing the hearing, and authorities have warned Wang’s wife to keep silent about the case and prevented her from visiting Wang. In May 2013, it was reported that Wang was being forced to work long hours in prison, and had also been seriously beaten.
Born in 1966, Wang registered the journal “China Special Report” in 2009 and published a large of number of articles ranging from disclosing official corruption, criticizing Chinese authorities to reporting human rights activists’ experience. He was taken into custody in July 2012 after publishing articles that disclosed corruption by the Chenzhou Communist Party secretary and praised Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波).
Lobsang Jinpa, a monk at the Nyitso Zilkar monastery in the Tridu region of Keygudo in Qinghai, was sentenced to five years in prison on unknown charges in February 2013. The sentence appears to be politically motivated, and in retaliation for his alleged role in protesting Chinese authorities’ policies and rule in Tibet.
A popular Tibetan singer, Lolo was sent to prison in February 2013 in apparent retaliation for releasing a music album titled “Raise the Tibetan Flag, Children of the Snowland.” The song lyrics are political in nature, and refer to Tibetan independence, the national flag, the Dalai Lama, and Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives.
In a sign of an escalating crackdown on free expression, three activists in Beijing have been arrested and at least one in Jiangxi Province criminally detained for public disclosure of top officials’ financial assets. On May 7, Yuan Dong (袁冬), Zhang Baocheng (张宝成), and Ma Xinli (马新立) were formally arrested on charges of “unlawful assembly,” and activist Liu Ping (刘萍) of Jiangxi was placed under criminal detention on a charge of “inciting subversion of state power.” In other news, China’s first Mental Health Law went into effect on May 1 amid concerns about how it falls short of providing adequate protections against forced psychiatric commitment and other abuses.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Allegation Letter on behalf of Lü Jiangbo, citizen of the People’s Republic of […]
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 for 24 hours while interrogating her and depriving her of sleep. Police also handcuffed Liu’s husband, Huang Huimin (黄慧敏), to a chair during questioning, and then locked him in a steel cage overnight. Officers asked them about advocacy campaigns calling for disclosure of top Chinese officials’ assets and for the government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
To: Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions Questionnaire of the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions Completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders On behalf of Xia Junfeng, Citizen of People’s Republic of China April 17, 2013 I. Identity of the person concerned: 1. Family name: XIA (夏) 2. First name: […]
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. Guangzhou police also took into custody the intellectual Ye Gongmo (叶恭默), possibly due to his online comments that criticized authorities for mishandling the rescue and relief efforts. In other news, petitioner Lin Xiuli (林秀丽) of Shandong Province remains missing nearly a year after she was seized in Beijing for handing grievance materials to then-Premier Wen Jiabao.
Activist Pei Fugui (裴富贵), who founded “Petitioners’ House” in Beijing to provide services to petitioners, was given a 15-month Re-education through Labor (RTL) punishment in September 2012, on a charge of “creating a disturbance.” The punishment is in apparent retaliation for his long-term charitable efforts and anti-corruption work.
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 that more than 200 high-ranking Communist Party officials, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, publicly disclose their financial assets. Also, activists from around China who had gone to Hefei, Anhui Province, have recently been punished after peacefully protesting the banning of Annie Zhang (张安妮), the daughter of dissident Zhang Lin (张林), from attending school.
Censors in Beijing have blocked information about a labor camp in northeastern China after an expose in a cutting-edge magazine brought to light abuses of women inmates, many of them pregnant.
Chinese civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng recently spoke at Princeton University, holding that “the battle for human rights is far from complete.” Almost a year after making international headlines for his sensational escape from house arrest where, helped by a secret network of fellow civil rights activists, he made his way to Beijing and sought protection at the United States Embassy, the self-taught lawyer became the most recent recipient of the James Madison Award for Distinguished Public Service, the American Whig-Cliosophic Society’s most prestigious form of recognition.
BEIJING — The date says it all: the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, a leading women’s rights group, was formally registered in September 1987, just two months after Taiwan’s leader, Chiang Ching-kuo, lifted martial law, legalizing the political opposition. Many civil society groups that had long been gathering ideas and forces sprang into action.
China has launched a nationwide crackdown on rights activists clamoring for transparency and participation in the government’s closed-door preparations for a once-in-four years U.N. review of the country’s human rights record, according to a rights group.
Chinese rights campaigners who called on the government both to disclose materials about the review and to allow nongovernment groups to contribute, have been intimidated, put under house arrest, or detained, the overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said in a statement.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention on the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
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 a large-scale protest by students in November 2012 that was brutally suppressed by police. In addition, four Guangdong activists have been administratively detained for showing support for activist Liu Yuandong (刘远东), who has been in police custody since late February for protesting North Korea’s nuclear test conducted earlier that month.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Allegation Letter on behalf of Zhou Decai, citizen of the People’s Republic of China Alleging Torture & Arbitrary Detention & Reprisal Against a Human Rights […]
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 horrible abuses in the Masanjia Women’s RTL. In other news, lawyer Wang Quanzhang (王全章), who was given a rare “judicial detention” immediately after defending an alleged Falun Gong practitioner, was freed early after activists clamored for his freedom, with observers expressing outrage over perceived judicial abuse.
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 news related to public information disclosure, the Chinese government has stated in an official document that its preparations for the Universal Periodic Review of its human rights record are “state secrets.” Authorities have used this pretext to block participation in the process by Chinese citizens, including many who have been harassed for pressing for a role in the preparations.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Communiqué on behalf of Cao Haibo, citizen of the People’s Republic of China I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: CAO (曹) 2. First name: Haibo (海波) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date […]
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 to Universal Periodic Review (UPR) are “state secrets.” Since 2008, or prior to China’s first UPR, authorities have denied requests from Chinese citizens for information about the drafting and implementation of plans it has prepared for UPR. At least one activist remains detained for pressing the government to disclose UPR-related information.
Originally published in OMCT on March 20, 2013 URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY CHN 002 / 0313 / OBS 026 Arbitrary arrest / Ill-treatment / Harassment People’s Republic of China March 20, 2013 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International […]
Originally published in Asianews.it on March 18, 2013 Chinese Human Rights Defenders released its annual report on human rights violations in mainland China last year. Forced labour cases are down but the number of people taking their own life because of the authorities’ refusal to listen to their grievances is up. Ordinary state violence rose, […]
Originally published in South China Morning Post on March 11, 2013 Agence France-Presse in Beijing A few miles from China’s National People’s Congress in Beijing, citizens who have travelled from across the country to tell the government about their problems face tight controls on this age-old right. China’s centuries-old petition system, developed under imperial rule, […]
Originally published in Bangkok Post on March 11, 2013 A few miles from China’s National People’s Congress in Beijing, citizens who have travelled from across the country to tell the government about their problems face tight controls on this age-old right. China’s centuries-old petition system, developed under imperial rule, is meant to offer people with […]
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” and had thus “created disturbances and incited splittism.” In addition, a Chinese NGO has published a report on China’s use of capital punishment in 2012, while CHRD submitted allegation letters about rights abuses on behalf of three Chinese activists over the past week.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the right to health Communiqué on […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Urgent Appeal on behalf of Zhu Chengzhi, citizen of the People’s Republic of China by Chinese Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY […]
To: Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the right to health Allegation of […]
This submission, prepared by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), on the basis of its own documentations, and in cooperation with other Chinese NGOs (some of whom do not want to disclose their identity), raises a number of issues which we urge the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) to include in the List of Issues (LOI) it will request the Chinese government to address as it reviews China’s second periodic report on the measures it has taken to implement the rights set forth in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) (E/C.12/CHN-MAC/2). This submission does not purport to provide a comprehensive overview of the current situation, but rather identifies some areas of greatest concern.
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 separatist activities. In addition, censors in Shanghai have deleted an online message from Chinese poet Pan Ting (潘婷) that urged people to “memorialize” the “former beauty” of the Huangpu River, where thousands of dead pigs recently were found drifting. Authorities also shut down Pan’s weibo account.
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 has been under house arrest since October 2010, and who Hu and other activists briefly saw in her apartment in late December. Officers also interrogated Hu about his recent tweets and online postings in which he expressed his political views about the new Communist Party leaders and called the National People’s Congress “the emperor’s new clothes.”
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 with some cases involving Tibetans, the details of criminal charges against the detainees and their places of incarceration are largely unclear. In other news, security forces around China continued to suppress petitioners during the “sensitive” time around the country’s major legislative sessions, rounding up thousands and handing down numerous administrative detentions.
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 footholds and made use of new advocacy strategies, while the government deployed its extensive “stability maintenance” apparatus to intimidate and punish Chinese citizens who tried to exercise basic liberties and defend fundamental human rights. By and large, 2012 proved no less challenging for HRDs than 2011, which has been regarded as the most repressive year since rights activism in China’s civil society gained momentum a decade ago.
Shanghai activist Cui Fufang (崔福芳) was handed a one-year RTL punishment in October 2012, allegedly for attending a memorial for the mother of activist Wang Kouma (王扣玛) that January. A month before this RTL decision came down, and despite having been put under house arrest, Cui was criminally detained on the same charge.
Wang Dengchao, a Shenzhen policeman and an advocate for democratic reforms, was given a 14-year sentence in November 2012 (and fined 20,000 yuan) on trumped-up charges of “embezzlement” and “disrupting official business.” Wang was also required to return 2.8 million yuan that he supposedly had taken.
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 Communist Party, with the country’s new top leaders formally taking their positions. Throughout the country, many activists, dissidents and petitioners have faced greater rights deprivations than usual. Under the tense political environment, thousands of petitioners who had gone to Beijing to air grievances have been seized and forcibly returned to their hometowns.
Xu Wanping, a democracy and human rights activist, is serving a 12-year sentence for “inciting subversion of state power,” handed down in December 2005. The verdict is believed to come in retaliation for Xu’s efforts to establish the “China Action Party” and a local branch of “China Democracy Party.”
民生观察 (Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch) (CRLW) 和权利运动 (Rights campaign) 分别成立于2006年和2008年，其主要工作是通过网站每天收集和记录中国上访维权群体的上访维权活动和在上访维权过程中受到的侵害和打压，并对受害人提供法律等方面的帮助。中国人权捍卫者 (Chinese Human Rights Defenders) (CHRD),主要用英文介绍中国人权捍卫者和上访维权人员的人权状况并提供帮助。本报告分为两部分，第一部分主要叙述中国上访维权群体参加《国家人权行动计划》和《国家人权报告》的依据，历程和受到的打压。第二部分主要叙述中国上访维权受害人群体目前面临的人权问题。
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 association rights just prior to the “Two Meetings” of Chinese legislators, which will convene in Beijing in early March. China signed the Covenant in 1998, but has not ratified it despite repeated government indications that it would do so. In other news, protestors were rounded up after a peaceful rally following North Korea’s recent nuclear test, and ex-policemen were temporarily held in a black jail in Beijing for seeking justice over grievances.
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, Wei started petitioning after her house was forcibly demolished in 2004. In other news, self-immolations by ethnic Tibetans in early February reached 100 in the past three years, and more ethnic Tibetans continue to set themselves on fire in political protest. Also, a migrant worker from Jiangxi Province recently self-immolated after his home was forcibly demolished, suffering life-threatening injuries and becoming comatose.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention on the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
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 the network was posting information online from him that resulted in “producing very bad effects.” In other news, authorities in the Tibet Autonomous Region have held a Buddhist scholar, Kunchok Nyima, incommunicado for nearly five years, only revealing that he was given a 20-year sentence for “instigating” protests by monks in Lhasa in March 2008. Nyima’s fate was unknown until April 2010, when officials admitted that they were detaining him.
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 may mean one man will spend his rest of his life in prison. In other news, Hebei petitioner Ma Lijun (马丽君) may be permanently disabled following her recent release from a Re-education through Labor term. After being freed weeks early, doctors who examined her stated that Ma may have lifelong physical disabilities since her illnesses were not treated in a timely matter while she was detained.
With the news that the provinces of Yunnan and Guangdong are taking steps to end the Re-education through Labor (RTL) system within their jurisdictions, CHRD strongly urges the Chinese government to follow suit at the national level, steer clear from replacing RTL with other kinds of extralegal detention, and to free all wrongful detainees from forced labor camps. If reported developments in the two provinces prove to be true, they indicate significant moves there towards ending RTL, the longstanding extrajudicial detention system in place since the 1950s. However, CHRD cautions that more solid assurance about the fate of RTL requires a concrete timetable for its demise and no plans for keeping extralegal detention active but under a new label.
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 activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚). Also, CHRD has joined members of China’s civil society in urging the Supreme People’s Court not to order the execution of Li Yan (李彦). Li killed her husband in 2010 after suffering severe domestic abuse—evidence that lower courts had failed to seriously consider before handing down their rulings. Prior to the killing, which appears to have been accidental, Li had reported the abuse to authorities, but no investigation into the allegations ever took place.
CHRD joins Chinese lawyers, activists and others in China’s civil society in urging the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) not to issue an execution order following the court’s approval of lower courts’ decisions to sentence to death Li Yan (李彦), an alleged victim of domestic violence. Li killed her husband only after suffering repeated verbal and physical abuses—evidence that courts have failed to take into serious consideration. Before the killing, Li had reported the abuse to authorities, but no investigation into her allegations ever took place. An online petition organized by rights defense lawyers argues the killing was “a tragedy that has to do with China’s lack of effective remedies for victims of domestic violence,” and calls on the SPC to follow its proclaimed principle of “using the death penalty less and using it cautiously” and not issue an order for Li’s execution.
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 then threatened him to cooperate, and mainly asked about New Year greetings he had sent out as well as his writings. In other news, Wang Peijian (王培剑), a professor at China Jiliang University in Hangzhou, is being forcibly detained in a psychiatric hospital in retaliation for expressing “politically sensitive” opinions in class. He had strongly resisted institutionalization in early December, as CHRD previously reported.
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 to de facto “enforced disappearance”—by designating “a place for residential surveillance” without disclosing the location to the family if doing so could “interfere with investigation.” In other news, police rounded up protesters and other supporters of press freedoms even as officials vowed to loosen media controls in partial response to heated rallies in Guangzhou, which were triggered by the Guangdong provincial propaganda chief’s rewriting of the Southern Weekly’s New Year message.
A policeman from Shenzhen, Wang Dengchao (王登朝), has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for joining in pro-democracy activities. Wang was arrested in March 2012, just before he was to take part in a rally calling for democratic reforms. After being detained for eight months, Wang was convicted of “embezzlement” and “disrupting official business” in November 2012. In addition, justice officials in Hunan Province have ordered that Luo Qian (罗茜) be barred from obtaining a lawyer’s license, apparently due to his role as a student leader in the 1989 protests in Tiananmen Square and his subsequent detentions. Though he passed the qualification exam, Luo was notified that he could not get licensed since he had “lied” about his “criminal” background.
An Inner Mongolia activist, Song Yunfei (宋云飞), was recently given a two-year sentence—a punishment suspended for three years—on an alleged charge of “intentionally leaking state secrets” for revealing information about land grabs by the local government. In late 2011, Song began posting reports online to expose the takeover of land in Ordos City, and local officials then enlisted thugs to harass him and his family. Also, Chinese citizens marked Human Rights Day on December 10 by protesting rights violations and calling for social justice in many locations in the country. In response, police rounded up or otherwise harassed citizens for expressing their views; in Beijing alone, thousands of petitioners were swept up and temporarily detained.
BEIJING — It is hard to say exactly which “subversive” sentiments drew the police to Ren Jianyu, who posted them on his microblog last year, although “down with dictatorship” and “long live democracy” stand out.
Chinese citizens marked Human Rights Day on December 10 by protesting against rights violations and calling for social justice in many parts of the country. Several thousand petitioners who tried to lodge grievances in Beijing, particularly around the UN Development Programme Office and other international agencies, were swept up and held in the temporary detention facility at Jiujingzhuang. Activists and petitioners also publicly expressed their grievances in, among other cities, Wuxi City in Zhejiang Province, Shenzhen in Guangdong, and Fuzhou City in Fujian. Online, activists also pushed for the country’s new leaders to protect human rights and release political prisoners.
Shanghai activist Feng Zhenghu (冯正虎) was recently summoned by police for more than 10 hours a day for three straight days, continuing the saga of tight restrictions in place since February, though his house arrest has been lifted. While Feng was questioned, police raided his residence and confiscated property. In other news, activists in Hubei Province have been sentenced to prison in retaliation for their defense of villagers’ land rights. On December 13, the Enshi City People’s Court handed Hu Tihe (胡体和) and Pu Jiakuan (蒲甲宽) sentences of at least three years apiece. The two were seized after villagers clashed in late April with police who tried to assist in a land grab to make way for construction of a cement plant.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)—Research Associate The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) (http://chrdnet.com), a small non-profit organization that monitors human rights abuses in China, is hiring a full-time Research Associate. Qualifications Education: A university undergraduate education at the minimum, with specialty in international relations, journalism, law, social sciences, or related areas, is required. Experience: […]
On December 10, another international Human Rights Day will be marked in China by the Chinese government’s ongoing violations of human rights. Many Chinese prisoners of conscience languish in jail, including the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Prize laureate, the dissident writer Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), whose wife Liu Xia (刘霞) has also been under house arrest for more than two years. Countless petitioners trying to redress injustice have been locked up in Re-education through Labor camps and illegal detention facilities known as “black jails,” and suppression has intensified in Tibet, where nearly one hundred Tibetans have resorted to self-immolation since early 2011 in desperate protest against repression of their religion and culture.
Chen Kegui (陈克贵), the nephew of activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), has been given 39 months in prison in what is widely seen as retaliation against his uncle, who fled house arrest in Shandong Province in late April. In closed proceedings on November 30, a court in Yinan County convicted Chen of “intentional injury.” In other news, Shanxi villager and petitioner Qiao Baoshan (乔宝山), who had lost land to expropriation, was recently stabbed to death after he turned down a real estate developer’s offer of money if he stopped petitioning. On November 24, a message from the developer was conveyed to Qiao, offering payment if he ceased his efforts to seek justice. However, Qiao refused and was killed in his home just four hours later.
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update to its urgent appeal (and its response to the Chinese government’s […]
On November 29, CHRD submitted allegations of human rights violations to UN Special Procedures on behalf of Lü Jiaping (吕加平), a dissident scholar imprisoned for writing critically about the Chinese Communist Party. Dealing with several serious illnesses, the 72-year-old Lü is serving a 10-year prison sentence for “inciting subversion of state power” in Hunan Province. Lü was taken into custody in September 2010 and convicted in closed proceedings in May 2011. In its verdict, the court cited as “evidence” articles by Lü that were posted online that allegedly “spread rumors” about and “slandered” CCP leadership. Despite Lü’s increasingly poor health, authorities have not even responded to his family’s requests to release him on medical grounds.
Hunan activist Peng Lanlan (彭兰岚), who was seized in Beijing and reportedly tortured in August, has been formally arrested on a charge of “obstructing official business.” The charge stems from Peng’s attempt to collect signatures on a petition asking the government to disclose information about implementing the country’s second “National Human Rights Action Plan.” In other recent news, thousands of Tibetan students at a medical school in Qinghai Province protested the distribution of a political questionnaire and “patriotic education” sessions that contained disparaging remarks about the Dalai Lama.
This civil society report responds to the third and fourth periodic reports of the People’s Republic of China (CRC/C/CHN/3-4, “State party report”) submitted to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (“CRC” or “Committee”) in July 2010. In this report, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) assesses the extent to which the State party has or has not implemented the recommendations contained in the Concluding Observations from the CRC’s second periodic review of China in 2005 (“COBs”) and, in some instances, raises questions about the State party report and provides more information to the Committee.
On November 19, Sichuan dissident and poet Li Bifeng (李必丰) was given a 12-year sentence—on a seemingly concocted charge of “contract fraud”—after being targeted by authorities who suspect that he helped finance the escape from China last year of dissident writer Liao Yiwu (廖亦武). This marks the third time Li has gone to prison in apparent retaliation for his pro-democracy and human rights activities. In other news, retired professor Sun Wenguang (孙文广) has been held under house arrest for the past six months. Police have restricted his movements and not allowed him to have visitors since mid-May, when it was initially believed that tight restrictions were being put in place only for the June Fourth anniversary.
The man who revealed the deaths of five homeless children in a bin this week, sparking soul-searching across China, has been taken away by officials, his supporters have said.
The boys, who were found dead in the south-western province of Guizhou, were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, apparently after lighting charcoal in an attempt to stay warm overnight.
Security measures were tight during China’s recent communist party congress. Petitioners were targeted and at least two of them died for unknown reasons while in custody.
[…]According to the activist group “Chinese Human Rights Defenders,” Zhang and several other petitioners were arrested by the Beijing police and handed over to law enforcement officials in the Henan province. While being transported, Zhang was attacked by several unidentified men and killed.
BEIJING — At least two activists died in custody before or during China’s Communist Party congress and tens of thousands had their movements restricted, rights groups said Monday.
China Human Rights Briefing November 9-16, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention More Tibetan Monks Sentenced for Alleged Involvement in January Protests Harassment of Activists Anhui Dissident Shen Liangqing Harassed Over “Shuanggui” Report Activists Out of Contact After Being Taken Away by Police Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment & Punishment Henan Petitioner Beaten […]
Originally published in The Guardian on November 15, 2012 Xi Jinping, who has been confirmed as the man who will lead China for the next decade, cuts a contrasting figure to his predecessor, Hu Jintao. While Hu is determinedly anonymous, Xi is “a big personality”, according to those who have met him. Standing over 6ft tall, […]
Originally published in Fox News on November 14, 2012 A man from the central Chinese province of Henan who traveled to Beijing “to ask for justice” on the eve of the 18th Congress of the ruling Communist Party was beaten to death in custody, China Human Rights Defenders charged on Wednesday. Zhang Yaodong came to […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 3-8, 2012 Contents Harassment of Activists Shanghai Authorities Detain, Punish Activists Around Party Congress Freedom of Information Gansu Authorities Impose Information Blockade, Other Restrictions After Self-Immolations Law & Policy Watch Environmental Protests Skyrocketing Every Year, Courts Often Refuse Cases Harassment of Activists Shanghai Authorities Detain, Punish Activists Around Party […]
(BEIJING) — During her 30-hour train journey to Beijing, Wang Xiulan ducked into bathrooms whenever the conductors checked IDs. Later, as she lay low in the outskirts of the capital, unidentified men caught her in a nighttime raid and hauled her to a police station. She assumed a fake identity to get away, and is now in hiding again.
gehört zu den neueren Schlagworten der Kommunistischen Partei. Gemeint ist damit vor allem die zeitgemässe Überwachung der Bevölkerung. Eine Woche vor dem Beginn des 18. Parteitages, der eine neue Führungsgeneration an die Macht bringen wird, stehen an grösseren Pekinger Strassen alle fünfzig Meter «Freiwillige» mit roter Armbinde, die für Ruhe und Ordnung sorgen sollen, als müssten sie drohendes Chaos abwenden. Bewaffnete Polizisten bewachen U-Bahn-Eingänge. Seltsame Anweisungen ergehen an den öffentlichen Verkehr und an Ladenbesitzer. Viele Pekinger fragen sich, wovor sich die Funktionäre eigentlich so sehr fürchten – vor dem eigenen Volk, dem sie angeblich so hingebungsvoll dienen, vielleicht?
BEIJING — China’s national pole-dancing team, five women and two men, jet to Switzerland this week for the sport’s world championship. Back home, people fret about house prices, watch TV dating shows and love online shopping. They shoot “Gangnam Style” music video covers, too.
In another case of political persecution of free speech, Cao Haibo (曹海波), a manager of an Internet café and organizer of a website that promotes democracy, was given eight years in prison for “subversion against state power” at a closed hearing on October 31. Reportedly, Cao’s alleged “crimes” consisted of expressing his political views online through a QQ group and posting his own articles on such topics. In addition, as the 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress approaches, police and other security personnel have ramped up harsh measures against dissidents, human rights activists and petitioners, depriving them of their liberty and subjecting them to myriad abuses.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – November 1, 2012) – As the 18th Chinese Communist Party Congress approaches, police and other security personnel have ramped up harsh measures against Chinese dissidents, human rights activists and petitioners, depriving them of their liberty and subjecting them to myriad abuses. Citizens have been interrogated, beaten and detained in concerted […]
China’s political elite are expected to oust disgraced figure Bo Xilai and jostle for leadership roles in their last formal meeting which opened on Thursday ahead of next week’s landmark power handover.
The Communist Party’s Central Committee convened behind closed doors, state media said, with 500 senior members to debate key issues ahead of a congress which will open on November 8 to usher in leaders for the next decade.
The owner of an Internet cafe in southwest China was given an eight-year prison term for criticizing the ruling Communist Party in online messages and for seeking to establish an opposition party, his wife said Thursday.
The Observatory has been informed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) of the ongoing arbitrary detention since September 30 of Ms. Mao Hengfeng, a Shanghai activist who has been active in defending the right to housing and opposing forced evictions as well as in promoting women’s reproductive rights.
China Human Rights Briefing October 18-24, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention Beijing Activist Ni Yulan’s Health Worsening, Medical Parole May Be Sought Shanghai Activist Mao Hengfeng Criminally Detained After Being Seized in Beijing Village Head in Guangdong Criminally Detained After Protest Harassment of Activists Beijing Dissident Hu Jia Under Tighter Restrictions, Facing Health Concerns As Party […]
China adopted a law on Friday to protect for the first time the rights of the mentally ill after years of accusations that psychiatric hospitals are used to lock up people against their will and silence dissidents.
The case of Chen Kegui (陈可贵), the nephew of activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), has been sent to a procuratorate in Shandong Province on the charge of “intentional injury,” and not the more serious charge of “intentional homicide” for which he was initially arrested. Also, Chen Guangfu (陈光福), Chen Kegui’s father, has filed a petition seeking public disclosure of the legal basis and other information related to the April invasion and search of their home. In other news, two artists in Beijing were recently detained on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt the social order” after holding a demonstration in which they called for the end to Re-education through Labor (RTL) and the release of a fellow artist sent to RTL.
The provincial authorities arrested Chen Yudao in 2008 over the murder of a neighbor. Without evidence, witnesses or motivation they kept him one year in prison, three years ago at the trial the judges did not sentence him.
Beijing (dpa) – Two years after her jailed husband won the Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xia remains in limbo, almost completely cut off from the outside world yet subject to no legal process.
An 80-year-old Jiangsu man is still being held more than three years after his procedurally flawed trial for homicide in 2009 ended without a conviction, and more than four years after he was first detained. Also, police throughout China have aggressively targeted dissidents, activists and petitioners for harassment and control in response to the anti-Japan protests over the Diaoyu Islands and the anniversary of the Mukden Incident, and in advance of the “sensitive period” of the 18th Communist Party Congress. Among other news, the Supreme People’s Court recently released a “guiding case” that provides direction to lower courts on limiting sentence reductions for convicted criminals who have received suspended death sentences.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders […]
On September 16, 2012, He Zhihua (何志华), a villager from Hunan Province, was crushed under a road leveling machine while protesting a land seizure and home demolition project done to build a highway (see related story in CHRD’s China Human Rights Briefing, 9/21-27, 2012). Below are video clips and images of the horrific aftermath—the reactions […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 20-27, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention Lawyer Yang Zaixin Released Into Bail After 15 Months in Detention Without Trial, Health Has Declined Harassment of Activists Jiangxi Police Physically Abuse Activists Seeking Permits to Hold Rally Forced Eviction & Demolition/Land Expropriation Hunan Man Crushed to Death by Construction Vehicle, Authorities […]
CHRD has submitted allegations of human rights violations to Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council on behalf of Wang Yonghang (王永航), a former lawyer and outspoken advocate for Falun Gong practitioners. Wang is serving a seven-year prison sentence in Liaoning Province. Detained in July 2009, Wang was tried that October on a charge of “using a cult to undermine implementation of the law” and sentenced the next month. During his detention, Wang has been repeatedly subjected to violent, inhumane treatment, and since early 2012 his situation has grown even worse, as he has been tortured and his health has seriously declined. While held in pre-trial detention, Wang’s lawyer and family members were not allowed to meet him, as police claimed the case involved “state secrets.”
CHRD have submitted allegations of human rights violations to Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council on behalf of petitioners believed to be currently held against their will in psychiatric institutions. Most of the seven individuals have also been forcibly medicated or subjected to other cruel and inhuman treatment. Without access to legal recourse, they have been detained for periods of months up to several years in retaliation for expressing grievances about government misconduct. Psychiatric commitment in China is fraught with concerns; the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s revised draft of its Mental Health Law still allows for detention based on psychosocial disabilities, and fails to provide solid safeguards against the involuntary commitment of individuals who are not mentally ill.
Activists have used the opportunity presented by the heated popular responses to the Japanese government’s purchase of the disputed Diaoyu Islands to publicly voice pointed views on broader issues of China’s legitimacy and human rights. In response, the police moved against some of these activists, including the detention of one of them for “inciting subversion of state power.” In other news, Shanghai residents can now be checked for psychiatric illness for displaying certain “odd behavior” and have their personal information recorded by mental health authorities, a move that can lead to serious rights violations.
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression September 17, 2012 Update to Communique submitted on behalf of Ms. MA Lijun, citizen of the People’s Republic of […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 6-12, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention Retrial Held for Seven Villagers Sentenced Over Election Protest Media Coverage of RTL Case Adds to Public Debates on Extralegal System & Violations of Speech Rights Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment & Punishment Democracy Leader Yang Tongyan Sick in Prison, Receiving Poor […]
On August 27, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) issued a revision of the October 2011 draft Mental Health Law, which unfortunately still falls far short of complying with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Since August 2012, many Chinese have publicly voiced their views that Reeducation through Labor (RTL), China’s extrajudicial detention system, should be reformed or abolished. CHRD has posted photos of protests and youth doing street art to raise awareness of abuses that take place in RTL facilities.
China Human Rights Briefing August 31-September 5, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention Henan Activist Zhou Decai Given Five-Year Sentence for Rights Defense Advocacy Harsh Punishment After Tiananmen Square Protest: Four Petitioners Imprisoned, Two Dozen Sent to RTL Dongshigu Village Again Under Surveillance, Nearby Residents Still Face Intimidation Shanxi Woman Imprisoned for Seeking Justice Over Officer’s […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 24-30, 2012 Contents Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment & Punishment Shandong Man Forcibly Held in Psychiatric Hospital, More Such Revelations in CHRD Report Forced Eviction & Demolition/Land Expropriation Several Detained as Land Conflict Poses Guangdong Villagers Against Officials, Police Freedom of Expression Gansu Court to Try […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 17-23, 2012 Contents Arbitrary Detention Senior Monk in Sichuan Tortured, Sentenced to Seven Years for Disseminating Information Chongqing Official Serving RTL for Online Posts, Lawyer’s Visit Blocked Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association Gansu Officials Send Out Armed Forces to Tibetan Festival, Warn Against Immolations & Other […]
Photo gallery accompanying CHRD’s report, “The Darkest Corners”: Abuses of Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment in China, published in August 2012.
CHRD’s latest report details the grim conditions and human rights abuses faced by hundreds of thousands of people detained against their will in China’s psychiatric hospitals because they have, or are alleged to have, psychosocial disabilities. Involuntary commitment and forced medical treatment of such persons violates the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
China Human Rights Briefing August 10-16, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Activist Zhu Chengzhi Arrested for “Inciting Subversion,” Had Questioned Circumstances of Li Wangyang’s Death Activist Detained, Tortured for Seeking Information on China’s Human Rights Action Plan Petitioner’s Son Criminally Detained, Held […]
Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers […]
In September of 2012, Henan rights activist Zhou Decai was given a 5-year prison sentence on a charge of “assembling a crowd to disrupt social order,” in retaliation for his longtime rights defense efforts. The court that sentenced him cited a clash between farmers and police that Zhou had allegedly planned a government land seizure.
China Human Rights Briefing August 3-9, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Villagers Detained and Tortured for Not Giving Back Demolition Compensation, One Given 10.5-year Sentence Harassment of Activists’ Family Members Chinese Authorities’ Familiar Tactic: Threaten, Investigate Self-Immolator’s Family Torture and […]
Chinese Human Rights Briefing July 27-August 2, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Chongqing Official Severely Sentenced for “Inciting Subversion” During Reign of Bo Xilai Beijing Court Throws Out Fraud Charge Against Ni Yulan, Cuts Sentence by Two Months Freedom of Information […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 20-26, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Hunan Activist Xiao Yong Given 18-Month RTL Punishment Fujian Petitioners Punished in Beijing, One Sent to RTL After Trying to Visit Ai Weiwei Freedom of Expression and Access […]
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update concerning the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mr. LIU Xiaobo (刘晓波), the subject of an […]
To: UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update concerning the enforced disappearance of Mr. GAO Zhisheng (高智晟), following the urgent appeal on behalf of Mr. Gao that we submitted on April 15, 2009. (See: “Communication on a Victim of an Enforced or Involuntary […]
The US and China will soon hold the 17th round of their bilateral human rights dialogue in Washington, D.C.. With many rounds of the dialogue having been held, CHRD asks what has been achieved by these talks, and if there have been any tangible results or positive outcomes? CHRD strongly believes that an assessment of the usefulness of the dialogues is long overdue.
China Human Rights Briefing July 13-19, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Artist Hua Yong Sent to RTL Over Tiananmen Massacre Performance Piece Beijing Activist Zhu Fuxiang Detained Nearly Eight Months Without Trial Jiangsu Farmer Detained After Attempted […]
To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) hereby respectfully submits an update to its urgent appeal in the case of democracy activist Mr. LIU Xianbin, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on March 25, 2011 for “inciting subversion” (See CHRD’s website for […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 7-12, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Shandong Police Interrogate Guards About Chen Guangcheng’s Escape, Determine Activist Escaped on His Own Hunan Activist Zhu Chengzhi Still Detained Incommunicado Beijing Authorities Detain Residents Over Demolition Protest in […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 27-July 6, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please clickhere Contents Arbitrary Detention Chen Kegui Remains Detained, Family Warned as Officials Offer Token Compensation Activist Song Ze Remains Held in Undisclosed Location UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Finds Chen Wei’s Imprisonment “Arbitrary” […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 20-26, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Controls Tighten Around Activist Feng Zhenghu: Feng Zhenghu, the activist who now has been under house arrest in Shanghai for four months, continues to face heightened harassment. Most recently, authorities […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 12-19, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Authorities Maintain Suppression Over Deceased Activist Li Wangyang’s Friends, Family: Many friends and relatives of Li Wangyang, the labor activist who died on June 6 under suspicious circumstances, remain under soft detention and […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 5-11, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Shady Circumstances Envelope Death of Activist Li Wangyang: The death of Hunan activist Li Wangyang, a labor leader during the 1989 pro-democracy movement, was immediately met with suspicion—when authorities declared it […]
China Human Rights Briefing May 29-June 4, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Authorities Suppress, Harass Citizens Around June Fourth Anniversary: As the Chinese government maintains a general policy of silence about the Tiananmen Massacre, authorities have harassed those who have taken part […]
简报汇编 compiled by International Service for Human Rights 由国际人权服务中心汇编 这份文件汇编了2009年出版的四个独立简报，并为翻译中文版本做了少量的修改。本汇编探讨的范围包括集会自由（1），言论自由（2），获得信息的权利（3）接触国际机构的权利（4）。该汇编汇集了保护这些权利的各种国际标准，并探讨了人权维护者行使这些权利面临的不同挑战。 另外,两个关于结社自由和获得资金的权利的简报英文版已经就绪。 本汇编文件的主要读者是在国际、区域和国家各级工作的人权维护者。这些文件旨在通过简单和通俗易懂的方式向人权维护者提供相关信息，作为帮助他们开展工作的一个实用工具。它可以用来作为一种资源或背景阅读并协助开展关于以上权利的国内倡导或意识提升。 本汇编也可以为国家人权机构（NHRIs）在处理与人权维护者相关问题时使用。它可以用来作为国家人权机构为该国制订或检讨有关接触国际机构的权利、结社自由、获取信息的权利的立法提供意见时的资源材料。 该简报还整理和引用了联合国条约机构和人权维护者处境问题联合国特别报告员维护人权维护者接触国际机构的权利的工作。学者、学生和更广泛的读者可以把本汇编作为指导，了解保护人权维护者接触国际机构的权利、结社自由和获取信息自由权利的国际标准 简报汇编 ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 前言 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 简报1：集会自由 ………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 简报2：言论自由 …………………………………………………………………………………….. 12 简报3:获取信息的权利 …………………………………………………………………………….. 21 简报4:与国际机构接触的权利 …………………………………………………………………… 29 前言 该汇编涵盖人权维护者开展工作必须的四个基本权利：集会自由、言论自由、获取信息的权利和接触国际机构的权利。该分析在很大程度上依赖于人权事务委员会（Human Rights Committee (简称HRC）[1]的观察结论和人权维护者处境问题联合国特别报告员在报告和具体案例上所表达的立场。[2]相应地，在确定本汇编框架所涵盖权利时，分析主要引自公民与政治权利国际公约和个人、群体和社会机构在促进和保护普遍公认的人权和基本自由方面的权利和义务宣言（人权维护者宣言）。[3] 3国际和区域各级所有主要的人权文书承认和保护结社自由的权利。然而，尽管结社自由是被广泛承认和保护的权利，对该权利的践踏继续威胁着世界各地的人权维护者的工作。人权理事 （简称理事会）会已经认识到这一权利的重要性并在2010年设立一个和平集会和结社自由权利问题特别报告员。[4] 形成和表达意见而不用担心被压制的自由和获取信息的权利，即寻求和接受信息的权利，是自由、多元、宽容和民主的社会发展的基本信条。这两点是民主政府透明运作和公民社会有效和知情地参与的内在要求。这种自由对于人权维护者获取有关人权侵害的信息并且告知公众和政府人权侵害发生的事实，最重要的是要求问责制以及谴责不公正的法律、政策或做法来说不可或缺。 获得维持其活动资金和财政资源的能力有限是人权维护者在日常开展工作所面临的障碍之一。立法和法院的行动越来越多地被用来限制人权维护者获得资助他们的组织、具体项目或其他活动的财政资源的能力。在国内资源稀缺的国家里，人权组织往往只能使用国外赠款，法律或行政上的障碍可能会导致组织无法运作。虽然国际人权法中没有正式规定获得资金的权利，一些国际文书就这一权利进行了明确规定。 請按這裡下載简报 [1]人权委员会是根据公民与政治权利国际公约成立，监督缔约国实施公民与政治权利公约状况的条约机构。 [2]人权维护者处境问题联合国特别报告员是前人权委员会创建的特别程序之一。它设立于2000年，其任务是监督世界各地的人权维护者的处境并协助各国执行人权捍卫者宣言。理事会去年再次更新了其2011年的任务。详见http://bit.ly/frVQSV。 […]
For more than two decades, the Chinese government has pursued a policy of denial and silence regarding the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre: discussion of the massacre is widely censored, and there has been neither an investigation nor an apology. But many Chinese have refused to forget the tragedy despite government suppression of efforts to seek truth and accountability.
China Human Rights Briefing May 23-28, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Chen Guangcheng’s Relatives, Family Supporters in Tough Straits: Chen Guangfu, Chen Guangcheng’s brother tortured by Shandong police in April, recently fled Dongshigu Village for Beijing to seek legal help for his […]
Two months before Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) dramatically escaped from illegal house arrest in Shandong Province, activist and legal advocate Feng Zhenghu (冯正虎) was put under similar illegal detention in his home in Shanghai.
China Human Rights Briefing May 15-22, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News June Fourth Prisoner Released Into Life of Restrictions: Li Yujun has been released after being detained for nearly 23 years in connection with the burning of a tanker as the […]
China Human Rights Briefing: Special Edition May 22, 2012 Lawyers for Chen Kegui Challenge Local Police’s Unlawful Obstruction of Efforts to Defend Client CHRD has obtained a letter addressed to the police chief of the Yinan County Public Security Bureau (PSB) in Shandong Province contesting the police’s unlawful interference in their efforts […]
Communiqué on behalf of XIE Fulin, citizen of the People’s Republic of China ALLEGING ARBITRARY ARREST OR DETENTION, TORTURE, and VIOLATION OF RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Submission to: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading […]
China Human Rights Briefing: Special Edition May 16, 2012 Shandong Police Torture Chen Guangfu, Brother of Chen Guangcheng; Relatives Live in Fear CHRD has learned that Chen Guangfu (陈光福), the elder brother of activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), was reportedly tortured while in the hands of Yinan County police in Shandong Province in late April. […]
China Human Rights Briefing May 9-14, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Harassment Rampant Against Individuals With Ties to Chen Guangcheng: The nephew of Chen Guangcheng has confirmed to be formally arrested, and lawyers, activists, and others are facing unabated harassment and rights […]
Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), a rural “barefoot lawyer” and activist from Linyi City, Shandong Province, escaped from illegal house arrest in Dongshigu Village on April 22, 2012. On an ongoing basis ever since, CHRD has confirmed retaliatory acts by authorities against Chen’s relatives and supporters.
When the human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng escaped extra-legal house arrest and beatings and found his way to the U.S. Embassy last month, he became an instant hero on the Chinese Internet. How had he escaped? How could a single blind man tear such a hole in the government’s pervasive blanket of weiwen, or stability maintenance?
The Chinese Internet calls him “China’s blind spiderman.” The web buzz about the blind human-rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng, who somehow escaped house arrest in Shandong province and fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing, was sky-high last week as news of his escape got out. How, people ask, did he manage to escape out of the terror-laden cordon around his home in a Chinese backwater?
The “deal” for Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng to leave China for legal study in the United States is not without pitfalls, but other outcomes could be worse. Even if Chinese authorities honor the promises apparently made to U.S. officials to let him travel, they have conceded little on human rights.
China Human Rights Briefing May 4-8, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Concerns Abound Even After Chen Guangcheng Deal Struck: While the Chinese government has promised to allow the activist Chen Guangcheng and his family to go to the United States, concerns […]
China Human Rights Briefing April 24-May 3, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Chen Guangcheng Arrangement Uncertain, Concerns Swirl Over Family’s Safety: Conditions negotiated by US and Chinese officials for activist and lawyer Chen Guangcheng and his family to remain in China may not guarantee their […]
Based on the Chinese government’s promise to protect activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), US diplomats hastily delivered Chen from the US Embassy in Beijing to a hospital designated by Chinese officials on May 2, effectively putting his fate back in the hands of the government that has abused him for years.
Diane and guests explore political intrigue in China, in light of ongoing internal power struggles and the recent escape of a dissident. We take a look at new complications in U.S. –China relations ahead of high-level talks in Beijing.
Following blind activist Chen Guangcheng’s (陈光诚) dramatic escape from unlawful house arrest, Chinese officials have seized at least four of his relatives, and one supporter believed to be involved in aiding in the escape has gone on missing. CHRD calls on the Chinese government to release illegally detained relatives and supporters and to end the unlawful house arrest of Chen’s immediate family.
Communiqué on behalf of CHEN Xi, citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest Or Detention, and Violations Of Right To Freedom Of Expression and the Rights To Freedom Of Peaceful Assembly and Of Association To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to […]
China Human Rights Briefing April 18-23, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Authorities Deem Netizen’s Case “Secret,” Block Lawyers’ Visit: Guangzhou police recently blocked lawyers from seeing detained netizen Ou Ronggui,claiming his case “involves secrets,” and threatened Ou’s sister to drop the […]
On April 16, 2012, AIDS sufferers in Henan Province called on authorities to better guarantee benefits to children affected by the disease and to provide compensation to those who contracted AIDS in the 1990s from contaminated blood supplies. To support the protestors, netizens started an online “film festival” featuring a number of moving documentaries.
China Human Rights Briefing April 11-17, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Petitioner reported rape by interceptor, police refuse to investigate: in one of the most egregious cases of violence against petitioners, Zhu Guiqin from Liaoning Province reported to CHRD that she was raped by […]
Fang Lizhi, a distinguished professor of astrophysics, luminary in the struggle for human rights in contemporary China, and frequent contributor to The New York Review, died suddenly on the morning of April 6. At age seventy-six he had not yet retired, and was preparing to leave home to teach a class when he commented to his wife that he did not feel quite right.
In grief, we mourn the death of Fang Lizhi, 76, a renowned dissident and leading voice of political liberalization in China in the 1980s, whose public speeches and essays inspired the 1989 pro-democracy protests. Prof. Fang, a founder of modern astrophysics and cosmology in China, was a founding CHRD board member.
China Human Rights Briefing April 3-10, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Beijing Activists Ni Yulan, Dong Jiqin Sentenced: On April 10, activists Ni Yulan and Dong Jiqin, who now have been detained for one year, were sentenced. Ni was given two years and eight months […]
Beijing human rights activist and legal advocate Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) has been convicted of “creating a disturbance” and “fraud” and sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. Ni’s husband, Dong Jiqin (董继勤), also convicted of “creating a disturbance,” was sentenced to two years in prison.
China Human Rights Briefing March 27-April 2, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Arrested in Anti-Gang Campaign, Journalist Sentenced After Secret Trial: It was recently revealed that Chongqing journalist Gao Yingpu was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for a crime of “endangering state security” after a […]
In “Three Days in Wukan,” Chinese filmmaker Ai Xiaoming documents the disappointments and hopes of Wukan villagers at the height of their protests against the government’s seizure of farmland. Ai and some volunteers secretly entered the village on December 19, 2011, when Shanwei City Party Secretary Zheng Yanxiong’s spoke to villagers about the protests.
China Human Rights Briefing March 20-26, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Dissident Xue Mingkai Reportedly Sentenced to Four Years for “Subversion”: Shandong dissident Xue Mingkai, detained over a year ago as part of the Jasmine Crackdown, has reportedly been sentenced to four years in […]
China Human Rights Briefing March 13-19, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Top News Guangxi Lawyer Missing During “Residential Surveillance”: Human rights lawyer Yang Zaixin has gone missing after reportedly being ordered to “residential surveillance,” raising concerns about his fate and the application of criminal procedures. Yang […]
China Human Rights Briefing March 6-12, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Harassment Around “Two Meetings” Period Continues: Authorities have maintained a tight grip on the movements of petitioners and activists, particularly in and around Beijing, with the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s […]
“We can dig a pit and bury you alive”[1] Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China, 2011 Please click here to read the full report. Introduction The state of human rights in China continued to deteriorate in the year 2011. As documented in this annual report from CHRD, it has been […]
China Human Rights Briefing February 28-March 5, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Top News Government Suppression Marks “Two Meetings”: To “maintain stability” around the “Two Meetings” in Beijing, Chinese authorities have intensified suppression of dissidents, activists, and petitioners in the capital and elsewhere. CHRD released a statement (in Chinese) protesting the […]
To: Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, Reprisals Unit Ms. Margaret Sekkaya, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Date: March 6, 2012 For the sixth consecutive year, Chinese officials have threatened, harassed, and physically prevented Chinese human rights defenders from attending an annual training program in Geneva on UN […]
CHRD has documented a total of 52 individuals who the Chinese government has criminally detained since mid-February of 2011 as part of the crackdown after anonymous calls for “Jasmine Revolution” rallies first appeared online in China.
China Human Rights Briefing February 21-27, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Top News Dissident Li Tie Transferred to Prison, May Face Hard Labor: Hubei dissident Li Tie, sentenced to 10 years in January for “subversion of state power,” was recently sent to Huangzhou Prison, where many of […]
China Human Rights Briefing February 14-20, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Top News One Jasmine Crackdown Detainee Released, Another Transferred to Prison: Hubei activist Gao Chunlian was released “on bail” last week after nearly a year in detention, while Sichuan activist Chen Wei was transferred to […]
China Human Rights Briefing February 7-13, 2012 To read this issue as a PDF, please go here. Top News Dissident’s Sentence Adds to String of Recent Harsh Punishments: On February 10, Hangzhou dissident Zhu Yufu was issued a seven-year sentence for “inciting subversion of state power.” Zhu’s punishment is the fourth reported lengthy sentence […]
The visit to Washington next week of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (习近平), the presumptive next president of China, comes during an escalating crackdown on political and religious dissent in China, and on the heels of China’s veto of a UN resolution condemning the ongoing killing of civilians by the Syrian government.
Veteran dissident Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫), tried on January 31 for “inciting subversion of state power,” was sentenced today to seven years in prison by the Hangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court in Zhejiang Province.
Communiqué on behalf of Li Hongwei, citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention, Torture, and Violation of Right to Freedom of Expression To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and Special Rapporteur on the promotion […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 31-February 6, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Top News Activist Chen Xi Held in Remote Prison, Frostbitten From Cold Conditions: CHRD has recently learned that the Guizhou activist Chen Xi, serving a 10-year sentence for “inciting subversion of state power,” is […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 24-30, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Court Hears Case Against Zhu Yufu, Does Not Announce Verdict: On January 31, a Hangzhou court tried dissident Zhu Yufu on charges of “inciting subversion,” but did not issue a verdict after two-and-a-half hours of […]
The Hangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court in Zhejiang Province has put veteran dissident Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) on trial for “inciting subversion of state power” but not issued a verdict. A long sentence is expected after the severe punishments recently imposed by Chinese courts in political cases.
China Human Rights Briefing January 17-23, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Trial Looms for Veteran Dissident Zhu Yufu: Detained since March of last year, the Hangzhou dissident Zhu Yufu is expected to be tried soon on charges of “inciting subversion.” Authorities have stated that Zhu’s case […]
On the heels of recent harsh sentences of democracy and human rights activists, Chinese authorities have sent another dissident, Li Tie (李铁), to prison for 10 years for “subversion of state power.”
China Human Rights Briefing January 10-16, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Detainees’ Families Denied, Granted Visits: Prison authorities recently blocked the family of disappeared human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng from visiting him in a Xinjiang prison, where he is reportedly being held. Days later, convicted […]
Communiqué on behalf of Ma Lijun, citizen of the People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest of Detention, Torture, and Violation of Right to Freedom of Expression To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and Special Rapporteur on the promotion […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 4-9, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights News Emerges About Detainees From Jasmine Crackdown: CHRD has learned that the whereabouts of Guangzhou-born netizen Liang Haiyi, who was detained in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province last February, have been unknown since October, and that […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 28, 2011-January 3, 2012 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Beijing Court Tries Activist and Husband, No Verdict Announced: On December 29, the Xicheng District People’s Court tried activist Ni Yulan and her husband, Dong Jiqin, for “creating a disturbance”—and also tried […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 21-27, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Longtime Activists Get Heavy Prison Sentences: Over the past week, Sichuan activist Chen Wei and Guizhou activist Chen Xi were each given a lengthy prison sentence in another clear sign of Chinese authorities’ suppressive stance […]
News of the passing on December 18, 2011, of Vaclav Havel, the distinguished playwright and moving force behind “Charter 77,” brought shock and pain to Chinese citizens who three years earlier had signed Charter 08, a manifesto calling for democracy and human rights.
Guizhou Activist Chen Xi Jailed for Ten Years for “Inciting Subversion” Another Heavy Sentence as Government Intensifies Crackdown on Dissent (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 26, 2011) – Today, the day after Christmas, Chinese authorities sent another activist, Chen Xi (陈西), to prison for 10 years, with an additional 3-year deprivation of political rights […]
Veteran Democracy Activist Chen Wei Gets 9 Years for Speech Crime (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 23, 2011) – Earlier today, the Suining Intermediate People’s Court in Sichuan Province heard the case against veteran activist Chen Wei (陈卫) for “inciting subversion of state power.” At the conclusion of the 2.5 hour hearing, the court […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 14-20, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Veteran activist and “Jasmine Crackdown” detainee Chen Wei will be tried for “inciting subversion” on December 23, following the footsteps of prominent activists including Gao Zhisheng and Liu Xiaobo, whose trials took place right […]
Communiqué on behalf of Wang Lihong, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Persecution of Human Rights Defenders and Violation of Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: WANG (王) 2. First name: Lihong (荔蕻) 3. Sex: Female 4. Birth date or age (at the time […]
Disappeared Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Ordered “Back to Prison” Highlights Law’s Arbitrariness in China (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 16, 2011) – The human rights lawyer and activist Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), who has been missing for the past 20 months, reportedly has been put “back in jail,” according to a brief English-language report from the […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 7-13, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Guizhou Activist Arrested As Rights Forum Declared “Illegal”: Guizhou activist Chen Xi (陈西) was recently arrested for “inciting subversion,” just days before authorities strongly moved to ban the Guizhou Human Rights Forum—of which Chen […]
Human Rights Day 2011: A Dismal Year for Human Rights Defenders in China Chinese Government Must Honor Its International Human Rights Obligations (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 9, 2011) As the world observes Human Rights Day on December 10, CHRD notes that 2011 was one of the worst years in recent memory for human rights […]
Liu Xiaobo’s 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was for the first time in history awarded to a Chinese living inside China, or more precisely, in a jail cell in the northeastern province of Jilin. One year later, the writer and celebrated dissident remains in prison without regular family visits.
China Human Rights Briefing November 23-29, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Detainees From Jasmine Revolution Crackdown See Case Developments: The “incitement” case against Sichuan activist Chen Wei (陈卫) has been transferred to a court, but authorities have continued to obstruct the formation of his defense team. […]
Update on the situation of Chen Guangcheng, a human rights defender from the People’s Republic of China To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders […]
When human rights organizations press international actors to exert greater pressure on the Chinese government, we are often told that quiet diplomacy might be better. After all, the Chinese government has a thin skin, and pushing topics so publicly might result in the opposite of the intended effect.
China Human Rights Briefing November 15-22, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Trial of Ni Yulan, Husband Set to Open But Then Sent Back to Procuratorate, Ni’s Health Weakens: The “creating a disturbance” case against Beijing lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) and her husband, Dong Jiqin (董继勤) […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 8-14, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Contents Arbitrary Detention Sichuan Land Rights Activist Liu Zhengyou Released from Prison Shanghai Activist Sentenced to Three Years and Six Months in Prison Sichuan Activist Zuo Xiaohuan Released after 18 Months of Pre-trial Detention 13 Petitioners […]
Let there be light, let there be sincerity: the illegal house arrest of Chen Guangcheng and the unprecedented grassroots campaign to end it Chinese Human Rights Defenders November 11, 2011 Chinese citizens have launched an impressive campaign to challenge the unlawful house arrest of blind human rights activist and legal advocate Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 2-7, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Contents Arbitrary Detention Victim of Medical Accident Detained for 20 Months in Psychiatric Hospital Freedom of Expression Blog Closed after Posting Article that Advocates for Intra-Party Democracy Harassment of Activists Rights Lawyer Li Renbing Prevented […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 27-November 2, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Chinese activists and netizens continue to make the treacherous trip to visit Chen Guangcheng, currently held under illegal house arrest with his wife and 6-year-old daughter. One group of 37 activists were assaulted while […]
Communique on behalf of Jiang Tianyong, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Torture To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment a. Full name of the victim: Jiang, Tianyong b. Date on which the incident(s) of torture occurred (at least as to the month and […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 21-26, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Activists, Authorities Stay Closely Focused on Chen Guangcheng: Authorities have kept up the harassment and intimidation of activists who harbor plans to visit lawyer and activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) in Shandong Province. In one […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 13-20, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Activism, Suppression Ramp Up Around Chen Guangcheng, Dongshigu Village: More attempts to see the lawyer and activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) have taken place—all blocked in similar fashion—and CHRD has provided a close-up look at […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 6-12, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights • Co-founder of Hunan China Democracy Party Released: On October 10, Bo Xiaomao (柏小毛), who co-founded the Hunan Province branch of the China Democracy Party (CDP), was released after serving 12 years in prison for […]
One year after the writer and dissident Liu Xiaobo received the Nobel Peace Prize, CHRD called for his release from prison and also freedom for his wife, the poet Liu Xia, being held under tight house arrest.
China Human Rights Briefing September 29-October 5, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Scores of Petitioners Detained As China Celebrates National Day: Around October 1, authorities swept up large numbers of petitioners in Beijing and other parts of the country, subjecting them to detentions, mistreatment, and other […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 21-28, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Case Against Guangxi Lawyer Sent to Procuratorate: The “obstructing testimony” case against Yang Zaixin (杨在新), a lawyer from Beihai City, Guangxi Province, has been transferred to a local procuratorate. Yang is one of four lawyers—but […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 13-20, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Yang Maodong Released, Does Discuss Torture: On September 13, the activist, writer, and “barefoot lawyer” Yang Maodong (杨茂东, aka Guo Feixiong [郭飞雄]), based in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, was released after completing a five-year sentence […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 7-12, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: Activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) has been convicted and given a nine-month prison sentence for “creating a disturbance.” Dozens of people gathered outside the courthouse […]
CHRD Communiqué on Yao, Lifa, Citizen of P.R. China, Human Rights Defender, and Victim of Alleged Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, Arbitrary Detention, Torture, and Persecution of Human Rights Defender 1. Identity of the disappeared person: (a) Family name (*): Yao (姚) (b) First name (*): Lifa (立法) (c) Sex: Male (d) Date of birth: […]
Chinese Court Sends to Jail Activist and “Jasmine Crackdown” Detainee Wang Lihong (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 9, 2011) Beijing-based human rights defender and democracy activist, Wang Lihong (王荔蕻), was convicted of “creating a disturbance” and sentenced to nine months in prison this morning by the Chaoyang District People’s Court in Chaoyang District, Beijing. Qi […]
“Let the Sun Shine on the Ground” (让阳光洒到地上) is a documentary about Wang Lihong made by Ai Xiaoming. Wang was criminally detained for “creating a disturbance” on March 21, 2011, during the government’s “Jasmine Crackdown.” On September 9, 2011, she was convicted of “creating a disturbance” and sentenced to nine months in prison.
China Human Rights Briefing August 29-September 6, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Yao Life Closely Monitored Back in Hometown: Democracy rights activist Yao Lifa (姚立法), from Qianjiang City, Hubei Province, was returned this week to his home after an incommunicado detention, but is being restricted in […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 23-28, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: The procuratorate has sent back the “creating a disturbance” case against Beijing lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), who was also charged with fraud, and her […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 16-22, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: Guangzhou-based lawyer Liu Shihui (刘士辉), who went missing in February and was released on bail in June, reveals the torture he suffered while in […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 10-15, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: The trial of Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) opened and concluded in the morning of August 12, with the verdict to be announced at a later […]
China Human Rights Briefing August 3-9, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: The trial for Beijing rights activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻), for “creating a disturbance,” will begin on August 12 at the Chaoyang People’s District Court. […]
The Chinese Government Must Respect Human Rights in Handling the Wenzhou Train Crash (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 3, 2011) The Chinese government’s handling of the Wenzhou high-speed railway crash on July 23 has been marked by a profound lack of respect for human life and other human rights abuses, including violations of the rights […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 27-August 2, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: The case against Beijing activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) is expected to go to trial soon, on the charge of “creating a disturbance,” while […]
A veteran Democracy Wall activist in the 1970s, Zhu was taken away by police in Zhejiang Province in March of 2011, and criminally detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” In July, his wife appealed to authorities to release Zhu on bail due to his longstanding poor health, but her request was rejected.
China Human Rights Briefing July 20-26, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: CHRD has learned that, around July 13, the case against lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) and her husband, Dong Jiqin (董继勤), was transferred to the […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 13-19, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: CHRD has learned the case against Wang Lihong (王荔蕻), the Beijing-based activist charged with “gathering a crowd to disrupt traffic order,” will be transferred […]
Communiqué on behalf of Xue Mingkai, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Violation of Freedom of Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Xue (薛) 2. First name: Mingkai (明凯) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 7-12, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: On June 18, the case against Beijing-based rights activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻), for “gathering a crowd to disrupt traffic order,” was transferred to the […]
Communiqué on behalf of Zhu Yufu, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention, Persecution of Human Rights Defenders and Violation of Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Zhu (朱) 2. First name: Yufu (虞夫) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the […]
Yuan was taken into police custody in Beijing in May of 2008 and then formally arrested on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” the next month. According to the Jixi City People’s Procuratorate, Yuan had “incited subversion” due to several activities, including distributing an article entitled “Save China, Implement Constitutional Democracy.”
Communiqué on behalf of Ran Yunfei, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Violation of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression and Persecution of Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Ran (冉) 2. First name: Yunfei (云飞) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age […]
Communiqué on behalf of Ding Mao, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Violation of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Ding (丁) 2. First name: Mao (矛) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 29-July 6, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Guangxi Lawyer Yang Zaixin Arrested: Rights Defense Lawyer Yang Zaixin (杨在新), who has been held at the Beihai City Detention Center in Guangxi Province since June 14 on suspicion of “obstructing testimony,” was formally […]
Communiqué on behalf of Ni Yulan, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Persecution of Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Ni (倪) 2. First name: Yulan (玉兰) 3. Sex: Female 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): March 24, 1960 5. Nationality/Nationalities: People’s […]
Communiqué on behalf of Chen Wei, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Prosecution of Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: CHEN (陈) 2. First name: Wei (卫) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): February 21, 1969 5. Nationality/Nationalities: […]
Communiqué on behalf of Li Shuangde, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention and Persecution of Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: LI (李) 2. First name: Shuangde (双德) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): November 29, 1963 5. Nationality/Nationalities: People’s Republic […]
Yang Tongyan (pen name: Yang Tianshui, 杨天水) is a dissident writer and member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, and has published numerous political essays online. Since 2006, Tang has been serving another sentence in Nanjing Prison for “subversion of state power” for his role in organizing the China Democracy Party (中国民主党).
Yang Chunlin became involved in human rights activities after he was laid off from his work in Heilongjiang Province. He was detained in July of 2007 and arrested that August on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” for collecting signatures to endorse the open letter in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.
After the Tunisian and Egyptian revolts, China is now one of the few remaining countries ruled by dictatorship or, in this case, by a single party that has monopolized power for more than 60 years. Many Chinese people draw inspiration and encouragement from the Arab Spring.
China Human Rights Briefing June 22-28, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: Ai Weiwei (艾未未), the Beijing-based artist and activist, and several of his associates were released last week after going missing in April, but they […]
China Human Rights Briefing June 16-21, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Activist Yao Lifa Goes Missing After Increased Harassment: CHRD has learned that democracy activist Yao Lifa (姚立法), from Qianjiang City, Hubei Province, went missing on June 20. Yao, who has been advising voters and independent […]
Seized in February 2011 as part of the “Jasmine Crackdown,” Hangzhou activist Xue Mingkai, born on October 8, 1989, was formally arrested for “inciting subversion of state power” but later reportedly convicted of “subversion” and sentenced to four years in prison. Many details of his case, including evidence used to convict him, remain unknown.
China Human Rights Briefing June 8-15, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown: The Xicheng District Procuratorate recently approved the arrest of Dong Jiqin (董继勤), the husband of rights defense lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰). At the […]
Xu Kun, an elected director of village committee in Baihutou Village in Beihai City, led villagers in resisting forced home demolitions and requisitioning of beachfront land on which residents had operated businesses to supplement their income from fishing. Born on June 20, 1974, Xu was detained in May 2010—for “operating an illegal business.”
In July of 2009, police officers in Changsha City, Hunan Province took Xie Fulin away for “investigation,” and the next month he was criminally detained on suspicion of “stealing electricity” and formally arrested. Sentenced to 6 years in prison, Xie has suffered from serious illnesses that have gone poorly treated while incarcerated.
China Human Rights Briefing June 1-7, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Chinese Activists, Dissidents Face Harassment Around June Fourth Anniversary: CHRD documented a wave of police activities throughout China this week intended to monitor, intimidate, and restrict the movement of rights activists and dissidents in the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 7, 2011) On June 8-9, officials and legal experts from the United States and China will meet in Washington, D.C. for the U.S.-China Legal Experts Dialogue (LED). The U.S. Department of State publicly announced the dates of the LED only yesterday in a terse media note, which stated vaguely that […]
A member of the China Democracy Party and an activist since the 1970s, Xie Changfa became a victim of the nationwide crackdown on activists and dissidents in the name of “Olympics security” prior to the Beijing Games in summer of 2008. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for “subversion” in September 2009.
China Human Rights Briefing May 26-May 31, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights First Conviction of “Jasmine Revolution” Detainee: After a quick hearing, Sichuan-based rights activist Li Shuangde (李双德) was sentenced on June 1 to four months and fined 20,000 RMB for “credit card fraud” by the […]
No Justice for Past Atrocities, No Guarantee of Human Rights (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 2, 2011) – As the world watches and reacts to the events of the Arab Spring unfolding across the Middle East and North Africa, commentators are drawing parallels to the Chinese pro-democracy movement of 1989, both in recognition of […]
Xiao Yong has been active in exposing illegal, corrupt, and criminal behavior by police officers and local authorities since 2007. Previously beaten and detained for these rights defense activities, Xiao was seized in Guangzhou in late March 2012 after taking part in a demonstration that called for official transparency and political reforms.
China Human Rights Weekly Briefing May 18-25, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights 10-Year Sentence for “Inciting Subversion” Issued to Lü Jiaping: CHRD has learned that 70-year-old dissident and military scholar Lü Jiaping (吕加平) was handed a severe 10-year sentence on May 13 after being convicted of […]
China Human Rights Briefing May 10-17, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlight Procuratorate Approves Arrest of Beijing Activist Ni Yulan: CHRD learned this week that human rights activist and former lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) has been formally arrested. The precise charge is not known, but is […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 6, 2011) Officials from the U.S. and Chinese governments will meet to discuss a range of issues during the third U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), which will be held in Washington, D.C. on May 9 and 10. Following last week’s U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing, U.S. Assistant Secretary […]
Wang Yonghang, a human rights lawyer fighting on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners since 2007, was barred from renewing his license in May 2008 but kept providing legal assistance to practitioners. In July 2009, Wang was taken into police custody and brutally beaten, causing a permanent injury.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 28-May 3, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Li Fangping Abducted in Beijing: Around 5 pm local time on April 29, human rights lawyer Li Fangping (李方平) was kidnapped by unidentified individuals outside the offices of the […]
Update on Human Rights Lawyer Li Fangping Abducted in Beijing, Whereabouts Unknown Around 5 pm local time on April 29, Beijing-based human rights lawyer Li Fangping (李方平) was kidnapped by unidentified men, whom family, colleagues and supporters strongly believe were plainclothes policemen, outside the offices of the health rights NGO Beijing Yirenping Center, of […]
After the pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989, Wang Lihong became a dedicated democracy activist and human rights defender. Born October 28, 1955, she has worked on causes such as relief efforts for the “Tiananmen homeless,” and also advocated on behalf of citizens fighting land seizures in Beihai City, Guangxi Province.
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a coalition of Chinese and international human rights non-government organizations. The network is dedicated to the promotion of human rights through peaceful efforts to push for democratic and rule of law reforms and to strengthen grassroots activism in China. CHRD engages in capacity building and provides […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 29, 2011) Around 5 pm local time on April 29, Beijing-based human rights lawyer Li Fangping (李方平) was kidnapped by unidentified individuals outside the offices of the health rights NGO Beijing Yirenping Center, of which he is a legal advisor. Li was able to speak briefly with his wife, telling […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 20-27, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Sixth Arrest Related to “Jasmine Crackdown” Reported; Returned Lawyer Alleges Torture: CHRD learned this week that prominent activist Wang Lihong (王荔蕻) has been formally arrested by officials in Beijing. Wang, the sixth individual to […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 26, 2011) The two-day U.S.-China human rights dialogue will convene tomorrow in Beijing, despite worries by human rights activists about the hazards of repeating an exercise which allows both governments to claim credit for making efforts to improve human rights without producing any meaningful reforms. The U.S. government has taken […]
Tan is an activist, environmentalist, and former editor of Literati (文化人) magazine from Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. After the Sichuan earthquake in May of 2008, Tan published a number of online commentaries critical of the government. In February 2009, he released a proposal calling on netizens to investigate the quality of collapsed school buildings.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 13-19, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Activist Ni Yulan Becomes Latest Victim of “Jasmine” Crackdown: CHRD learned this week that housing rights activist and former lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) has been criminally detained in Beijing for “creating a disturbance.” CHRD […]
Shi Tao was a journalist and poet before he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He wrote for the daily Chinese publication Contemporary Business News, based in Hunan Province. Shi also submitted articles and supplied political commentary to overseas Chinese websites, and was later arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 6-12, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights “Jasmine” Crackdown Continues as Veteran Activist Zhu Yufu is Arrested: Pro-democracy activist Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) was formally arrested this week for “inciting subversion of state power” by officials in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Zhu […]
Rao Wenwei was Chongqing’s youngest political and legal committee secretary before he was summoned for questioning in July 2008. After Rao was arrested the next month, a court secretly tried and convicted him in November 2008 and issued a severe sentence. Rao’s family and attorney were denied visitation throughout his pre-trial detention.
Former Lawyer, Handicapped from Torture, is Criminally Detained (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 14, 2011) Housing rights activist and former lawyer Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) has been criminally detained in Beijing for “creating a disturbance,” CHRD learned today. No information is currently available regarding the fate of her husband Dong Jiqin (董继勤), who was seized […]
In China, the most extensive crackdown against pro-democracy and human rights activists in more than a decade continues with no end in sight.
Since late December, Chinese pro-democracy and human-rights activists have watched, cheered and agonized over the events unfolding in the Arab world. There has been a surge of online traffic, with Chinese activists sharing links to blog posts, photos and YouTube videos in order to show solidarity with protesters in the Middle East.
On International Women’s Day, Wang Songlian calls for an end to the abuses of reproductive health rights under China’s one-child policy
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly March 31-April 5, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights With Disappearance of Ai Weiwei, Crackdown Continues to Escalate: On Sunday, artist and activist Ai Weiwei (艾未未) was seized by police at Beijing’s Capital Airport and prevented from boarding a flight to Hong […]
Ni, a Beijing housing rights activist, has suffered repeated arbitrary detention, torture, intimidation and harassment since 2002. Her home was forcibly demolished in 2008 when authorities in Beijing’s Xicheng District retaliated against her for her human rights activism. She suffers from a number of medical conditions as a result of previous torture.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly March 9-30, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Harsh 10-Year Sentence Handed Down to Sichuan Activist Liu Xianbin: On March 25, the Suining City Intermediate Court in Sichuan Province convicted activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced […]
International Community Must Take Strong and Clear Stance Condemning Rights Violations by the Chinese Government (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 31, 2011) – The Chinese government has criminally detained a total of 26 individuals, disappeared more than 30, and put more than 200 under soft detention since mid-February after anonymous calls for “Jasmine Revolution” protests […]
Ma Lijun, a petitioner from Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, was sent to 18 months of Re-education through Labor (RTL) for “disrupting public order” in retaliation for her longtime petitioning at Zhongnanhai. Ma was serving a 10-day administrative detention for the same alleged offense when the RTL decision was issued.
Lü Jiaping, a dissident military scholar, has been serving a 10-year verdict for “inciting subversion.” In sentencing him in May 2011, a court cited as “evidence” 13 works Lü composed between 2000 and 2010. In particular, the verdict is believed to come in retaliation for Lü’s writings about scandals involving Chinese officials.
Lü Jiangbo, a businessman-turned-village chief from Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, organized residents of Keren Village to defend their rights in the face of illegal land requisition by government officials. Among his activities, he co-authored a public letter to then-Premier Zhu Rongji complaining of the land grabs.
Liu Xianbin, from Suining City in Sichuan Province, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in 1992 for his participation in the 1989 pro-democracy movement. After his release, he dedicated himself to democracy and human rights activism, and in 1998 was a founding member of the Sichuan branch of the China Democracy Party (CDP).
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly March 1-8, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Detentions Continue as Police Remain on High Alert over Protest Calls: With anonymous online postings calling for a third round of “Jasmine Revolution” protests this past weekend, police continued to detain and disappear activists […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 8, 2011) International Women’s Day presents an opportunity to recognize both the important role that women play in the Chinese rights defense (weiquan) movement as well as the persecution faced by Chinese women either as a result of their activism, their relationship to other activists, or because of discriminatory Chinese […]
Detained in September of 2010 and arrested the next month, Li Tie , from Wuhan City in Hubei Province, was tried in April of 2011 but not sentenced until January of 2012. In the decade before his detention, Li had written many online articles promoting democracy, constitutional government, and direct local elections.
The ongoing crackdown on activists following an online call for “Jasmine Revolution” protests is a chilling reminder that defending human rights is a perilous occupation in China. The general environment for China’s human rights defenders (HRDs) deteriorated in 2010. Through reviewing CHRD’s reporting over the past year and surveys conducted with defenders around the country, CHRD finds that activists continued to face severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association as well as the right to an effective remedy. They were routinely subjected to arbitrary detention—CHRD documented a total of 3,544 new incidences of individuals arbitrary detained for exercising or defending their own or others’ human rights in 2010—as well as tortured, disappeared and harassed.
Following a call for peaceful protests in China, Beijing is arresting and disappearing activists in perhaps the most exhaustive crackdown in recent memory. Here are their stories.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly February 23-28, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Pressure on Activists Intensifies; Six Criminal Detentions Confirmed: Police continued to clamp down on human rights defenders across the country in response to another round of anonymous calls for “Jasmine Revolution” protests this week. […]
Born on May 25, 1959, Li Hongwei began her rights defense activities in 2007, when her ancestral home was forcibly demolished without an agreement, proper arrangements, or compensation in place. In retaliation for her petitioning, Li suffered various forms of repression from authorities.
Five Confirmed Criminally Detained in China (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 25, 2011) Only a few days after police began targeting human rights defenders across the country in response to anonymous calls for “Jasmine Revolution” protests, signs are emerging to indicate that the current crackdown may be one of the most severe actions taken by […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly February 15-22, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Police Detain at Least Six in Response to “Jasmine Revolution” Call: After anonymous calls for protests in support of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East and protection for human rights appeared online in the […]
Chinese Government Must Respect Freedoms of Assembly, Expression (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 21, 2010) – After anonymous calls for protests in support of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East and protection for human rights appeared online in the past week, Chinese officials responded with a sweeping crackdown on human rights activists, lawyers, and dissidents […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- February 18, 2011) More than two days after police officers forced open the door to his Beijing home and dragged him away, human rights lawyer Tang Jitian (唐吉田) remains missing. Though officials have stated he is in police custody, they have failed to produce any legal documentation notifying his family of […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly February 9-14, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights After Video Detailing House Arrest is Released, Police Beat Chen Guangcheng and Wife: CHRD learned this week that human rights defender Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) and his wife Yuan Weijing (袁伟静) were beaten by police […]
Uyghur journalist, editor, and writer Hailaite Niyazi was taken from his home in Tacheng Prefecture in Xinjiang in October 2009 on suspicion of endangering state security. Almost 10 months later and without a lawyer present, Niyazi was sentenced to 15 years for “leaking state secrets.”
Beating of Chen Guangcheng, Yuan Weijing Latest in Series of Abuses (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- February 11, 2011) On February 10, CHRD learned from a reliable source that human rights defender Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) and his wife Yuan Weijing (袁伟静) were beaten by police in their Shandong Province home. It is believed that police sought […]
Guo Quan, born May 8, 1968, was an associate professor at Nanjing Normal University in Jiangsu Province before being barred from teaching due to his activism. In December 2007, Guo established the China Xinmin Party (中国新民党) and went on to serve as its spokesperson.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly February 2-8, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlight CHRD is Hiring! CHRD is currently seeking a full-time Research Associate. For more information, please see the full job notice on our website at http://chrdnet.com/2011/02/04/chrd-is-hiring/ Contents Arbitrary Detention On Eve of New Year, Hubei […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly January 25-February 1, 2011 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Chang Ping Removed from Southern Media Group: Outspoken media figure Chang Ping has been asked to leave the Southern Media Group, CHRD learned this week. Chang, a columnist who frequently wrote about social […]
Communique on Harassment of the Relatives of Human Rights Defenders in 2010 1. Li Jinfang (李金芳) and Li Zhuyang (李竹阳), ex-wife and daughter of recently-released democracy activist Qin Yongmin (秦永敏) ● On July 1, fifteen police officers raided the Xianghe County, Hebei Province home of human rights defender Li Jinfang, confiscating 74 items, including human […]
Gao Zhisheng is a former lawyer and director of the Beijing Shengzhi Law Firm, which had its license suspended by the Beijing Bureau of Judiciary Affairs in November 2005. Gao represented defendants who were persecuted for activities tied to the banned sect Falun Gong and unofficial Christian house churches.
Communiqué on behalf of Wang Bingrong, citizen of People’s Republic of China, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Wang (王) 2. First name: Bingrong (兵荣) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): 28 years old at the time of detention 5. Nationality/Nationalities: People’s Republic […]
Karma Samdrup, a prominent Tibetan businessman and environmentalist, was arrested in early 2010 on the charge of excavating and robbing ancient tombs, and later sentenced to 15 years in prison. The alleged crime of “grave-robbing” stemmed from Xinjiang police charging Karma in 1998 with purchasing $10,000 worth of goods.
Sichuan dissident and poet Li Bifeng (李必丰) was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan on a seemingly concocted charge of “contract fraud” in addition to a request to return 3 million yuan that he supposedly embezzled from a company.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly January 19-24, 2011 To download this week’s edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Beijing Court to Hold New Hearing in Case against Artist and Activist Wu Yuren: On January 28, the Chaoyang District Court will hold a new hearing in the case against artist and […]
Originally from Guangxi Province, Chen Xi (aka Chen Youcai [陈友才]) has been a member of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum, which was declared by Guizhou authorities to be an “illegal organization” on December 5, 2011—a week after his most recent arrest and just prior to UN Human Rights Day.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly January 11-18, 2011 To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights U.S. Must Deliver on Promise of Making Human Rights the Guiding Principle of its China Policy: In a statement this week, CHRD urged President Obama to send a strong and clear public message […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 17, 2011) In a speech before the United Nations last fall, President Obama emphasized that “part of the price of our own freedom is standing up for the freedom of others,” stating that “this belief will guide America’s leadership in this 21st century.” During Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to […]
Chen Wei has been frequently harassed by police, placed under tight surveillance, and has had restrictions placed on his movement, including at least one occasion in which he was prevented from leaving the country. Chen was taken into custody during the “Jasmine Revolution” crackdown in February 2011.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly January 4-10, 2011 China Human Rights Briefing January 4-10, 2011 Highlight Hong Kong Activist and Legislator Szeto Wah Passes Away: On January 2, Hong Kong pro-democracy legislator and activist Szeto Wah (司徒华) passed away at the age of 79. Among those honoring his memory this week were a group of […]
Chen Guangcheng, a rural “barefoot lawyer,” campaigned for the rights of villagers and the disabled. He provided free legal consultation to these groups from 1996 until he was detained in the fall of 2005, after he and his wife began to investigate villagers’ claims of excessive violence in the implementation of government birth quotas.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly December 28, 2010 – January 3, 2011 To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Children’s Rights and Food Safety Activist Zhao Lianhai Believed to Be Released: Zhao Lianhai (赵 连海), founder of the online advocacy group Kidney Stone Babies, has been released from […]
Cao Haibo, a worker at an Internet café in Yunnan Province and organizer of a website that promotes democracy, was sentenced to eight years in prison for expressing his political views online. Born in 1985, Cao was detained in October 2011 and later arrested for “inciting subversion of state power.”
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly December 22-27, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Happy Birthday Liu Xiaobo: December 28 is the 55th birthday of Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), activist, intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. This is the third consecutive birthday Liu will spend in detention, and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly December 14-21, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here. Highlights Unidentified Group Attacks Lawyer Zhang Kai on Beijing Road: Beijing human rights lawyer Zhang Kai (张凯) was driving on Beijing’s Third Ring Road the night of December 14 when he was run off the […]
The year 2010 marked the 30th anniversary of China’s family planning policy. In recent years, the government has introduced many exceptions to the “one-child” aspect of the policy, leading to widespread speculation about its status and its future: Are people still bound by the policy, or can they pay their way out of it and have as many children as they want? Will the government relax the policy and allow couples to have more than one child?
Countries that have embassies in Oslo were invited to send representatives to the ceremony, but the Chinese government had aggressively called for a boycott. In the end, forty-five countries attended, but another nineteen—including Russia, Pakistan, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Vietnam—chose to stay away.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly December 8-13, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Nobel Award Ceremony Marked by Empty Chair and Crackdown Domestically: As the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjørn Jagland symbolically placed the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize medal on an empty chair representing Laureate […]
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Should Raise Zhao’s Case During his Mission to China (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 15, 2010)- On December 15, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, begins a 10-day mission to China, the first official visit to China of the Special Rapporteur […]
Neither China’s Liu Xiaobo nor his wife or family or friends will be in Oslo to receive his Peace Prize. Who will speak up for him?
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- December 9, 2010) Zhang Zuhua (张祖桦), Beijing-based human rights and pro-democracy activist and one of the co-drafters and organizers of Charter 08, was abducted off the street this afternoon by Chinese police officers. His kidnapping comes amid a wave of disappearances and threats as the government prepares for tomorrow’s Nobel Peace […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly December 1-7, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights As Petitioners Mark Legal Publicity Day with Mass Gathering, Thousands Seized: The government-organized “Legal Publicity Day,” held annually on December 4 since 2001, has taken on special meaning for Beijing’s petitioner community, who in […]
The International Community Must Reject the Chinese Government’s Open Challenge to Universal Values, Demand Release of All Chinese Prisoners of Conscience (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 9, 2010) – On December 10, Human Rights Day, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony will celebrate the dedication and personal sacrifices of 2010 laureate Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), one of […]
Communiqué on Detention of Chinese Citizen Zhao Lianhai for Advocating on Behalf of Victims of Tainted Milk Powder Scandal To: Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food CC: Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chinese Human Rights Defenders would like to bring to your […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 24-30, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights 12 Years Later, Democracy Leader Qin Yongmin Released from Prison: Prominent democracy activist and human rights defender Qin Yongmin (秦永敏) was released from prison this week following 12 years of incarceration for “subversion of state […]
To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Weekly November 16-23, 2010 Highlights Little-Known Wuhan Activist Charged with “Subversion of State Power:” CHRD learned this week that Li Tie (李铁), a Wuhan City, Hubei Province-based democracy activist and online freelance writer, has been arrested on charges of […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 22, 2010) CHRD learned last week that Li Tie (李铁), a Wuhan City, Hubei Province-based democracy activist and online freelance writer, has been arrested on charges of “subversion of state power.” The Chinese government has in recent years primarily pursued the charge of “subversion” against organizers of opposition parties and […]
To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Weekly November 10-15, 2010 Highlights Children’s Rights Advocate Zhao Lianhai Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Prison: Zhao Lianhai (赵连海), founder of the website Kidney Stone Babies and a leading figure among parents seeking justice after their […]
Editor’s note: The following is a translation of a statement released in Chinese by CHRD on November 14, 2010. For the original text, please see: http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/11/201011142034.shtml According to media reports, leader of the Burmese democracy movement and General Secretary of the National League of Democracy Party Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest […]
To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Weekly November 3-9, 2010 Highlights One Month after Nobel Prize Announcement, Pressure on Activists Continues: The nationwide police mobilization which began on October 8 showed no sign of slowing as CHRD continued to receive reports this week of civil […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly October 26-November 2, 2010 Highlights Elected Fujian Village Director Sentenced to 11 Years for Leading Fight Against Land Grabs: This week, the Jinjiang City Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian Province sentenced successful businessman-turned-village director Lü Jiangbo (吕江波) to 11 years in prison on six charges, including “obstructing official business,” “extortion” […]
One Month after Nobel Announcement, CHRD Urges the Chinese Government to Release Liu Xiaobo (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- November 8, 2010) One month after the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced its decision to award the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned activist and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), the Chinese government continues to clamp down on Liu’s […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 2, 2010) – On October 28, Jinjiang City Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian Province sentenced successful businessman-turned-village director Lü Jiangbo (吕江波) to 11 years in prison. Originally detained on suspicion of “obstructing official business,” Lü was later convicted on five additional charges, ranging from “extortion” to “undermining elections.” Eight other […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly October 19-25, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Harassment of Activists Continues: CHRD continued to collect reports this week of activists, dissidents, and supporters of Liu Xiaobo who have been harassed, placed under police surveillance, or had their movements restricted following the […]
It has been a busy two weeks in China. Last week, my friend, the imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his “long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.” Then nearly two dozen Chinese Communist Party elders—some of them highly ranked officials or retired high officials—published a letter this week blasting the government’s clampdown on free expression.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly October 13-18, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB in a .pdf format, please click here Highlights Police Crack Down on Activists Following Nobel Prize Announcement: In addition to the stories included in the week’s China Human Rights Briefing, CHRD has created a page on our English-language website dedicated to compiling […]
CHRD has compiled a collection of reports documenting how Chinese citizens have reacted to the news that Liu Xiaobo was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, and also how the Chinese government has acted to limit the spread of this information and prevent public or private commemorations of Liu’s achievement.
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly October 5-12, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Liu Xiaobo Awarded 2010 Nobel Peace Prize: On October 8, the Nobel Committee announced it had awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned activist, writer and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波). CHRD hailed the […]
CHRD Hails Decision to Award Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo Chinese government must immediately free Liu and all incarcerated human rights defenders (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 8, 2010) – CHRD hails the Nobel Committee’s announcement and congratulates the imprisoned activist, writer and intellectual, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), on being awarded the 2010 […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly September 30 – October 4, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB in a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Detentions and Harassment Related to National Day Continue through Holiday: With the 61st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China taking place this week, police in Beijing and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly September 22-29, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Chengdu Court protestors sentenced: Ten activists were convicted of “assembling a crowd to disrupt social order” on September 28 for protesting outside the Chengdu City Intermediate Court in 2009. CHRD is dismayed at the […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly September 14-21, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Young AIDS Activist Goes on Trial: AIDS activist Tian Xi (田喜) was tried for “intentional destruction of property” in Henan Province on September 21. About a hundred netizens and activists arrived to show their […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- September 16, 2010) With China’s fifth periodic report to the Committee against Torture (CAT) upcoming, many key problems raised by CAT in 2008 as it considered China’s fourth periodic report have yet to be adequately addressed. In a report to CAT submitted on September 8, CHRD outlines a number of issues […]
September 8, 2010 This submission, prepared by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), raises a number of issues and cases which we urge the Committee against Torture (CAT) to include in the List of Issues (LOI) it will request the Chinese government to address in its fifth periodic report to CAT. This document is also intended […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly September 7-13, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Fujian Village Chief Tried on Trumped-up Charges, Lawyer Harassed: In retaliation for his efforts to organize local villagers against unlawful land expropriation, officials in Fujian Province arrested village chief Lü Jiangbo (吕江波) earlier this […]
Activist Chen Guangcheng Released after Serving Full Sentence Authorities Must Stop Soft Detention and Harassment of Chen and Family (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 9, 2010) –Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), a well-known human rights activist and “barefoot lawyer,” was released today from Linyi Prison in Shandong Province after serving his full term of four years and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly August 24-30, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Villagers Detained over Election Protest: Nine residents of Raolefu Village, located on the outskirts of Beijing, have been detained for participating in a protest on July 27 over the alleged disruption of a village […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly August 17-23, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Young AIDS Activist Tian Xi Arrested in Henan: CHRD learned on August 24 that 23 year-old Henan Province AIDS activist Tian Xi (田喜) has been arrested for “intentional destruction of property.” Tian, who contracted […]
The following is a translation of a public letter signed by a group of Chinese lawyers, activists, and writers concerned over allegations of torture in the Chongqing anti-mafia campaign. For the original text, in Chinese, please click here. Open letter requesting Supreme People’s Court immediately to open an investigation into the use of torture in […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 20, 2010)- This afternoon, the Ziliujing District People’s Court in Zigong City, Sichuan Province convicted human rights defenders Liu Zhengyou (刘正有), Hu Yulan (胡玉兰), Ma Xingquan (马兴权), and Feng Guiqin (冯桂琴) of “fraud.” All four were involved in a group known to local residents as a “non-governmental letters and visits […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly August 10-16, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Procuratorate in Suining City Moves Forward with Prosecution of Liu Xianbin: What has so far been a rapid procession through the criminal procedure system for Sichuan democracy activist and human rightsdefender Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) […]
Communiqué Alleging Torture, Arbitrary Detention, Forced Eviction, Harassment and Intimidation of Human Rights Defender Ni Yulan, Citizen of the People’s Republic of China TO: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing as a Component of the Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly August 3-9, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Liu Xianbin Case on Verge of Transfer to Courts: CHRD learned this week from lawyer Ma Xiaopeng (马小鹏) that the “inciting subversion of state power” case against Sichuan Province democracy activist and human rights […]
To download this report in .pdf format, please click here. Report on Several Issues Raised by the Chinese Government’s Response to the UN Committee Against Torture’s Recommendations for Follow-Up in 2009 Introduction This submission by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) addresses several issues raised by the Chinese government’s response to the request […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly July 27- August 2, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Authorities Move Forward with “Inciting Subversion” Case against Democracy Activist Liu Xianbin: In the past week, CHRD learned that the case against Sichuan democracy activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) had been transferred to […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- August 3, 2010) Last week, following the transfer of Fan Qihang’s (樊奇杭) case to the Supreme People’s Court for a review of his death sentence, Zhu Mingyong (朱明勇), lawyer for the alleged Chongqing mob boss, made public secret recordings in which Fan describes being subjected to months of torture at the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- July 30, 2010) A group of Chinese lawyers and scholars have made public an open letter expressing concern about the “criminalization of speech” in the case of Uyghur journalist Hailaite Niyazi, who was sentenced on July 23 to 15 years in prison for endangering state security (for CHRD’s statement protesting Niyazi’s […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly July 20-26, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Uyghur Journalist Hailaite Niyazi Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison: On July 23, a court in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region sentenced journalist Hailaite Niyazi to 15 years in prison for endangering state security […]
CHRD Protests Harsh and Unjust Sentence for Uyghur Journalist Hailaite Niyazi (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- July 23, 2010) On July 23, a court in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) sentenced journalist Hailaite Niyazi (whose name also sometimes appears as Hairat or Gheyret Niyaz or Niyaze) to 15 years in prison for endangering state security […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly July 14-19, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Authorities Order Closure of Over 100 Influential Blogs: A number of well-known and widely-read scholars, lawyers, and activists had their blogs shut down simultaneously by managers at major internet portals on July 14. While […]
China Human Rights Briefing July 6-12, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Netizens Gather in Support as Sichuan Democracy Activist Liu Xianbin is Formally Arrested for “Inciting Subversion of State Power:” On July 5, Sichuan democracy activist and human rights activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) was formally arrested […]
Update on Case of Sichuan Democracy Activist, Human Rights Defender Liu Xianbin, Formally Arrested for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” TO: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Since our last communiqué, dated June 29, CHRD has learned the following facts regarding the case of Sichuan […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly July 1-5, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Police Raid Home of Human Rights Defender Li Jinfang; Interrogate Her and Daughter: Hebei police raided the home of human rights defender Li Jinfang (李金芳) on July 1, confiscating computer equipment, human rights-related documents, […]
Update on Harassment of Human Rights Defenders affiliated with the NGO CHRD TO: The Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression On June 8, 2010, CHRD submitted a communiqué detailing police raids on […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 1, 2010) Fifteen police officers raided the Xianghe County, Hebei Province home of human rights defender Li Jinfang (李金芳) this afternoon, confiscating 74 items, including human rights-related documents, computer equipment and financial documents. Several officers took Li and her teenage daughter Ar Dan (阿丹) to the Shuyang police station for […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly June 22-30, 2010 For download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Sichuan Democracy Activist Liu Xianbin Criminally Detained for “Inciting Subversion of State Power:” Having already served two jail terms for his activism, the most recent lasting nearly a decade, Sichuan democracy activist Liu Xianbin […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 29, 2010) Little more than a year after he was released following a decade in prison, convicted of “subversion of state power” in 1999, Sichuan democracy activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌) has once again been criminally detained, this time for “inciting subversion of state power.” On June 28, police in Suining […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 28, 2010) On June 29, the Liaoning Provincial High People’s Court (Liaoning HPC) will convene an open court session to hear the appeal of Xia Junfeng (夏俊峰), a street vendor in Shenyang City who was sentenced to death for killing two City Administration and Law Enforcement officials (chengguan) as he […]
A short film by Sun Yat-sen University professor and documentary filmmaker Ai Xiaoming (艾晓明) about Sichuan human rights defender Chen Yunfei (陈云飞), who was recently detained in a black jail between June 17 and June 19, 2011.
China Human Rights Briefing June 15-21, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Beijing Activists Harassed Ahead of Dragon Boat Festival: Beijing police, concerned that local activists and netizens would be gathering together during the Dragon Boat Festival, harassed and briefly detained a number of these individuals in […]
Emergency Shelter (应急避难场所) is filmmaker He Yang’s (何杨) documentary about the persecution faced by Beijing human rights defender Ni Yulan (倪玉兰).
Communiqué Alleging Illegally Prolonged Detention of Human Rights Defender Liu Zhengyou TO: Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Chinese Human Rights Defenders would like to call your attention to the case of Liu Zhengyou, a human rights defender currently detained in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, People’s […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly June 8-14, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights CHRD Website Suffers Another DDOS Attack: CHRD’s Chinese-language website, http://crd-net.org, was once again been targeted by a Directed Denial-of-Service (DDOS) attack. The site was inaccessible between midnight on June 12 and morning of June […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly June 1-7, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights 21st Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre Marked by Harassment, Detentions, Silence: This year, the 21st anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, the Chinese government once again refused to openly and truthfully address the events of June […]
Tan Zuoren’s Harsh Sentence Upheld by Sichuan High Court (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 9, 2010) The Sichuan Provincial High People’s Court announced this morning that it had upheld the judgment of activist and environmentalist Tan Zuoren (谭作人). Tan was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” in February 2010 and sentenced to five years […]
Communique on Harassment of Human Rights Defenders Affiliated with the NGO CHRD TO: The Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, and The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression In the past three months, police in Beijing and Hefei City, Anhui Province have […]
Disbarment (吊照门) is a film chronicling the case of human rights lawyers Tang Jitian and Liu Wei, whose lawyers’ licenses were revoked by Beijing authorities in 2010 in what CHRD believes is a clear case of retaliation against the pair for defending “sensitive” clients.
Tiananmen Anniversary Marked by Harassment, Detentions, and Official Silence (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 3, 2010) On the eve of the 21st anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, the Chinese government continues to refuse to openly and truthfully address the events of June 4, 1989, and persists in its efforts to silence Chinese citizens who seek […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly May 25-31, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Homeless Rights Activist Ni Yulan and Husband Harassed, Detained in Beijing: Between May 26 and 28, Beijing human rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) and her husband were harassed on multiple occasions by Beijing police […]
China Human Rights Briefing May 18-24, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Beijing Tax Officials Launch New Investigation into Aizhixing: Prominent Beijing-based HIV/AIDS NGO Aizhixing has once again been targeted for inspection by Beijing tax officials. On the morning of May 19, two inspectors from the Beijing […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly May 11-17, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Beijing Writer and Activist Wang Debang Interrogated, Home Searched: Beijing police searched the home of Beijing-based writer and human rights activist Wang Debang (王德邦) on May 11, confiscating a computer. At the same time, […]
A video produced by Jamil Anderlini for The Financial Times looks at the case of Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑) as a means of examining contemporary internet activism in China.
Crackdown on Civil Society Continues (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 13, 2010) On the afternoon of May 11, officers from the National Security Unit under the Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) took freelance writer and human rights activist Wang Debang (王德邦) from his home in southwest Beijing and interrogated him for approximately four hours. While […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 10, 2010) On May 13, the governments of China and the United States are set to hold the next round of talks in the U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue. These dialogues, which have been held on 12 previous occasions since 1989, are widely viewed as not having yielded any substantive results. […]
China Human Rights Briefing May 4-10, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Beijing Human Rights Lawyers Have Licenses Revoked: Beijing human rights lawyers Tang Jitian (唐吉田) and Liu Wei (刘巍) were informed on the morning of May 7 that the Beijing Bureau of Justice had formally revoked […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 27- May 3, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Detentions, Harassment Continue as World Expo Opens: As CHRD reported in an April 28 press release, officials in Shanghai and around the country have been detaining, harassing, and threatening activists, dissidents, and […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 28, 2010) As the 2010 Shanghai World Expo opens on May 1, conspicuously absent from the festivities will be the residents of Shanghai who have lost their homes, businesses, and freedom to exercise their rights in the government’s drive to bring its ambitious plans for the Expo to fruition. Ahead […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 20-26, 2010 To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights Hearing Held Regarding License Revocation for Two Human Rights Lawyers: On April 22, human rights lawyers Liu Wei (刘巍) and Tang Jitian (唐吉田) attended a hearing concerning the proposed revocation of their licenses by […]
Executive Summary During 2009, the environment in China grew increasingly hostile towards human rights defenders. Highlighted by the harassment of a number of well-known, relatively independent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focusing on human rights, and the closure of one-the Open Constitution Initiative (Gongmeng)-the already limited space for civil society was restricted even further in 2009. […]
Hearing on Revocation of Lawyers’ Licenses Ends without Decision, Lawyers Condemn Baseless Punishment (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 22, 2010) -About 200 lawyers, activists and petitioners gathered outside of the building of the Beijing Bureau of Justice (BBJ) this morning in a show of strong support to human rights lawyers Liu Wei (刘巍) and Tang […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly April 13-19, 2010 Please click here for a pdf version Highlights Internet Activists Sentenced for Online Posting: Three internet activists from Fujian Province were convicted of “slander” and sentenced to between one and two years of imprisonment on April 16. The three were punished for posting online articles and video […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- April 16, 2010) Fujian activists Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑) were convicted of “slander” today for posting articles and video online urging government officials to investigate the alleged rape and murder of a young woman. Fan, who is seriously ill, was sentenced to two years in […]
Questionnaire to be Completed by Persons Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention of Human Rights Defender, PRC Citizen Hu Jia To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Hu 2. First name: Jia 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): 34 5. Nationality/Nationalities: People’s Republic […]
Police Raid Home of Beijing Activist Gu Chuan as Pressure on Human Rights Defenders Increases (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- April 9, 2010) Plainclothes police officers seized writer and human rights activist Gu Chuan (古川) as he left his Beijing home this morning, taking him in for seven hours of interrogation. While Gu was being questioned, […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- April 8, 2010) According to his wife, Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), imprisoned human rights activist Hu Jia (胡佳) may be suffering from liver cancer. Zeng, who has applied to prison officials in Beijing for Hu’s release on medical parole, describes in documents obtained by CHRD how Hu’s health has steadily worsened during […]
China Human Rights Briefing Weekly March 31-April 6, 2010 To download this week’s edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here Highlights CHRD’s website still inaccessible, temporary website also attacked: CHRD’s Chinese-language website, www.crd-net.org, remains inaccessible following directed denial of service (DDoS) attacks which began on March 25. On April 4, CHRD opened […]
To download this week’s edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing March 23-30, 2010 Highlights CHRD Website Hacked on Heels of Google, Go Daddy Statements: CHRD’s Chinese-language website, www.crd-net.org, was targeted for the second time this year by a series of directed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. These […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 29, 2010) CHRD’s Chinese-language website, http://www.crd-net.org, has been rendered inaccessible for more than four days by a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, the worst such attacks in the site’s history. Hackers launched attacks against servers hosting the site beginning March 25, and as of the time of writing, they […]
China Human Rights Yearbook 2009 The year 2009 concluded on a grim note for human rights advocates in China: by sentencing dissident intellectual Liu Xiaobo to an 11-year prison term, the government signaled a harsher attitude towards those seeking to promote human rights than has been the case for some years past. Liu’s only “crimes” […]
To download this week’s edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing March 16-22, 2010 Highlights Surprising those who were expecting a verdict to be issued, the Mawei District Court in Fuzhou sent the case against rights activists Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑) back […]
To download this week’s edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing March 9-15, 2010 Highlights: CHRD learned this week that the Mawei District Court in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province will announce a verdict in the case against activists Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑) […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- March 11, 2010) On March 10, Beijing police interrogated human rights defender Xie Qiang (谢强) for the second time in as many weeks. Nine days earlier, on March 1, police raided his home, seizing computers and personal property. Xie, a signatory to and promoter of Charter 08, is currently under “soft […]
Questionnaire Completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders Alleging Torture, Arbitrary Detention of Human Rights Defender, PRC Citizen Fan Yanqiong To: The Special Rapporteur on Torture or Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention I. Identity 1. Family name: Fan (范) 2. First name: Yanqiong (燕琼) 3. Sex: […]
China Human Rights Briefing March 2-8, 2010 Highlights Harassment of Sensitive Individuals Continues as Government Meetings Begin: CHRD has documented more than 60 cases of individuals around the country harassed, detained, or subjected to restrictions on their movement by officials during the “Two Meetings” of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the […]
China Human Rights Briefing February 26- March 1, 2010 Headlines Jilin Government Website Details Targeting of Political Publications during “Anti-Pornography” Campaign Hubei Teachers’ Organizer Released from RTL, Compensated after 3 Months of Detention Hunger Strike by Death Row Inmates Underlines Use of Torture, Failure of Courts Officials Increase Harassment of “Sensitive” Individuals Ahead of NPC, […]
Headlines Citizens’ Actions Artists March on Chang’an Avenue to Protest against Forced Eviction Freedom of Expression Kunming Dissident Questioned over Support for Charter 08, Liu Xiaobo Site Devoted to Academic Exchange Blocked Forced Demolition and Eviction Beijing Police Meet With Artists Following 2/22 Protest, Discuss Forced Evictions Jiangsu Man Sentenced to Five Months in Prison […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- February 26, 2010) CHRD has learned that three death row inmates are staging a hunger strike in a Jiangxi prison to draw attention to their convictions, which have been upheld despite a lack of evidence and shocking abuses perpetrated by police assigned to their case. Fang Chunping (方春平), Huang Zhiqiang (黄志强), […]
Arbitrary Detention Shanghai Activist Tong Guojing Sent to RTL on Eve of Chinese New Year Harassment of Activists Feng Zhenghu Returns Home Beijing Police Break up Food Distribution for Stranded Petitioners, Briefly Detain Volunteer Labor Rights Many Workers Injured, One Critically, Following Protest over Unpaid Wages Forced Eviction and Demolition Guangxi Villagers Injured by Hired […]
China Human Rights Briefing February 6-11, 2010 Headlines Arbitrary Detention Tan Zuoren Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” Shenzhen Worker Sentenced to 1.5 Years for “Subversion of State Power” Sentence Upheld for Liu Xiaobo; Beijing Activists Prevented from Attending Hearing Conviction Upheld Without Hearing for Chengdu Activist Huang Qi […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 30-February 5, 2010 Harassment of Activists Beijing Dissidents Cha Jianguo and Gao Hongming Subjected to Soft Detention Forced Eviction and Demolition Two Jiangsu Residents Seriously Injured in Forced Eviction Six Injured in Clash between Developer and Landholders in Guangxi Legal Rights Appeals Hearing for Li Zhuang Concludes Following Surprising Change […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 11, 2010) – CHRD learned today that the Beijing Municipal High Court rejected the appeal of Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), China’s best-known dissident intellectual and human rights activist. Liu was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to eleven years in prison on December 25, 2009. Liu’s lawyers Shang […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders- February 9, 2010) Tan Zuoren (谭作人), human rights activist and environmentalist, was sentenced today to five years in prison with an additional three years’ deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power” in Chengdu, Sichuan. According to his lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), the court convicted Tan for attempting to […]
To download the complete report in PDF format, please click here Thrown Out: Human Rights Abuses in China’s Breakneck Real Estate Development Published on February 9, 2010 Some of the most striking images to come out of China in recent memory—a lone house perched atop a column of dirt in the center of a vast […]
Jail Sentence Upheld for Activist Huang Qi (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 8, 2010) – CHRD learned today that Chengdu City Intermediate Court rejected the appeal of human rights activist and director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com), Huang Qi (黄琦). Huang was convicted of “illegal possession of state secrets” and sentenced to three years […]
Communiqué on Extradicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Execution of PRC Citizen Gan Jinhua To: Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions I. Identity of the person concerned: 1. Family name: Gan (甘) 2. First name: Jinhua (锦华) 3. Sex: male 4. Birth date or age: Feb 23, 1977 5. Nationality: Chinese 6. Civil […]
China Human Rights Briefings January 23-29, 2010 Headlines Freedom of Expression “China Public Watchdog Net” Attacked by Hackers Five Chinese Activist Web sites Attacked by Hackers Legal Rights Update: Anti-Discrimination Lawsuit against Family Planning Bureau to Be Heard Next Thursday Guangzhou Court Hears Lawsuit from Lawyer Deprived of License Arbitrary Detention Disappeared Shenzhen Activist Guo […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 14-22, 2010 Headlines Arbitrary Detention Imprisoned Lawyer and Torture Victim Wang Yonghang Meets with Lawyers for First Time Longtime Petitioner Guo Qinghua Detained Case Against Sichuan Activist Liu Zhengyou Transferred to Procuratorate Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng “Missing,” Say Beijing Authorities Legal Rights Court Rejects Request for an Appeal Hearing […]
China Human Rights Briefing January 7-13, 2010 Headlines Legal Rights Lawyer Li Zhuang Sentenced to Two and Half Years in Prison for “Fabricating Evidence and Obstructing Testimony” Freedom of Expression Sichuan Activist Chen Wei Summoned over Online Articles, Petitions Harassment of Activists Beijing Activist Gu Chuan Prevented from Leaving China Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 31, 2009- January 6, 2010 Headlines Freedom of Expression Liu Xiaobo Files for Appeal State Security Police Disrupt Internet Service of Hunan Dissident Zhang Shanguang Former Czech President Havel Delivers Letter Demanding Release of Liu Xiaobo to Chinese Embassy Entry on Liu Xiaobo Deleted from Chinese Online Portal Douban.com Torture […]
Five Chinese Activists Websites Attacked by Hackers (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 25, 2010)- The websites of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), Independent Chinese Pen (ICPC), New Century News, Canyu and Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch (CRLW) were attacked by hackers of unknown origin between January 23 and 24. The attacks on CHRD’s website started […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 24-30, 2009 Arbitrary Detention More than 50 Days after Trial, No Verdict for Fujian Activists as Fan Yanqionq’s Health Worsens Sentences Upheld for Activist Duan Chunfang and Dissident Guo Quan Following Closed Appeals Liu Xiaobo Meets with Lawyers for First Time since Sentence, Plans to Appeal Legal Rights Li Zhuang, […]
Liu Xiaobo Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison Conviction Signals Increased Political Intolerance, Makes a Mockery of Rule of Law (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 25, 2009) – Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), China’s best-known dissident intellectual, was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” today by the Beijing No. 1 Municipal Court. Liu was sentenced to […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 19-23, 2009 Freedom of Expression/Right to a Fair Trial Liu Xiaobo Tried for “Inciting Subversion of State Power;” Verdict Expected on Friday Over One Hundred Gather Outside Courthouse, Trial Followed Closely on Twitter Police Seize Supporters and Petitioners; Total Numbers Unknown Harassment of Activists On Eve of Liu Xiaobo’s Trial, […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 12-18, 2009 Arbitrary Detention Shandong RTL Officials Bar Visits to Detained Activist Zhang Jinfeng Detained Sichuan Activist Liu Zhengyou Meets with Lawyer for First Time Update: Activist Chen Yunfei Released After Six Days of Detention Hubei Petitioners Forcibly Returned from Beijing, Detained in Black Jail Second Court Hearing Held in […]
Urgent Action Liu Xiaobo to be Tried for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” on December 23 (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- December 21, 2009) CHRD has learned that detained activist and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) will be tried for “inciting subversion of state power” at 9 am on December 23 at Beijing Number One Intermediate People’s […]
Procuratorate Delivers Indictment against Liu Xiaobo, Trial Date to Be Set (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 11, 2009)- The Beijing Municipal Procuratorate has formally indicted activist and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), initiating prosecution against him for “inciting subversion of state power.” His case will be heard by Beijing Number One Intermediate People’s Court, though a […]
China Human Rights Briefing December 5-11, 2009 Headlines Freedom of Expression Liu Xiaobo’s Case Transferred to Procuratorate after One Year in Detention Drafting of Charter 08 Called “Criminal” in PSB’s Case against Liu Xiaobo Guangdong Professor Loses Job Because of Political Expression Arbitrary Detention Beijing Court Sentences “Black Jail” Guard to Eight Years in Prison […]
Urgent Action Human Rights Day in China: Liu Xiaobo Accused of “Major Crime” for Drafting Charter 08 (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 9, 2009) – According to documents submitted by the Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) to the Beijing Municipal Procuratorate at the conclusion of the PSB’s investigation, detained activist and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) […]
Urgent Action In Letters Smuggled out of Prison, Journalist Qi Chonghuai Details Abuses (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- December 9, 2009) CHRD has obtained copies of letters written by imprisoned journalist Qi Chonghuai (齐崇淮) which detail the torture, beatings, and hard labor to which he has been subjected over the past two and half years. A […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 27-December 4, 2009 Headlines Freedom of Expression Hunan Rights Activist Seized for Reporting on Official’s Death Xi’an Activist Harassed after Interviews with Foreign Media Guangzhou Human Rights Lawyer Interrogated by Police for Lecturing on Twitter Freedom of the Press British TV Reporters Seized by Police in Wuhan Following Interview with […]
As Charter 08 Anniversary Nears, Liu Xiaobo Languishes Behind Bars without Trial (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 3, 2009) On the official website of Charter 08, two numbers are prominently displayed. One—over 10,000—documents the number of individuals who have signed the document and lent their support to its call for democratization and protection of human […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 21-27, 2009 Headlines Arbitrary Detention Despite Scheduled Surgery, Police Detain Activist during Obama’s Visit Qianjiang Police Detain One, Injure at Least Two in Clash with Villagers Shenzhen Police Detain Workers Petitioning over Workplace-Related Illness Hubei Petitioner Released after Fourth Detention in Psychiatric Hospital Former Tiananmen Prisoner Released from Psychiatric Hospital […]
A documentary chronicles human rights activist Feng Zhenghu’s fight to return to China. Feng, an economist, writer and blogger, left China in April 2009 after being jailed in Shanghai, but then was refused re-entry and remained in Narita International Airport in protest.
Police Roughly Handle and Take Away Human Rights Lawyer Jiang Tianyong (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 19, 2009) – At 7:40am this morning, Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, was roughly handled and mistreated by the policemen and security guards guarding him during US President Obama’s visit. Following the incident, Jiang was taken […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 14-20, 2009 Headlines Arbitrary Detention Update: Jiang Tianyong Released after “Summons For Questioning on Suspicion of ‘Beating Others’” Former Student Leader Zhou Yongjun Hastily Tried in Sichuan after More than One Year of Detention Court to Announce Verdict in Trial of Sichuan Activist Huang Qi on Monday Beijing Activist Li […]
As Obama Arrives in China, Police “Tuck away” Activists for Fear of Contact (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 16, 2009) Police across the country have clamped down on activists, veteran petitioners, and dissidents as US President Obama arrives in China to begin a four-day visit, placing individuals under “soft detention,”[1] taking them into custody, or […]
Land Rights Activist Liu Zhengyou Criminally Detained on Suspicion of “Fraud” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 12, 2009) – Around one on November 11, Sichuan activist Liu Zhengyou (刘正有) was taken from his home by local police, and shortly thereafter criminally detained on suspicion of “fraud.” Eight officers also searched Liu’s apartment and copied the […]
Trial of Three Fujian Rights Activists Marred by Irregularities Case Hinges on Internet Reporting; Free Speech on Trial (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 11, 2009) – A Fuzhou court tried three human rights activists—Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑)—for “making false accusations” this afternoon in Fujian Province. Officials allowed only two […]
China Human Rights Briefing November 7-13, 2009 Contents: Harassment of Activists Sichuan Activist Chen Yunfei Twice Briefly Detained, Interrogated for Anti-Corruption Billboard Obstruction of Justice Seeking Justice in Court, Father of Tainted Milk Victim Detained Briefly Arbitrary Detention Guizhou Activists Liao Shuangyuan and Wu Yuqin Detained Activist Liu Zhengyou Formally Detained, Family Receives Notice Heilongjiang […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 31-November 6 Week in Review The plight of petitioners detained in ‘black jails’, as well as their resistance against such form of arbitrary detention, were highlighted by three cases CHRD documented this week: Liaoning petitioner Wang Tianlai, who were severely beaten in a Beijing black jail; three Zhejiang petitioners who […]
Several Activists and Dissidents Languish in Detention despite Serious Illnesses Yang Tongyan’s case highlights official practice to delay or deny requests for release for treatment (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 5, 2009) – Several cases that CHRD has recently documented, including the latest news that imprisoned dissident writer Yang Tongyan (杨同彦, aka Yang Tianshui [杨天水]) […]
Torture Victim Denied Justice as Authorities Refuse to Investigate Allegations (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 2, 2009)- It has been nearly three years since Wang Jinyong (王进勇) was allegedly subjected to eight days and nights of torture while in police custody in Linyi City, Shandong Province. And yet, despite clear medical and physical evidence of […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting Human Rights Developments from the Grassroots October 24-30, 2009 Week in Review Chongqing courts heard two important appeals cases this week, though both concluded without verdicts. On October 28, the Fuling District Number Three Intermediate Court heard an administrative lawsuit filed by activist Chen Yang (陈杨), a rare challenge to […]
Has China Relaxed Media Control since the Beijing Olympics? Synopsis of a Recent CHRD-Assisted Report on Evolving Trends in Public Discourse, Released Last Week (in Chinese Only) The Olympic Games did not prove to be a catalyst for increased media freedom domestically as some had hoped. However, as this new report finds, reporters and netizens […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting Human Rights Developments from the Grassroots October 17-23, 2009 Week in Review Duan Chunfang, a Shanghai petitioner-turned-activist who has been detained since July, was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for “obstructing official business” by a Shanghai court on October 23. Court officials barred nearly 300 Shanghai residents from attending […]
“Our Children (我们的娃娃)” is a documentary about the 2008 Sichuan earthquake that focuses on the experiences of parents whose children were killed when their schools collapsed, and is dedicated to the memory of the children who lost their lives in the disaster.
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting Human Rights Developments from the Grassroots Highlights from the Past Week Scale of Pre-October 1st Crackdown Unprecedented: CHRD now estimates that over one thousand (and possibly several thousand ) activists, dissidents, and petitioners were detained in relation to the October 1 celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of […]
Deaths Highlight Continued Problem of Torture, Poor Oversight in Detention Facilities (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 6, 2009) CHRD has recently learned of three cases of individuals who died allegedly as a result of torture or ill-treatment while in custody, cases which highlight continued problems with the management of detention facilities, the use of violence […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots September 28-October 4, 2009 Editorial The Chinese government’s deep sense of insecurity and fear of dissent was on display this past week alongside the massive military parades and floats which marked […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots September 7-27, 2009 Highlights · The defining theme of the month of September has been the large-scale mobilization of police across the country to “secure” the capital for the upcoming 60th […]
Chinese Government Tightens the Screws Ahead of National Day (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 30, 2009) – On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese government has implemented a number of drastic repressive measures to increase its control over citizens’ expression and personal liberties. Officials […]
Chengdu Police and Court Flout Law in “Truly Disgraceful” Trial of Tan Zuoren CHRD Protests Beating and Detention of Witnesses, Abuse of Tan’s Legal Rights (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- August 12, 2009) As more information about today’s trial of Tan Zuoren (谭作人) for “inciting subversion of state power” becomes available, CHRD is increasingly dismayed at […]
‘Investigation Period’ Extended for Detained Activist Intellectual Liu Xiaobo (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 1, 2009) – On August 31, detained Beijing writer and intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) met with his lawyers Ding Xihui (丁锡奎) and Shang Baojun (尚宝军) for the third time since his detention began last December. The lawyers revealed to CHRD that […]
Human Rights Defenders Prevented from Attending Training on UN Mechanisms in Geneva – Chinese Authorities Violate Right to Participate in International Human Rights Activities For the fourth consecutive year, Chinese officials have prevented Chinese human rights activists from leaving the country to attend a training program on the UN Human Rights mechanisms organized by the […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 31- September 6, 2009 Highlights: Human Rights and Democracy Activist Xie Changfa Receives Harsh Sentence: After over a year of detention, Xie Changfa (谢长发), a China Democracy Party organizer turned […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 24-30, 2009 Highlights: Torture and Arrest of Lawyer Latest Attack on Legal Professionals by Officials This week brought yet another case of a human rights lawyer being attacked by officials, […]
Communiqué to UN Human Rights Special Procedures from Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Torture and Cruel, Degrading, and Inhumane Treatment of Human Rights Defender Yuan Xianchen, citizen of People’s Republic of China To:Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment The Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders The […]
Debarred Lawyer Tortured and Arrested in Northeastern China (Chinese Huma Rights Defenders, August 27, 2009)- CHRD learned today that Wang Yonghang (王永航), a former lawyer from Dalian City, Liaoning Province, has been formally arrested for “using a cult to damage social and legal system”. When Wang was taken into police custody on July 4, he […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 17-23, 2009 To download this edition of CHRB as a PDF file, please click here HIGHLIGHTS Persistent torture: Ten months after the UN Committee against Torture recommended the Chinese government “take immediate steps to prevent acts of torture and ill-treatment throughout the country”, […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 10-16, 2009 Highlights Xu Zhiyong Reportedly Arrested: According to one unconfirmed source, Xu Zhiyong (许志永), the detained director of the Open Constitution Initiative (Gongmeng), has been formally arrested on the […]
Communiqué to UN Human Rights Special Procedures from Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Torture and Cruel, Degrading, and Inhumane Treatment of Wang Mingliang, citizen of People’s Republic of China To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment I. Identity of the person(s) subjected to torture A. Family […]
Communiqué to UN Human Rights Special Procedures from Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Torture and Cruel, Degrading, and Inhumane Treatment of Ding Baogui, citizen of People’s Republic of China To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention I. Identity of the person(s) […]
Police Bar Public from Attending Trial of Earthquake Investigator Tan Zuoren (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 12, 2009)– Tan Zuoren (谭作人), a Sichuan activist detained for “inciting subversion of state power”, was tried today by the Chengdu City Intermediate People’s Court in Sichuan Province. The trial was practically closed to the public. The trial started […]
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 3-9, 2009 Highlights Gongmeng Prevented from Paying Fines; Director and Staffer Still Held: Gongmeng’s remaining organizers are calling for donations to help pay the banned organization’s enormous fine of 1.42 […]
Reining in Civil Society: The Chinese government’s use of laws and regulations to persecute freedom of association While the Chinese government outwardly employs rhetoric about moving towards “greater rule of law”, it has become more skillful in persecuting individuals who organize outside of its control with the use of vague laws, regulations and tax codes. […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 27- August 2, 2009 Highlights · Targeting of Rights Organizations: Just as activists are coming to grips with the news that the well-known legal-aid organization Open Constitution Initiative (OCI) was given an enormous fine and then forcibly closed by the authorities in mid-July, […]
Three Fujian Activists Formally Arrested for Alleging Official Misconduct (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 4, 2009)— CHRD has learned that three veteran human rights activists from Fujian — Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英) and You Jingyou (游精佑, known online as He Suoge [赫索格]) — have been formally arrested for “making false charges” (诬告陷害). It […]
CHRD learned today that Xu Zhiyong (许志永), director of the recently-banned legal aid center Open Constitution Initiative (also known as Gongmeng [公盟]), was taken away by the police around 5am on July 29, Beijing local time. His whereabouts are currently unknown. Efforts to contact him have been unsuccessful as his cell phone has been switched off.
To download this edition of CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 20-26, 2009 Highlights In the latest case of an activist being punished merely for planning to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, CHRD learned this week that Zhejiang […]
Huang Qi Reportedly Ill in Detention, Denied Access to Medical Attention (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 28, 2009) –CHRD confirmed today that Huang Qi (黄琦), detained human rights activist and director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com), is ill in detention and being denied access to medical attention. Huang’s application for release on bail has […]
On July 17, agents of Beijing’s Civil Affairs Bureau raided and closed the office of the Open Constitution Initiative, a local nongovernmental organization. This center had been the primary meeting place for China’s nascent movement of “rights lawyers,” in which I have been an active participant. There are not too many of us.
Communiqué to UN Human Rights Special Procedures from Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Torture and Cruel, Degrading, and Inhumane Treatment, and Arbitrary Detention of Chen Qingxia, citizen of People’s Republic of China To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention […]
Environmentalist and Daughter Sent to Re-education through Labor Camps (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 16, 2009) – Sun Xiaodi (孙小弟), a Gansu environmental activist and recipient of the 2006 Nuclear-Free Future Award, has been sent to two years of Re-education through Labor (RTL). Sun’s daughter, Sun Haiyan (孙海燕, also known as Sun Dunbai [孙敦白]), has […]
Three Lawyers Detained for Defending Falun Gong Practitioners (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- July 15, 2009) CHRD learned today that three lawyers in different locations in Northeastern China have been detained in recent weeks by local authorities. The three, Liu Ruiping (刘如平), Wang Yonghang (王永航), and Wang Ping (王平), who have previously been harassed because of […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 1-15, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Less than a month before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government is taking security measures against activists and potential protesters on a scale unseen since the period immediately after the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989. Many vocal activists such as Hu […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 6 – 12, 2009 Highlights More information about the persecution of individuals trying to observe the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen massacre continues to surface. CHRD learned on July 11 that Ning Wenzhong (宁文忠), an internet writer based in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, who […]
Chinese Government Must Allow Reporting and Investigation of Urumqi Violence Impartial Observation Critical to Ending Rights Abuses and Easing Ethnic Tension (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- July 6, 2009) In the aftermath of a day of violence sparked by the bloody suppression of protests in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, little is known of the specifics […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 29-July 5 HIGHLIGHTS On July 1, police detained and searched the home of Fuqing City, Fujian Province activist Wu Huaying (吴华英). This appears to be the latest in a series of actions taken against activists whom officials believe are responsible for publicizing information […]
Licenses of 18 Rights Lawyers Still not Renewed a Month after Deadline (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- July 2, 2009) A month after the May 31 deadline for lawyers to pass the annual review necessary for renewal of their licenses, at least eighteen human rights lawyers have not had their licenses renewed. “The Chinese authorities are […]
Urgent Appeal Alleging Arbitrary Detention to Penalize Freedom of Expression of PRC Candidate/Human Rights Defender Liu Xiaobo To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Liu (刘) 2. First name: Xiaobo (晓波) 3. Sex: Male 4. […]
Fujian Activist Detained for Alleging Official Misconduct (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 30, 2009) – On June 26, Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), a human rights defender from Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, was taken into police custody after she posted articles online alleging official misconduct and cover-ups in the case of a young woman’s death in Minqing […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 22-28 Highlights The formal arrest of Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), Charter 08 signatory and prominent intellectual, signals that the Chinese government has taken a hard-line approach towards suppressing the latest wave of the pro-democracy movement ushered in by Charter 08, the democratic reform manifesto. […]
First posted on June 26, 2009 Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China (2008) Introduction The year 2008 was marked by a number of events in China of national and international significance, including the March protests in Tibetan areas, the Beijing Olympics, the Sichuan earthquake and the tainted milk scandal. Woven […]
Arrested Dissident Writer Liu Xiaobo Meets with Lawyers for First Time Lawyer Mo Shaoping Barred from Handling Case for Having Signed Charter 08 (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 26, 2009) This afternoon, Shang Baojun (尚宝军) and Ding Xikui (丁锡奎), lawyers from Beijing’s Mo Shaoping Law Firm, met with detained dissident writer and activist Liu Xiaobo […]
Environmental Activist Sun Xiaodi and Daughter Detained for “Providing State Secrets Overseas” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- June 25, 2009)- CHRD learned on June 24 that Sun Xiaodi (孙小弟), a Gansu environmental activist and recipient of the 2006 Nuclear-Free Future Award, has been criminally detained on suspicion of “illegally providing state secrets overseas”. Sun’s daughter, Sun […]
Liu Xiaobo Formally Arrested for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders—June 24, 2009) – CHRD learned today that Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), signatory of Charter 08 and prominent intellectual, was formally arrested for “inciting subversion of state power” on June 23. He had been detained since December 8, 2008. Police from the Beijing […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots Please click here to download the full CHRB June 15-21, 2009 in PDF format Highlights Author and environmentalist Tan Zuoren (谭作人), detained since March 28, was prevented from meeting with his lawyers by National Security authorities in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. Beijing lawyers Pu […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 8-14, 2009 Highlights While the majority of activists and dissidents who suffered detention or surveillance during the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre are now back to living their lives as normal, some continue to be subjected to residential surveillance or round-the-clock police […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 1-7, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS · As feared, at least twenty Beijing lawyers have not had their licenses renewed after officials pressured their employers to “fail” them during their annual performance review, which concluded on May 31. It is believed that the lawyers are being […]
On the night of June 3-4, 1989, troops of China’s People’s Liberation Army moved into Beijing to crush the pro-democracy demonstrations that began in April of that year. In parks, streets, subway stations, and even hospitals and homes, innocent ordinary Chinese men and women were murdered by their government.
Police Detain and Harass Activists on Eve of Tiananmen Anniversary (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 4, 2009) – CHRD has documented the cases of sixty-five activists who have been subjected to harassment from officials in order to prevent them from organizing or taking part in activities commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre. These individuals have been taken […]
THE LEGACY OF TIANANMEN: 20 YEARS OF OPPRESSION, ACTIVISM AND HOPE Chinese Human Rights Defenders June 1, 2009 Twenty years since the Tiananmen massacre, the Chinese government refuses to accept responsibility, much less apologize or offer compensation, for killing, injuring, imprisoning and persecuting individuals for participating in peaceful protests. The number of the victims, and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots May 18- May 31, 2009 Highlights In the final days before the twentieth anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, officials across the country intensified their efforts to prevent any commemoration of the date. CHRD has documented the cases of 65 activists harassed by police and […]
Lawyers Face Revocation of their Licenses for Defending Human Rights (Chinese Human Rights Defenders – May 25, 2009)—CHRD learned today that law firms employing some of the most vocal human rights lawyers in China have been pressed by the local authorities to “fail” the lawyers in the annual evaluation of their performances. If this happens, […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots May 11-17, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS In a startling case of police brutality and disregard for the law, police in Jiangjin District, Chongqing, beat and detained Beijing lawyers Zhang Kai (张凯) and Li Chunfu (李春富) on March 13. Zhang and Li are representing the family of […]
Beijing Dissident Jiang Qisheng Taken away for Interrogation, Second Time within Two Months (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 15, 2009) At about 5:40 in the afternoon on May 15, officers from the National Security Unit under the Haidian District Public Security Bureau in Beijing summoned and searched the home of Dr. Jiang Qisheng (江棋生), a […]
Police Beat and Detain Lawyers Representing Family of Man Who Died in RTL Camp (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- May 13, 2009) Around 4 pm on the afternoon of May 13, Beijing lawyers Zhang Kai (张凯) and Li Chunfu (李春富) were beaten by a group of police officers from the Jiangjin District Public Security Bureau in […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots May 4-10, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS With the one-year anniversary of the Sichuan earthquake approaching, government pressure on activists remains high. CHRD learned this week that Tan Zuoren (谭作人), an environmentalist and writer who was detained on March 28 for mobilizing volunteers to conduct an independent […]
Chinese Government, Having Failed to Honor its Previous Commitments, Has Disqualified Itself for UN Human Rights Council Chinese Human Rights Defenders May 8, 2009 On May 12, 2009, the 63rd UN General Assembly will decide in a secret ballot of all member states if China, among other candidates seeking to be re-elected for membership, is […]
One Year after Earthquake, Silence Imposed on Schoolchildren Deaths, Activists Harassed Chinese Human Rights Defenders May 4, 2009 As the first anniversary of the devastating May 12 Sichuan Earthquake approaches, parents of children who died buried under collapsed schools have found little solace as officials continue to obstruct efforts to review the causes and consequences […]
Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 27- May 3, 2009 Highlights One month before the 20th anniversary of the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, the tension continues to grow. Police in major cities are keeping rights […]
Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 20-26, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS More than four months after it was issued, Chinese officials continue to regard Charter 08 as a threat to their rule. On April 20, Wuxi City police arrived […]
China’s “Human Rights Action Plan”: Long Awaited, Short in Substance On April 13, the State Council Information Office issued China’s first National Human Rights Action Plan (available in English here). While CHRD welcomes the promulgation of this document, which undoubtedly marks one step forward in the Chinese government’s changing attitude toward human rights, we have […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 14-19, 2009 Highlights A note to our readers: In order to keep up-to-date with developments and events in the human rights community, China Human Rights Briefing will now be issued as a weekly, rather than a bi-weekly, publication. In this first weekly edition: […]
Communication on a Victim of an Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance To: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances 1. Identity of the disappeared person: (a) Family name (*): Gao (高) (b) First name (*): Zhisheng (智晟) (c) Sex: Male (d) Date of birth: 1966 (e) Identity document Identity card Place of issue: […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots April 1-14, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS On the eve of the release of China’s first “National Human Rights Plan of Action”, rights abuses continued apace across the country: – While the government pledged its commitment to rule of law and improving the legal system, CHRD documented […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 14, 2009) – In the early morning hours of April 13, Beijing lawyer Cheng Hai (程海) was attacked and beaten while on his way to meet with a client in Chengdu. According to Cheng, those responsible for the attack were officials from the Jinyang General Management Office, Wuhou District, Chengdu. […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 6, 2009) – Sun Wenguang (孙文广), a 75-year-old retired Shandong University professor and vocal dissident based in Jinan City, Shandong Province, was severely beaten on April 5 by a group of unidentified men on his way to the local cemetery to commemorate the life of Zhao Ziyang, the late reformist […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 1, 2009) – On March 28, Tan Zuoren (谭作人), an environmentalist and writer, was detained by Chengdu police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”, CHRD learned today. It is believed that Tan was detained for mobilizing volunteers to conduct an independent investigation of the causes of the collapsed […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 31, 2009) – This morning, Jiang Qisheng (江棋生), a former 1989 prisoner, dissident writer, and vice-chairman of Independent Chinese PEN, was taken away from his home and interrogated by police. Officers searched his home and confiscated 3 computers, bank cards, many books, notebooks, and manuscripts. He was released just before […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots March 15-31, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS – As the dates of a number of sensitive anniversaries draw nearer, CHRD has observed a widening effort by authorities to control, harass, and intimidate citizens they believe pose a threat to officially mandated “harmony;” in particular: – the detention […]
This video, featuring an alpaca-like mythical creature whose name in Chinese (草泥马) sounds like a profanity, surfaced online in early 2009, and became a symbol of defiance against internet censorship in China.
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 27, 2009) – CHRD learned today the story of Chen Jinxia (陈金霞, aka Chen Qingxia [陈庆霞]), a petitioner from Dailing District, Yichun City, Heilongjiang Province, who has suffered nearly two years of arbitrary detention since she was first intercepted on April 24, 2007. Over the past 23 months, she has […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 24, 2009) – CHRD learned today that police in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, have detained four Sichuan activists and summoned (chuanhuan) more than ten in an effort to punish local human rights defenders for taking part in and reporting on two recent demonstrations. In Chongqing Municipality, authorities formally arrested two workers’ […]
Abuses against Petitioners Contradict Message of ‘Openness’ at Annual Session of China’s Legislature (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 18, 2009) – Systematic persecution of petitioners has become an annual feature of the joint session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National People’s Political Consultative Conference (NPPCC). During this year’s sessions, which concluded last […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots March 1-15, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS All eyes were on Beijing for the first two weeks of March as the annual joint session of the National People’s Congress and the National People’s Political Consultative Conference were held. As officials made speeches about human rights development and […]
Tug of War over China’s Cyberspace A Sequel to Journey to the heart of Internet censorship Introduction Since the last report on internet control, Journey to the heart of Internet censorship[i], was published by CHRD and Reporters without Borders (RSF) in October 2007, the cat-and-mouse game between the government and Chinese internet users […]
“Soft Detention” of Yuan Weijing Continues: Journalist Beaten, Barred from Meeting (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 10, 2009) –Yuan Weijing (袁伟静), the wife of imprisoned rights activist Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), remains confined to her home and surrounded by guards. On March 8, a prominent investigative journalist and his student were threatened and attacked as they […]
Months before Tiananmen Anniversary, China Refuses Entry to Exiled Student Leader (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 9, 2009) – Yi Danxuan (易丹轩), a former student leader in Guangzhou during the 1989 pro-democracy movement, was denied entry into China on March 7. Yi, now an American citizen, was barred from entering China three months before the […]
Yuan Xianchen Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- March 6, 2009) – Human rights activist and “barefoot lawyer” Yuan Xianchen (袁 显臣), of Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province, was found guilty on March 4 of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to four years in […]
A documentary named “laoma tihua” (老妈蹄花), by the well-known artist and architect Ai Weiwei, is about his experience in August 2009, when he was detained and beaten for trying to testify at the trial of Tan Zuoren (谭作人), a Sichuan activist held for “inciting subversion of state power.”
Activists Put under House Arrest as Clinton Arrives in China (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 21, 2009) – A number of dissidents and human rights activists, many of whom signatories to Charter 08, have been put under residential surveillance (or “soft detention” 软禁), questioned and followed by Beijing police as Hilary Clinton arrives in China […]
Sichuan Activist Detained for Reporting on Protests and Clashes (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 3, 2009) – CHRD learned today that Xing Qingxian (幸清贤), a rights activist based in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, has been criminally detained on suspicion of “disturbing social order” by the National Security police under Chengdu Municipal Public Security […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots February 16-28, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS While US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton publicly slighted human rights issues in statements made during her first visit to China, Beijing police were hard at work behind the scenes, cracking down on both longtime activists and common petitioners. A […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots February 16-28, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS While US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton publicly slighted human rights issues in statements made during her first visit to China, Beijing police were hard at work behind the scenes, cracking down on both longtime activists and common petitioners. A […]
Petitioner Detained and Beaten for Attempting to Appeal to Clinton (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 27, 2009) – CHRD learned today that Wang Shixiang (王士祥), a petitioner and former business owner from Tongcheng City, Anhui Province, was beaten and detained for attempting to appeal to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to […]
Five Detained for Organizing Factory Sit-in in Chongqing; Six Injured during Workers Demonstration in Sichuan Province(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 25, 2009) – CHRD learned today that five workers at a silk factory, Tongliang County, Chongqing Municipality, have been detained for organizing a factory sit-in. The workers are representatives of about 800 dismissed workers who […]
Incarcerated Activist Denied Care, in Grave Condition (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 25, 2009)- CHRD learned recently that Wang Guilan (王桂兰), an incarcerated petitioner and activist from Enshi City, Hubei Province, is in need of immediate medical attention as she suffers from a serious infection of burn wounds as well as hypertension and heart disease. […]
Retired Judge in Xinjiang Detained for Advocating Health Rights of Veterans (Chinese Human Rights Defenders—February 23, 2009) – CHRD learned today that Huang Yunmin (黄云敏), a retired judge in Xinjiang who has advocated for the health-related rights of veterans, has been detained on suspicion of “possession of guns” since February 10. On February 10, about […]
Law Firm Punished for Advocating Direct Elections of Lawyers Association (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 18, 2009)- Beijing’s Yitong Law Firm (北京忆通律师事务所) was notified that it would be forced to close for six months for “re-organization” by the Beijing Haidian District Bureau of Justice on February 17, 2009. Lawyers at the firm told CHRD that […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots February 1-15, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS – While the Chinese government’s human rights record was reviewed during the Fourth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on February 9 and 11, rights abuses went on as usual at home, as we have […]
Lawyer for Liu Xiaobo Submits Formal Request Demanding Details of Activist’s Detention (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 11, 2009) – This morning, Shang Baojun (尚宝军), a lawyer for detained activist Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) from Mo Shaoping (莫少平) law firm, submitted a formal request at the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) demanding that the Beijing […]
Chinese Activists Urge Clinton to Raise Rights Concerns on Her First China Trip (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 11, 2009) – Chinese human rights activists affiliated with the network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders sent a letter to Secretary of State Clinton today asking her to raise a number of critical human rights issues during […]
UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review of China: Summary, Analysis, and Suggestions for Follow-up (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 11, 2009) – On February 9, the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group conducted its review of China’s human rights records, and on February 11 the UPR Working Group issued its outcome report […]
The United Nations Universal Periodic Review on China’s Human Rights Geneva, February 9 and 11, 2009 What Questions to Ask, What Recommendations to Make An Easy Guide for Participating Member-States, Other Stakeholders and the Media Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Directions: For participating diplomats and delegations of UN member states This guide facilitates your participation […]
Re-education through Labor Abuses Continue Unabated: Overhaul Long Overdue A report by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) ContentContents Introduction …………………………. 3 Overview of the Re-education through Labor system ………………………….4 The evolution of the Re-education through Labor system…………………………. 5 What is wrong with the Re-education through Labor system? ………………………….7 The RTL system and practice violate both […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots January 15-31, 2009 HIGHLIGHTS On the eve of China’s turn to face international scrutiny of its rights record at the UN “universal periodic review” on Feb. 9 and 11, Chinese authorities show no sign of loosening its grip on civil-political liberties. For instance, Continuing […]
Released Tiananmen Prisoner Incarcerated in Psychiatric Institution since Olympics (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 22, 2009) – CHRD learned today that Wang Lianxi (王连喜), a former worker who was released from prison in 2007 following 18 years of incarceration for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, is incarcerated at a Beijing mental institution. […]
Activist Promoting Democracy at Grassroots Disappears, Feared Abducted by Authorities(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 19, 2000)- Yao Lifa (姚立法), an activist promoting local democratic elections from Qianjiang City, Hubei Province, disappeared yesterday. Past records suggest that Qianjiang City authorities might be responsible for Yao’s disappearance. On January 18, Yao, who was visiting his friends in […]
A hundred years after the writing of China’s first constitution, “Charter 08” called for an end to essential features of the country’s political system, including one-party rule, and their replacement with a system based on human rights and democracy.
After Torture in Detention, Legal Activist Yuan Xianchen Goes on Trial (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- January 14, 2009) – On January 12, Yuan Xianchen (袁显臣), a human rights activist and “legal worker” (falu gongzuozhe) based in Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province, was tried for “inciting subversion of state power” by Jixi City Intermediate People’s Court. Yuan […]
Imprisoned Human Rights Defender Chen Guangcheng Denied Medical Care (Chinese Human Rights Defenders- January 14, 2009) – CHRD has learned that imprisoned human rights defender Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚) has been denied appropriate medical care and is in very poor health following months of digestive affliction. Chen’s wife, Yuan Weijing (袁伟静), who visited her husband at […]
Police Summon Activist for Allegedly Drafting Human Rights Report (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 12, 2009) – On January 10, Wang Debang (王德邦), a Beijing-based human rights activist, was summoned (chuanhuan) by police for his suspected involvement in drafting a human rights report. The police also searched his home and confiscated his computer and other […]
Petitioner Seriously Injured following Beating by Shanghai Officials (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 9, 2009)- CHRD has learned that Cao Yibao (曹义宝), a petitioner against forced eviction from Shanghai, sustained serious injuries after she was beaten on the orders of Shanghai Municipal government officials while in illegal detention. On December 26, 2008, Cao was picked […]
Democracy Activist Sentenced to Six Years for “Subversion of State Power” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 7, 2009) –Wang Rongqing (王荣清), a member of China Democracy Party, Zhejiang Chapter, was sentenced to six years of imprisonment for “subversion of state power” by Hangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court in Zhejiang Province. The verdict hearing started at […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots December 15-31, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · The crackdown on Charter 08 continues to widen as more activists are harassed by the police for signing the public appeal. Since December 8, CHRD has documented […]
Activist Quietly Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison after Long Delay (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 6, 2009)— On December 31, 2008, Chen Qitang (陈启棠, a.k.a. Tianli (天理)), an activist from Guangdong Province, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for “impersonation and fraud”. According to Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch, on […]
The following submission presents five areas of particular concern that CHRD recommends the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group take into consideration in regard to the UPR to be conducted on China in the 4th session in 2009. The five areas are: (1) China must take effective measures to implement the Convention against Torture. (2) China must abolish all systems of arbitrary detention. (3) China must end the criminalization of freedom of speech and of the press. (4) China must cease Party and government control of the judiciary. (5) China must honor its commitment to protect human rights defenders. In each area below, CHRD recommends that the UPR Working Group raise specific issues with the Chinese government.
CHRD Asks UN Human Rights Council to Scrutinize Five Key Areas during China’s Universal Periodical Review (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 5, 2009) – As the United Nations Human Rights Council examines China during the 4thSession of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group in February 2009, CHRD raises five areas of particular concern and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots December 1-15, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · On December 9, a group of 303 Chinese citizens launched Charter 08, a declaration that outlines a vision for a democratic China and establishes a platform for […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 18, 2008) – a Beijing-based housing rights activist and former lawyer, Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for “obstructing official business” by Xicheng District Court in Beijing. According to Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch (CRLW), only four people were permitted to attend the trial which began at […]
Communique to Special Procedures on Behalf of PRC Citizen Liu Xiaobo, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Free Expression, and Persecution of Human Rights Defenders To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention The Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 11, 2008) – On December 10, Human Rights Day, thirty villagers were beaten by hired thugs in the presence of policemen who did not intervene in Xinxin Village, Economic Development District, Qianjiang City, Hubei Province. Twelve villagers were injured and seven were sent to hospital for treatment. Yesterday morning, seventy […]
“Follow the Principles of the Party”: State Control of the Media (and What the Media is Doing to Fight Back) Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)1 December 9, 2008 Table of Contents I. Executive summary. 3 II. Laws and Regulations on the Media. 4 A. The Chinese Constitution. 5 B. Laws. 5 C. Administrative Regulations. 5 […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots November 16-30, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · Three large protests occurred, one in Gansu Province, the others in Beijing. In Gansu Province, thousands of demonstrators surrounded the government building in Longnan City to protest […]
Shandong Officials Continue Harassing Wife of Jailed Human Rights Defender Authorities must end illegal surveillance of Yuan Weijing (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 24, 2007)-Yuan Weijing (袁伟静 ), wife of imprisoned human rights defender, Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚 ), continues to be subjected to house arrest, surveillance, and restrictions of her movement. In a public letter […]
Cyber Activist Sentenced to 3-Yearsfor Expressing Support to Tibetan Protesters (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 21, 2008) – Today, Chen Daojun (陈道军), a cyber activist and freelance writer based in the Southwestern province Sichuan, was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to three years of imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots November 1-15, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · While village elections have long been regarded by some in the international community as signs of gradual “democratization” in China, recent elections indicate otherwise. The experiences of […]
Questionnaire completed by CHRD Alleging Arbitrary Arrest and Detention PRC Citizen Ji Sizun To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention The Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Ji (纪) 2. […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 14, 2008) – Guo Quan (郭泉), a political activist and an Associate Professor at Nanjing Normal University, has been detained by police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”. Guo was taken into custody by police from Najing City Public Security Bureau (PSB) yesterday morning. The police searched Quo’s […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 12, 2008) – CHRD learned that Liu Xueli (刘学立), a petitioner and activist sent to Re-education through Labor (RTL) after he applied to protest at the “Protest Zones” in Beijing, was refused a court hearing against the RTL decision. On November 12, Liu’s lawyers went to Xigong District People’s Court […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 11, 2008) – CHRD learned that Ji Sizun (纪斯尊), an activist detained since August 11 after he applied to protest at the “Protest Zones” in Beijing, has been formally arrested for “forging official seal” by Fuzhou Public Security Bureau (PSB) in Fujian Province. CHRD also learned that Fuzhou PSB appointed […]
China Should Ensure that its “National Action Plan” Amounts to More than a Publicity Stunt (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 7, 2008) –The Chinese government announced on November 4 that it is to draft its first “national action plan to protect human rights”. Although CHRD welcomes the initiative, it is concerned that the plan will […]
Persistent Torture, Unaccountable Torturers A Report on China’s Implementation of Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) November 5, 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report finds that except for some progress in the promulgation of legislation and administrative documents, China has made no clear and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots October 16-31, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · CHRD congratulates the imprisoned human rights defender, Hu Jia, for being awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament. The European Parliament recognized […]
Questionnaire completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention of Human Rights Defender Wang Guilan To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention The Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Wang (王) 2. First name: Guilan (桂兰) 3. Sex: Female 4. Birth date or age (at the […]
Communiqué to UN Human Rights Special Procedures, Alleging Torture and Cruel, Degrading, and Inhumane Treatment, Persecution of Human Rights Defender, and Arbitrary Detention, on behalf of Zheng Dajing, citizen of People’s Republic of China To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Representative on Human Rights […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 21, 2008) – Today, Chen Daojun (陈道军), a cyber activist and freelance writer based in the Southwestern province Sichuan, was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to three years of imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for three years for posting articles on the Internet to express […]
“Black Jails:” China’s Growing Network of Illegal and Secret Detention Facilities (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 19, 2008) – A year after CHRD released the report “Black Jails” in the Host City of the “Open Olympics” in October 2007, Chinese authorities continue to detain individuals in these illegal and secret detention facilities in Beijing and […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots October 1-15, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF EDITORIAL In the past two weeks, CHRD has received shocking reports of torture and arbitrary detention around China. Examining these reports, activists within CHRD’s network believe that the fact […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 8, 2008) – CHRD has received reports that Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), a human rights lawyer “disappeared” since September 22, 2007, has been detained with his family at an isolated location in a remote Beijing suburb where he has been subjected to cruel and humiliating treatment. CHRD also learned that Hu […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots September 16-30, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · CHRD continues to receive testimonies by activists, petitioners and applicants to protest at the Beijing Olympics which indicate human rights abuses on a systemic scale directly related […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 29, 2008) –China has tightened its grip over media freedom to contain rising nationwide outrage at tainted milk products. Since the scandal came to light on September 11, CHRD has documented a series of measures taken by the government to block reporting on the scandal. CHRD has also learnt that […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 26, 2008) – CHRD learned today that Ji Sizun (纪斯尊), an activist who “disappeared” on August 11 after he applied to protest at the “Protest Zones” in Beijing, has been criminally detained. On September 25, six policemen from Fuzhou City Public Security Bureau (PSB) in Fujian Province went to the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 24, 2008) – On September 23, Liu Xueli (刘学立), a petitioner and activist against forcible land appropriation from Henan Province, was sent to a local Re-education through Labor (RTL) camp. Liu had been under residential surveillance (house arrest) after he submitted an application to protest at the “Protest Zones” in […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots September 1-15, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF HIGHLIGHTS · Jiamusi Intermediate People’s Court upheld the five-year sentence of Yang Chunlin, the Olympics Prisoner imprisoned for collecting signatures for the petition “We Want Human Rights, not the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 18, 2008)—On September 1, Zan Aizong (昝爱宗), a journalist and internet writer from Zhejiang Province, was barred from attending a training workshop on UN human rights mechanisms in Geneva. Zan’s online column on current affairs, meizhou dianping (Weekly Comments), has also been blocked by the authorities since September 16. On […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 16-30, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF EDITORIAL The following briefing covers the final days of the Beijing Olympics and its aftermath. Despite official promises to allow press freedom and demonstrations at “Protest Zones” during the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 30, 2008) – On August 28, Wang Guilan (王桂兰), a petitioner and human rights activist from Enshi City, Hubei Province, was sent to fifteen months of Re-education through Labor (RTL) for “disturbing social order”. According to the authorities, Wang is being punished for accepting a phone interview by foreign journalist […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 25, 2008) – CHRD learned today that imprisoned human rights defender Hu Jia (胡佳), who suffers from liver cirrhosis, has been made to perform manual labor under the hot sun for seven hours every day. Meanwhile, prison authorities have confiscated Hu’s letters to his family and a book on human […]
Questionnaire completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest or Detention of Wang Rongqing, citizen of People’s Republic of China To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Wang (王) 2. First name: Rongqing (荣清) 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): 65 […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 23, 2008) – On August 12, Wang Xiaoqiao (王小巧), an AIDS activist from Xincai County in Henan Province, was convicted of “extortion” and sentenced to one year in prison by Xincai County Court, Chinese Human Rights Defenders learned today. “Due to international attention to Wang’s case, the authorities had been […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Heilongjiang, August 22, 2008) – The Chinese authorities must stop the torture and inhuman treatment of Liu Jie (刘杰), a human rights defender currently serving 18 months of Re-education through Labor (RTL), said Chinese Human Rights Defenders. Since Aug. 15, Liu has been subjected to a form of tortured called “Tiger […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots August 1-15, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF Highlights · As the world is captivated by the Olympics, behind the scenes and censored in the Chinese media, an unrelenting and sweeping crackdown on human rights activists, dissident […]
IOC, US and EU Leaders Must End Silence on China’s Games Abuses (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Beijing, August 16, 2008) – China has punished people who give interviews or apply for permits to protest, thereby breaking its promises to allow press freedom and demonstrations at “Protest Zones” during the Olympics. CHRD has documented cases of […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 11, 2008) –Foreign journalists reporting on the Olympics and visitors to China may not be fully aware of the risks they pose to themselves and to Chinese citizens with whom they communicate when they discuss issues the Chinese government deems “sensitive”. CHRD’s Alternative Guide to the Olympics (Part II)[i] provides […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 9, 2008) – Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), a Beijing-based human rights activist, disappeared on August 7. All attempts to contact her have failed. It is feared that Zeng has been taken into police custody and might be mistreated. Zeng has been under intermittent residential surveillance for the last two years by […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 6, 2008) – As the Olympic Games open in Beijing on August 8, China stands on high national security alert. The government has turned Beijing into a fortress – with air, navy and ground forces on stand-by – and more than 30,000 surveillance cameras installed throughout the city. The level […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 5, 2008) –On August 2, Xie Changfa (谢长发), a member of China Democracy Party, was formally arrested on “inciting subversion of state power”. Xie becomes yet another victim of the nation-wide crackdown on activists and dissidents in the name of “Olympics security”. Xie‘s arrest came shortly after that of Wang […]
“Olympics Security” Crackdown Sends Veteran Democracy Activist to Criminal Detention (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 4, 2008) – CHRD has learned that Wang Rongqing (王荣清), a member of China Democracy Party Zhejiang Branch, has been formally arrested on “inciting subversion of state power”. [Please note this correction: Wang was formally arrested on “subversion of state […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 16-30, 2008 Please click here for the full China Human Rights Briefing in PDF EDITORIAL As athletes and journalists arrive in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics, due to open on August 8, the Chinese government has used “Olympics security” as a pretext to […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 28, 2008) – CHRD learned that Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), a Beijing-based housing rights activist and former lawyer, will be tried on August 4 for “obstructing official business” by the Beijing Xicheng Court. Ni is currently held at the Beijing Xicheng District Detention Center. Ni, 47, is known for her work […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 27, 2008) – On July 26, “Olympics Prisoner” Ye Guozhu (叶国柱) was formally detained on suspicion of “gathering crowds to disturb the order of public places”. Ye was supposed to be released yesterday after serving four years in prison for “provoking and making trouble”. “My brother has spent the last […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 23, 2008) – On July 22, Ye Guozhu (叶国柱), one of the “Olympics Prisoners”, was taken away from Chaobai Prison by Beijing police. Ye is due to be released on July 26 after having served his full prison term. “We believe that the police took him away to silence him […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 22, 2008)- On July 21, Du Daobin (杜导斌), a writer on probation for “inciting subversion of state power”, was taken away by police. According to his family, police said Du will have to serve the rest of his term in prison for violating the relevant laws while on probation. At […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 18, 2008) – Huang Qi (黄琦), director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com) detained since June 10, has been formally arrested for “illegal possession of state secrets”. Huang’s family received the formal arrest warrant today when they went to enquire about Huang’s situation at Chengdu Public Security Bureau (PSB) Wuhou […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots July 1-15, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Less than a month before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government is taking security measures against activists and potential protesters on a scale unseen since the period immediately after the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989. Many vocal activists such as Hu […]
Imprisoned Activist Mao Hengfeng Allegedly Tortured (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 11, 2008) – CHRD learnt that Mao Hengfeng (毛恒凤), a reproductive rights and housing rights activist, had been tortured in a prison hospital in Shanghai. On July 4, Mao told her family of her torture when they spoke on the phone. On June 3, […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 11, 2008) – Today CHRD releases an open letter from Chinese citizens addressed to US/EU leaders calling on them to use the opportunity of visiting China for the opening of the Olympics to raise concern about the seriousness of the human rights abuses taking place there. The letter was written […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 30, 2008) – On June 29, authorities put a number of Beijing-based human rights activists under house arrest to prevent them from meeting members of the U.S. Congress currently visiting China. At around 2 p.m. on June 29, lawyer Li Baiguang (李柏光) was brought to a holiday resort in Huairou, […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 16-30, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Scores of prominent activists and dissidents were detained, put under house arrest or warned in order to prevent them from meeting visiting members of the U.S. Congress and the E.U. Parliament. As the Olympics approach and more foreign luminaries arrive […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 27, 2008) – On June 26, Sun Lin (孙林, a.k.a. Jie Mu (孑木)), was convicted of “illegal possession of firearms” and “gathering crowds to disturb social order” by the Nanjing Xuanwu District People’s Court and sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Sun’s wife and co-defendant, He Fang (何芳), was sentenced […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 26, 2008) – Yao Lifa (姚立法), an activist promoting local democratic elections in Hubei Province, disappeared on the afternoon of June 26. It is feared that Yao has been detained by Hubei police. At noon on June 26, Yao was at a demonstration against police brutality outside of the Qingjiang […]
Detained Sichuan Activists Denied Access to Legal Counsel (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 25, 2008) –Huang Qi (黄琦), director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com) detained on suspicion of “illegal possession of state secrets” since June 10, is denied access to lawyers by police. On June 24, police from the National Security Unit under Wuhou […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots June 1-15, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Authorities continue to tighten control over free expression in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake. Swedish journalist, Ou Fengrui, was barred from reporting in the earthquake zone. For posting online articles critical of the government’s handling of the disaster, rights […]
Human Rights Defender Huang Qi Disappear, Feared Detained by Police (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 12, 2008) – Huang Qi (黄琦), Chengdu-based activist and director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com), disappeared on June 10. All attempts to contact him have failed. It is feared that Huang has been detained by the police. At about […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 12, 2008) – Imprisoned human rights defender Hu Jia (胡佳) continues to be denied access to adequate medical care. Hu is in poor health and suffers from liver cirrhosis. Since his incarceration, Hu has had one physical check-up in late May, but neither he nor his family has been given […]
Incarcerated Human Rights Defender Liu Jie Tortured (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 11, 2008) – CHRD learned today that Liu Jie (刘杰), human rights activist and petitioner currently serving 18 months of Re-education through Labor (RTL), was tortured in late May. On May 22[1], Liu was transferred from Qiqihar RTL camp to Harbin Drug Rehabilitation […]
Harassment of Human Rights Defenders affiliated with the NGO CHRD TO: The Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression In the past three months, police in Beijing and Hefei City, Anhui Province have interrogated and raided […]
Shanghai Activist and Citizen Lawyer Feng Zhenghu Detained (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 6, 2008) – On June 5, Feng Zhenghu (冯正虎), a Shanghai rights activist and self-taught “citizen lawyer”, was administratively detained for ten days for “using other means to deliberately disrupt social order”. It is believed that Feng is being punished for chronicling […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 4, 2008) – On the 19th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen demonstrations, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), prominent Beijing dissident and intellectual, was seized by Beijing police. Liu was released a couple of hours later. At 6 p.m. today, Liu and his wife Liu Xia (刘霞) were on their way […]
Nineteen Years on, Tiananmen Protesters Still Languish in Prison China must end political persecution of participants of the 1989 demonstrations (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 3, 2008) – As the 19th anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen demonstrations approaches, at least eight Beijing residents are still imprisoned for participating in pro-democracy protests in 1989. […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots May 16-31, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS Restrictions on civil liberties have resumed after a brief remission in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake on May 12. Authorities have ordered websites to delete postings on the disaster and have detained activists for questioning authorities’ handling of the […]
Human Rights Suffer in Lead-up to China-US “Human Rights Dialogue” US should take necessary measures to ensure meaningful progress from Dialogue (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 26, 2008) – In the lead-up to meetings between Chinese and United States officials to discuss human rights in Beijing this week-the first such dialogue to be held since […]
Civil Liberties under Attack after a Brief Thaw China Must Respect Freedoms of Expression and Association in Wake of Earthquake (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 23, 2008) – Restriction on civil liberties has resumed after a brief thaw in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake on May 12. Authorities have ordered websites to delete postings […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 22, 2008) – Hu Shigen (胡石根), imprisoned political prisoner and democracy activist, has reportedly been granted an earlier release and may leave prison as early as this August. Officials from the Legal Office of Haibin District, Beijing, contacted Mr. Hu’s friends and said his imprisonment would be shortened by more […]
(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 May 16, Ren was taken […]
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 for “inciting” an anti-pollution protest. […]
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 sentenced to four years in […]
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 Sichuan Province. One of the […]
(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 forced demolition of her home […]
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 (妙觉慈智) for interrogations. The two […]
Dancing in Shackles A Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China (2007) A report by Chinese Human Rights Defenders In its Special Series on Human Rights and the Olympics Table of Contents Introduction The liberties and personal security necessary for human rights defenders (HRDs) to promote and protect human rights were under […]
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 disrespect of the rights to […]
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. At least one villager (Chen […]
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 from the same RTL camp […]
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 police today. Wang and his […]
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 and activist. Lu was convicted […]
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.” Hu Jia joined Ye Guozhu […]
Democracy Activist Zhu Yufu Given Harsher Sentence after Re-trial China must end political persecution using trump-up charges (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 10, 2008)- Hangzhou democracy activist Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) was given a harsher sentence yesterday after he was re-tried for “obstructing the police from carrying out their public duty” by Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court […]
Hu Jia, Found Guilty for Criticizing Pre-Olympics Abuses, Sentenced to 3 Years & 6 Months CHRD calls for the activist unconditional and immediate release (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 3, 2008)- Hu Jia (胡 佳), the detained human rights activist, who went on trial on March 18, has been sentenced to three years and six […]
Olympics Prisoner Yang Chunlin Tortured China must end persecution of the outspoken human rights critic (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 31, 2008)- CHRD learned today that Yang Chunlin (杨春林), “Olympics Prisoner” and human rights defender, was beaten on March 5 while incarcerated at Heitong Detention Center, Heilongjiang Province. On March 28, during a meeting between […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots March 15-31 On March 24, the same day the Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, Chinese human rights defender, Yang Chunlin, was sentenced to five years in prison for collecting signatures to endorse an open letter entitled “We Want Human Rights, Not the […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 31, 2008)- Hu Jia (胡佳), the prominent human rights defender detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power,” will be tried for a second time on April 3 by the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court. The court told Hu’s lawyers that there will be another trial for […]
Questionnaire completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Arbitrary Detention of Yang Chunlin To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Yang 2. First name: Chunlin 3. Sex: Male 4. Birth […]
“Olympics Prisoner” Yang Chunlin Sentenced to Five Years in Prison CHRD calls for the activist’s unconditional and immediate release (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 24, 2008)- Human rights defender, Yang Chunlin (杨春林), was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and two years’ deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power.” Yang’s conviction was related […]
Prominent Chinese Citizens Publish Open Letter Proposing Twelve Suggestions on Tibet (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 22, 2008)- 30 prominent Chinese citizens released a public letter today entitled Twelve Suggestions for Dealing with the Tibetan Situation. The letter condemns “violent acts against innocent people” and “strongly urges the Chinese government” to “end the propaganda” and […]
Twelve Suggestions for Dealing with the Tibetan Situation March 22, 2008 1. At present the one-sided propaganda of the official Chinese media is having the effect of stirring up inter-ethnic animosity and aggravating an already tense situation. This is extremely detrimental to the long-term goal of safeguarding national unity. We call for such propaganda to […]
More Villagers Evicted to Make Way for Beijing Olympic Venues (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 21, 2008) – About 60 to 70 households in Beiding Village, Datun Township, have received an ultimatum from the authorities to leave their homes by the end of March. Beiding Village lies at the heart of the Beijing Olympics Park, […]
Hu Jia on Trial: Rights to Free Speech and Due Process Violated CHRD calls for the activist’s immediate and unconditional release (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 18, 2008) – The trial of Hu Jia (胡佳), the prominent human rights defender arrested on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power,” took place today at the Beijing […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots March 1-15, 2008 Editor’s Note Despite being closely-watched by international monitoring bodies and advocacy groups, Beijing is becoming increasingly emboldened and assertive in its “security measures” which include a harsh crackdown on human rights activists in preparation for the Olympics in August. On March […]
Hu Jia’s Trial for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” Scheduled for March 18 Authorities must take remedial measures to guarantee Hu Jia a free and fair trial (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 13, 2008)- CHRD learned today that Hu Jia, the prominent human rights defender detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power,” will […]
Silencing Complaints: Human Rights Abuses Against Petitioners in China A report by Chinese Human Rights Defenders In its Special Series on Human Rights and the Olympics Abstract As China prepares to host the Olympics, this report finds that illegal interception and arbitrary detention of petitioners bringing grievances to higher authorities have become more systematic […]
Outspoken Lawyer Who Commented on Olympics Released from Abduction China must hold accountable police who terrorize and intimidate rights defenders. (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 11, 2008)- Teng Biao (滕彪), Beijing-based human rights lawyer kidnapped on March 6, was released 41 hours later on March 8. Teng’s kidnappers seized Teng near his home, forced him […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 7, 2008) – Teng Biao (滕彪), an outspoken Beijing-based human rights lawyer, was abducted in the evening of March 6. He has not been seen since. Li Heping (李和平), another Beijing-based human rights lawyer, was rear-ended by a police car following his while he was driving his son to school […]
On Eve of Five-Month Countdown to Olympics, Activists Abducted and Intimidated China Must Honor Olympics Pledge to Protect Human Rights of Its Citizens (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 7, 2008) – Teng Biao (滕彪), an outspoken Beijing-based human rights lawyer, was abducted in the evening of March 6. He has not been seen since. Li […]
Questionnaire completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Arbitrary Detention of Liu Jie To The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Liu 2. First name: Jie 3. Sex: Female 4. […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots February 15-29, 2008 Editorial As Beijing gears up to host the annual sessions of the “Two Meetings”—the National People’s Congress and the National People’s Political Consultative Conference—in March, and with the Olympics only 5-month away, the government is showing increasingly less tolerance of dissent […]
Open Letter Organizer Seized by Police for Demanding Rights as Olympics Approach Authorities must respect rights to freedom of expression and criticism of the government (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 28, 2008)- In the early hours of February 28, immediately after the release of an open letter with the signatures of 12,709 petitioners calling on […]
“Olympics Detainee” Yang Chunlin Ill-treated during Trial Authorities’ Continued Mistreatment of Yang Raises Fear of Further Torture or Ill-treatment (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 21, 2008) – CHRD learnt that Yang Chunlin (杨春林), a human rights defender detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”, was subjected to degrading and inhuman treatment on the […]
Human Rights Defender Liu Jie’s Re-education through Labor Decision Upheld (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 22, 2008)- On February 19, Heilongjiang Re-education through Labor (RTL) Management Committee rejected Liu Jie’s (刘杰) application for an administrative review of the decision to send her to the RTL camp. Ms. Liu has decided to appeal. (Click here for […]
Activist Yang Chunlin Tried for Demanding Human Rights Prior to the Olympics CHRD protests the use of “Inciting Subversion of State Power” to Prosecute Free Speech (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 19, 2008)- Yang Chunlin (杨春林), a Heilongjiang farmers’ representative detained since July 6, 2007, on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”, was tried […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots February 1-15, 2008 Editorial In the first half of February, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers were unable to go home for Chinese New Year due to a snowstorm that swept across large portions of south-central China. However, human rights activists, unable to go […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 7, 2008)- CHRD learnt that, on the eve of the six-month countdown to the Beijing Olympics, Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), HIV/AIDS and human rights activist, blogger, wife of arrested activist Hu Jia (胡佳), was put under tightened surveillance and threatened with imprisonment for speaking out about hers and her husband’s situation. […]
“Prisoners in Freedom City” is a documentary by Hu Jia (胡佳) and Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), both human rights activists and bloggers based in Beijing, about their soft detention by the police.
Writer/Activist Lu Gengsong Sentenced to Four Years in Prison CHRD protests the use of “Inciting Subversion of State Power” to Prosecute Free Speech (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 5, 2008)- Lu Gengsong (吕耿松), a Hangzhou-based freelance writer and human rights defender detained since August 24, 2007, was sentenced to four years in prison and one […]
Victims of Beijing Olympics: Villagers’ Rights Abused in Preparations for the Game (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 4, 2008) — According to a report released on February 3 by Citizens’ Rights and Livelihood Watch (CRLW), a Hubei-based grassroots organization, corruption and human rights abuses were involved in the Beijing government’s land appropriation and clearing of […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://crd-net.org/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com One World, One Dream, Universal Human Rights Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières www.rsf-chinese.org Chinese Human Rights Defenders www.crd-net.org 1st February 2008 CHINA HOW CYBER-CENSORS BLOCKED DISSEMINATION OF REPORT ON INTERNET CENSORSHIP Reporters Without Borders and Chinese Human Rights Defenders have obtained a copy of a directive […]
Hu Jia Formally Arrested: Authorities Impervious To International Protest China must be held accountable for its Olympic pledge “to improve human rights” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 31, 2008)– Hu Jia (胡佳 or 胡嘉), the Beijing-based human rights defender detained since December 27, 2007, was formally arrested and charged with “inciting subversion of state power” […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots January 15-31, 2008 Editorial As some have feared, the Chinese authorities have proceeded confidently and defiantly with pre-Olympics crackdowns on dissidents and protesters. Security police track down and lock up people who challenge or complain about official behavior and policies. Pleas by Chinese citizens […]
China Human Rights Briefing 1-15 January 2008 Editorial The start of 2008 saw the authorities continue to tighten control over freedom of expression, especially in the “new” media. In late December, the Beijing municipal government issued regulations that punish SMS users for “endangering public security” and “spreading rumors.” In early January, the Chinese government approved […]
Olympics & Human Rights Special Series A report of Chinese Human Rights Defenders January 8, 2008 “Inciting Subversion of State Power”: A Legal Tool for Prosecuting Free Speech in China “To keep its Olympics promises, China must reform its Criminal Law.” – CHRD On December 27, 2007, Hu Jia, a Beijing-based human rights activist, was […]
Detained Activist Hu Jia Denied Access to Lawyer, His Family Harassed (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 5, 2008) – Hu Jia (胡佳), the Beijing-based activist, Detained on Suspicion of “Inciting Subversion“ on December 27, 2007, is denied access to lawyers by police, citing the case’s involvement of “state secret.” Hu’s family also suffers police surveillance […]
China Human Rights Briefing Reporting human rights development from the grassroots 15-31 December 2007 Editorial The detention of Beijing-based human rights defender Hu Jia on December 27, 2007, on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” is indicative of the beginning of a systematic crackdown by the Chinese government before the Olympic Games. Dissident is […]
Hu Jia Detained on Suspicion of “Inciting Subversion of State Power” Chinese Government Must Stop Pre-Olympics Crackdown (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 28, 2007) – Beijing-based activist, Hu Jia (胡佳), has been detained by police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” CHRD investigated the “disappearance” of Hu Jia and his wife Zeng Jinyan […]
Human Rights Defender Liu Jie Denied Treatment for Eye Illness at RTL Camp (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 28, 2007)- Liu Jie (刘杰), veteran rural campaigner and human rights activist serving her 18-month Re-education through Labor (RTL) terms in Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang province, will go blind if she does not receive proper treatment immediately, according to […]
Beijing to Punish Mobile SMS Users for “Endangering Public Security” and “Spreading Rumors” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 23, 2007) – On December 17, the Beijing municipal government released the “Notice Regarding the Further Regulations and Management of the Use of Mobile Phone Text Messages in the Release of Public Information” (hereafter referred to as […]
Shanghai Writer Li Jianhong Detained (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 20, 2007)- Li Jianhong (李剑虹,also known as Xiaoqiao (小乔)), Shanghai writer and activist, was detained by the National Security Unit (Guobao) of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB) Pudong Sub-division on December 19, 2007. Shanghai police told Li that she was detained in order to […]
China Human Rights Briefing (Dec 1-15, 2007) Reporting human rights development from the grassroots Editor’s Note A recurring pattern in the first half of December was persecution of activists, petitioners, workers, and farmers for speaking out demanding justice. Tactics included torture, beatings and other mistreatment while in police custody; sending individuals to Re-education through Labor […]
Guangxi Dissident Writer Jing Chu Detained for “Inciting Subversion of State Power” (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 15, 2007)- Internet writer, Jing Chu (荆楚, also known as Wang Dejia ( 王德佳)), of Quanzhou County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province, was criminally detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” early in the morning of December […]
Jailed Writer Li Hong’s Health Rapidly Deteriorating Zhejiang authorities must release Li Hong for medical treatment (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 11, 2007) – Jailed Zhejiang writer and poet, Li Hong’s (力虹) health has been rapidly deteriorating. Shortly after Li had started serving a 6-year prison term early this year, he was diagnosed with a […]
Shanghai Activist Gong Haoming Detained for Linking Olympics to Human Rights Authorities’ Refusal of Access to Lawyer Raises Fear of Torture (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 3, 2007) — Gong Haoming (龚浩明), a Shanghai petitioner/activist, has been detained incommunicado since November 8, 2007. His family and lawyer, who were denied visits, fear that Gong is […]
Shandong Officials Continue Harassing Wife of Jailed Human Rights Defender Authorities must end illegal surveillance of Yuan Weijing (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 24, 2007)—Yuan Weijing (袁伟静 ), wife of imprisoned human rights defender, Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚 ), continues to be subjected to house arrest, surveillance, and restrictions of her movement. In a public letter […]
Zhongyuan Oil Field Workers’ Representative Sent to Re-Education through Labor Camp (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Nov 20, 2007)- Li Guohong (李国宏 ), a laid-off workers’ representative at Zhongyuan Oil Field, has been sent to a Re-education through Labor (RTL) camp for one and a half years by the Zhongyuan Oil Field Public Security Bureau (PSB). […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly newsletter of CHRD November 1-15 Edition, 2007 November 1-15, 2007 (Starting from this issue, CHRD is changing from monthly to twice-monthly briefings to bring news more quickly to our readers.) Editor’s Note In the first half of November, the official crackdown on petitioners—ordinary people who bring injustices to the […]
Human Rights Defender Liu Jie Sentenced to Re-Education through Labor Chinese authorities must stop using Re-Education through Labor camps and arbitrary detention to penalize activists (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 12, 2007) – Veteran rural campaigner and human rights activist, Liu Jie (刘杰), 55 years old, of Beian City, Heilongjiang Province, has been sentenced to […]
Activist Yang Maodong Sentenced to Five Years in Prison (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 14, 2007) – Yang Maodong (杨茂东,a.k.a. Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄)), a Guangzhou-based activist, writer and legal activist, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 40,000 RMB for “operating an illegal business” by the Tianhe District Court of Guangzhou City, […]
Beijing-based Activist Hu Jia Beaten by Police on the 179th Day of Residential Surveillance (Chinese Human Rights Defender, 10 November 2007)—Hu Jia, a Beijing-based human rights defender, was beaten by officers from the National Security Unit (Guo Bao) of the Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) yesterday, after 179 consecutive days of residential surveillance by the […]
Beijing Activist Sent to Re-education through Labor Camp (Chinese Human Rights Defender, November 6, 2007)―Wang Ling (王玲), a Beijing petitioner and activist, has been sent to Re-Education through Labor camp. According to Citizen’s Rights and Livelihood Watch (CRLW), Ms. Wang disappeared some time ago. Reportedly, Wang called two fellow Beijing petitioners in mid-October from Taiyanggong […]
Beijing Police Prevented Hundreds from Attending Memorial for Dissident Intellectual Government must change habit of crackdown during “sensitive” times/events (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 4, 2007) – Yesterday, apparently under an order from the highest authorities, large contingents of policemen were mobilized to block mourners from attending a memorial service for Bao Zunxin （包遵信）, an […]
China’s “Future Leaders” Lack Commitment to Human Rights Party Congress Decision Shows Human Rights are Not a Priority (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 31, 2007) – The just-concluded 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress confirmed another five-year term for Hu Jintao as Party General Secretary. Four new members were appointed to the nine-member Standing Committee of […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly newsletter of CHRD October Edition, 2007 Editors’ Note The crackdown on activists in the lead-up to the 17th Party Congress continued into October. By the start of the month, authorities had rounded up many of those considered threatening to a smoothly run, unblemished Party Congress. The main events in […]
Questionnaire completed by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Alleging Torture of Chinese human rights lawyer Li Heping To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Special Representative of the UN General Secretary on Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers […]
Wife of Jailed Human Rights Defender Barred from Seeking Medical Treatment (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 29, 2007)— Yuan Weijing (袁伟静), wife of the jailed human rights defender, Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚), was prevented from seeking medical treatment and roughly handled by policemen from the local Public Security Bureau this morning in Yinan County, Shandong Province. […]
Jail Sentences Upheld for Nanhai Protesters of Forced Land Eviction (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 27, 2007)- The Foshan City Intermediate Court has rejected the appeal of seven villagers from Sanshan Township, Nanhai County, Guangdong Province. The villagers were activists in local protests against forced land eviction and were convicted of “extortion and blackmail” and […]
CHINA Journey to the heart of Internet censorship Investigative report – October 2007 – This report was written by a Chinese technician working for an Internet company who uses the pen name “Mr. Tao” with support from Reporters Without Borders and Chinese Human Rights Defenders. Introduction Use of the Internet is continuing to spread in […]
Police Detain Organizers of Open Letter to 17th Party Congress Government must fulfil pledge to protect human rights defenders (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 22 , 2007)- Liu Jie (刘杰), of Beian City, Heilongjiang Province, was detained on October 13 for suspicion of “gathering crowds to disturb social order.” She was the lead organizer of […]
Zheng Mingfang, Petitioner and Activist, Taken into Police Custody (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 21, 2007) – Zheng Mingfang (郑明芳), petitioner turned activist from Ji County, Tianjin, was taken away by the Ji County Public Security Bureau (PSB) on the evening of October 19. Ms. Zheng is now detained at the PSB Detention Center, but […]
Pre-Congress Crackdown Raises Fear for Olympics The government must reverse its policy of intimidating and terrorizing dissent (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 15, 2007) – The 17th Communist Party Congress opens today in Beijing in the wake of a two-month crackdown. Since August, authorities have closed down websites, tightened surveillance of activists, put many under […]
Questionnaire completed by wife, Alleging Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of Lü Gengsong To: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention I. IDENTITY 1. Family name: Lü 2. First name: Gengsong 3. Sex Male 4. Birth date or age (at the time of detention): January 7, 1956 5. Nationality/Nationalities: People’s Republic of China 6. (a) Identity […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Oct 11, 2007)- Liu Jie (刘杰) was seized by Beijing police around noon on October 11. Ms. Liu, 55, an activist for the rights to complain and to seek justice, was the lead organizer of a public letter signed by 12,150 petitioners calling on Chinese Communist Party leaders at the 17th […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 10, 2007)- Yao Lifa (姚立法) and Lu Banglie （吕邦列）, two activists promoting local democratic elections in Hubei Province, disappeared several days ago in two separate incidents． Yao is said to have been taken into custody by Hubei police. Mr. Yao’s son, Yao Yao, who is visiting Columbia University, has not […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 7, 2007)— Detained Heilongjiang activist, Yang Chunlin (杨春林), is said to be tortured and mistreated in Heitong Detention Center, Heilongjiang Province. Yang is still being denied access to a lawyer after three months in custody. According to Yang’s family, who obtained information from a detainee released from the same detention […]
Thousands of Petitioners Demand the 17th Party Congress to Improve Human Rights (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, October 8, 2007) – On October 8, a letter with the signatures of 12,150 petitioners from China‘s thirty provinces (except Tibet) was sent to the Chinese Communist Party leaders. In the letter, made public today, petitioners demand the 17th […]
Beijing Police Suspected of Abduction and Torture of Human Rights Lawyer Li Heping Chinese government must investigate accusations, honoring its obligation to Torture Convention (Beijing, October 1, 2007) – On September 29, Beijing-based human rights lawyer, Li Heping (李和平), was assaulted by unidentified men, believed to be police from the National Security Protection Unit of […]
(Hangzhou, September 30, 2007) – Detained writer and activist, Lu Gengsong (吕耿松), has been formally arrested on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” Lu is incarcerated at the Xihu (West Lake) Detention Center in Hangzhou City. The arrest notice was issued by the Hangzhou City Public Security Bureau, dated September 29, 2007, and sent […]
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 30, 2007)—Ye Mingjun (叶明君), son of the “Olympics Prisoner” Ye Guozhu ( 叶国柱), was criminally detained this morning on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”. He is incarcerated at the Beijing Xuanwu District Detention Center. Ye Guoqiang （叶国强）, brother of Ye Guozhu, has also been detained but his family […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly newsletter of CHRD September Edition, 2007 EDITOR’S NOTE In one indication of an intensified power struggle between factions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) top leadership in the lead-up to the opening of the National Party Congress, held once every four years, in Beijing this week, police and secret […]
Lawyer Gao Zhisheng’s Whereabouts Unknown, Feared Detained by Police (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 25, 2007) – Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), a human rights lawyer, is feared detained by the Beijing police on September 22. All attempts to contact him or confirm his whereabouts with family have failed. On the afternoon of September 22, another Beijing […]
Imprisoned Poet Li Hong’s Application for Release on Medical Bail Denied (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 22, 2007)- Li Hong (力虹), jailed Zhejiang writer, poet, was denied release for medical treatment, according to the Citizen’s Rights & Livelihood Watch or Min Sheng Guan Cha, a Chinese group. Li had just started serving his 6-year term […]
“Black Jails” in the Host City of the “Open Olympics” Secret detention facilities in Beijing are illegally incarcerating petitioners A report of Chinese Human Rights Defenders Table of Contents Overview Detention facility managed by the Beijing liaison office of Nanyang City government, Henan Province Facility managed by the Beijing liaison office of Jixi City, Heilongjiang […]
Hangzhou Public Security Bureau Rejects Lu Gengsong’s Request for Lawyer (Hangzhou, September 21, 2007) – According to CHRD sources, police rejected the request by Lu Gengsong (吕耿松), a detained activist, for a defense lawyer. On August 29, Lu’s family authorized lawyers Mo Xiaoping (莫少平) and Ding Xikui (丁锡奎) from the Beijing Mo Xiaoping Law Firm […]
Heilongjiang activist, Yang Chunlin, denied access to lawyer, at risk of torture and ill-treatment (Heilongjiang, September 21, 2007) Detained Heilongjiang activist, Yang Chunlin (杨春林), is still denied access to a lawyer after more than two and a half months in custody. On September 18, Yang’s family went to Heitong Police Detention Centre in Heilongjiang where […]
Detained Sichuan Villager Liu Shenggui Faces Criminal Trial (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, September 4, 2007) – Liu Shenggui (刘升贵), a villager and leader in rural protest from Data Township, Yibin County in Sichuan Province, has been detained since being taken away by police from his home on June 27. According to Tianwang Human Rights Center, […]
Heilongjiang Activist Yang Chunlin Arrested for Organizing Open-Letter Campaign: “We Want Human Rights, not the Olympics” (Heilongjiang, August 31, 2007) – Yang Chunlin (杨春林), a resident of Jiamusi City (佳木斯市), Heilongjiang Province, was detained on July 6 and formally arrested on suspicion of “subversion of state power” on August 3. Yang’s arrest was apparently ordered […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly newsletter of CRD Special July and August Edition, 2007 Editors’ note: The Chinese government pledged to improve human rights in its bit for hosting the 2008 Olympics, but reality indicates the contrary. This summer, the government intensified putting behind bars activists who openly criticized its inconsistent performance, linking human […]
Pro-democracy Activist Detained for “Inciting Subversion” Government must end criminalization of free speech (Hangzhou, August 25, 2007) – Police have notified the family of Hangzhou-based activist Lu Gengsong of his detention on suspicion of “inciting subversion of the state power” and “illegal possession of state secrets” on 24 August 2007. Mr. Lu, 51, is an […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://chrdnet.com/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Police bar wife of imprisoned rights defender from leaving China to collect award Officials assault Yuan Weijing at Beijing airport, block her from leaving for the Philippines to receive award on behalf of husband Chen Guangcheng (Beijing, […]
Environmentalist Wu Lihong sentenced to 3 years in jail on “extortion” charges (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 10, 2007) – CHRD is informed that the environmentalist Wu Lihong, of Jiangsu province, was sentenced to three years in jail today, August 10, 2007. In an unusual move, the court pronounced the sentence at the end of […]
Shandong: Human rights lawyer denied renewal of license (Qingdao, Shandong, July 30, 2007) – The Shandong Provincial Bureau of Judicial Affairs rejected Li Jianqiang’s application for renewing his license for practicing law in June 2007, the month for the annual renewal of lawyers’ licenses in China. Mr. Li has represented writers, journalists, and organizers of […]
Human Rights Lawyer Zheng Enchong blocked by police from attending church, on hunger strike at its 10th hour (Shanghai, July 29, 2007) – In the early morning today, Shanghai human rights lawyer Zheng Enchong and his wife Jiang Meili were stopped by policemen at the gate of their housing compound on Jinyuan Road, Zhabei District, […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://chrdnet.com/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Authorities meet mass civil disobedience of protesting villagers in power plant dispute with arrests, nine may face criminal charges Government must protect economic rights by reforming system that breeds corruption and brutality (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July […]
Zhejiang Veteran Democracy Activist Sent back to Jail A rare public trial failed to adhere to fair trial principle Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://chrdnet.com/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Veteran Democracy Activist Sent back to Prison A rare public trial failed to adhere to fair trial principle […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://chrdnet.com/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Yuan Weijing, wife and child of jailed activist Chen Guangcheng at risk of police abduction in Beijing Government must end collective punishment of family members of imprisoned activists (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 7, 2007) – Yuan […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: /Article/ShowClass.asp?ClassID=9 Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Human Rights Defender Mao Hengfeng Tortured in Prison The Chinese government must investigate accusations of torture and ill-treatment in the Shanghai prison (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 4, 2007) – According to the husband of Mao Hengfeng, […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly update of human rights news June 2007 Like the past 18 years, there is no dull moment in the month of June, as “6.4” marks the anniversary of the 1989 military suppression of student protests. Activists take the opportunity to mobilize when many commemorated victims of Tiananmen massacre privately, […]
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) Web: http://chrdnet.com/ Email: networkcrd@gmail.com Promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China Human rights defender beaten in prison (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 20, 2007) – Imprisoned human rights defender Chen Guangcheng （陈光诚）reports that he has been beaten in jail by fellow inmates at the instigation of prison guards. […]
Eighteen Years Later, Tiananmen Protesters from Beijing Remain in Prison The Chinese government must allow independent investigation and prison visits by international human rights bodies (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 3, 2007) – At least thirteen Beijing civilians sentenced to life in prison or a suspended death sentence for participating in the 1989 pro-democracy protests […]
THE RIGHT TO BASIC EDUCATION OF RURAL CHILDREN IN SUIZHOU, HUBEI PROVINCE Report on an investigation conducted in 2005 Education policy is a fundamental and essential part of every government’s long-term strategy. It is every citizen’s basic human right to receive an education and have access to education on a fair and equal basis. […]
Detained Human Rights Defender YANG Maodong Reports Being Tortured during Interrogation The Chinese government must honor its treaty obligations 19 years after it ratified the Convention Against Torture Yang Maodong (a.k.a. Guo Feixiong) told his lawyer that he has been tortured and punished by cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment while in detention. According to Zhang […]
The Perils of Defending Rights A Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China (2006) Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) May 4, 2007 Table of Contents: Introduction Recommendations Part I. Risks and Retaliation for Defending Rights Norms and Definitions Persecuted as Political Crime (a) Defenders in Prison (b) Defenders at Risk (c) […]
Authorities must impose no restrictions on freedom of movement and expression Chinese Human Rights Defenders Promoting human rights & empowering grassroots activism in China Environmental Rights Activist Released but Declining any Contacts Authorities must impose no restrictions on freedom of movement and expression (Hangzhou, April 30, 2007) – Tan Kai (谭凯), an environmental rights activist, […]
China Human Rights Briefing Human rights news update for the month of April 2007 China has explicitly vowed to take measures to control incidents of social unrest and crime in the run-up to the 17th Communist Party Congress in the fall and the Summer 2008 Olympics in Beijing. At a national security meeting in Xi’an […]
Government must keep hands off courts, respecting law allowing citizens sue censorship authorities for damage (Beijing, April 26, 2007) – Chinese citizens made another effort, without success, to put China’s press control authority on trial. The author of the banned book Bygone Peking Opera Masters (《伶人往事》), Ms. Zhang Yihe, filed an administrative lawsuit with the […]
Government Must Protect Constitutional Rights and Human Rights (Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 11, 2007) – On April 10, the Sanshan District Court in Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, convicted seven villagers, Liu Dehuo (刘德伙), Cui Yongfa (崔永发), Shao Xiaobing, female (邵笑冰,女), Chen Ningbiao(陈宁标), Chen Zhibiao (陈智标), Shao Xixia (绍细虾), Guo Jianhua (郭建华), who were detained […]
CRD Deplores Psychiatric Harassment of Rights Activist Government should investigate PSB abuse For immediate release CRD Deplores Psychiatric Harassment of Rights Activist (CRD, April 4, 2007) – Psychiatric persecution has continued as a cruel form of intimidation and punishment for outspoken activists and political dissidents. The case of Wang Guoqiang (汪国强), a local rights activist […]
China Human Rights Briefing A Monthly News Update March 2007 Crackdowns related to the annual NPC session continued well into March. The annual meeting of the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference brought tightened security and restriction on movement and speech for many citizens. In preparation for the “two sessions,” Beijing mobilized […]
For immediate release CRD, March 29, 2007 Lawyer at Risk of Losing License, Facing Punishment for Defending Farmers On March 28, 2007, Xi’an lawyer Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康) found that he was denied membership with the local Lawyers’ Association and he is now at risk of losing his license to practice law. The reason given by […]
In China’s Arbitrary Detention System – “Reform Through Labor” CRD, for immediate release March 27, 2007 CRD Protests Detention of Cai Aiming: In China’s Arbitrary Detention System – “Re-education Through Labor” The utterly arbitrary nature of the detention system – Re-education Through Labor (RTL, lao jiao) system – is accentuated this week by the case […]
Chen Guangcehng, Human Rights Defender in Prison, Update: Officials Ignored Requests for Medical Parole and for Filing Complaints to Higher Court about Verdict CRD obtained information from Chen Guangcheng’s lawyers that, on March 20, the imprisoned human rights defender was allowed to meet with his lawyers at the Linyi Prison in Shandong Province. Three prison […]
CRD, for immediate release March 22, 2007 China’s Press Czar vs. Authors of Censored Books To put China’s press control authority on a trial stand? It would be a good idea. That idea came very close to a Chinese court hearing this month. The Press and Publication Administration (PPA) of the People’s Republic of China […]
CRD Open Letter to the NPC, Urging Constitutional Review of the Crime of “Inciting Subversion” and Abolition of Law Criminalizing Free Expression On March 12, 2007, CRD released an open letter, urging the National People’s Congress to authorize review procedures to examine the constitutionality of an article in the PRC Criminal Code that criminalizes political […]
China Human Rights Briefing A monthly newsletter of CRD February 2007 While the Chinese took most days off in February to observe the incoming “Year of the Pig”, human rights problems failed to gain any respite. The courts did not miss a beat in convicting independent writers and rights activists. Trials and Sentencing In Zhejiang, […]
“China vs a Blind Human Rights Defender,” published by CHRD on February 20, 2007, details the illegal house arrest, detention, imprisonment, torture and other rights violations directed against Shandong rights activist Chen Guangcheng, as well as his family and supporters, since April 2005. Read this report as a PDF
China Human Rights Briefing (A monthly Chinese human rights information update) January 2007 Table of Contents Arrests, Trails, Sentences, and Imprisonment 1. Activist Mao Hengfeng sentenced to 2.5 years 2. Activist Chen Guangcheng loses appeal 3. Cyber activist Li Hong tried on subversion charge 4. Detained rights activist Yang Maodong on hunger strike 5. Petitioner […]
Immediate release The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders January 18, 2007 The Conviction of Mao Hengfeng: Trump-up Charges against a Human Rights Defender On January 12, 2007, Shanghai authorities convicted activist/petitioner Mao Hengfeng, female, for “damaging hotel property” and sentenced her to two-and-half years in jail. CRD condemns the conviction, a politically motivated act […]
Immediate Release The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders January 12, 2007 Show Trials Highlight Deep Flaws in System: Court Upheld Unfair Prison Term for Chen Guangcheng The Linyi Municipal Intermediate People’s Court announced its verdict today of uphelding the 4-year and 3-month sentence of Chen Guangcheng for “gathering crowds to disrupt traffic order” after […]
Table of Contents Crackdown on mass protests exacerbating “social unrest” 1. End-of-year survey found social unrest the top concern for officials 2. CCP admits social unrest threatens its rule 3. Social unrest unabated as government clams down on protests The Death Penalty: Executions sped up before Supreme Court review kicks in 1. Sichuan secretly executed […]
Immediate release CRD, December 27, 2006 CRD Condemns Violent Attack on Lawyers Representing China’s Blind Prisoner of Conscience Apparently as part of the persistent efforts by local authorities at intimidation and retaliation against independent lawyers, unidentified hit-men violently attacked lawyers for Chen Guangcheng, the blind prisoner of conscience, who is serving a 4-year and 3-month […]
Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Tried Behind Closed Door, without Lawyers Authorized by Family CRD protests the illegal trial of Gao Zhisheng, the human rights lawyer, by the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court on December 12, 2006. Lawyers authorized by Gao’s family, Mo Shaoping and Ding Xikui, were not allowed to defend Gao […]
Immediate release CRD, December 6, 2006 Obstruction of Justice: Key Witness Abducted by Police before the Retrial of Chen Guangcheng CRD protests Yinan County police abduction and subsequent detention of a key witness in the Chen Guangcheng case before the Yinan courts held its second hearing. This is a clear instance of blatant obstruction of […]
For immediate release, CRD December 4, 2006 Executions of Three Protestants despite Evidence of Torture, Raises Fear of a Rash to Carry out Death Sentences CRD deplores the executions of three protestant leaders in Heilongjiang following the appeals court decision to uphold the death sentences in the face of overwhelming evidence of torture used to […]
Immediate release The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders December 1, 2006 Chen Guangcheng Retrial Confirms Jail Term: Gross Injustice, Blatant Abuses Serious rights abuses and procedural violations marred the November 27 retrial of Chen Guangcheng, which, not surprisingly, let to today’s verdict, announced at 8:30 am by the Yinan County People’s Court: Chen Guangcheng […]
China Human Rights Briefing October 21 – December 1, 2006 Table of Content: Arbitrary Arrests 1. Farmer arrested for displaying anti-corruption banner, angry villagers take hostages 2. Hemophilia activist Kong Delin Detained for 35 Days by Shanghai Police 3. AIDS Activist Wan Yanhai Detained for nearly 3 Days, Police Force Blood Safety Conference to Shut […]
Immediate release, CRD November 27, 2006 Release of AIDS Activist from Unlawful Detention Raises Concern about Unchecked Police Power, Ban on Conference on Rights of People with HIV/AIDS Remains Firm Today’s release of Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai, a founding member and leader of Beijing AIZHIXING Institute, from police detention, apparently in order to force […]
CRD Condemns Police Brutality against Wife of Detained Human Rights Lawyer For immediate release, CRD November 24, 2006 CRD Condemns Brutality by Beijing’s Political Police: Detained Human Rights Lawyer’s Wife Beaten, Harassment of Family Intensified CRD obtained information that, on November 24, Ms. Geng He, the wife of Gao Zhisheng, the detained human rights lawyer, […]
CRD Urges Release of Dongzhou Villager For immediate release CRD November 21，2006 New Arrest in Dongzhou where 2005 Killings Remain Unaccounted for CRD demands the immediate release of Dongzhou villager，Chen Qian， male， 56， who was arrested for displaying anti-corruption banners on November 9. CRD condemns the arrest as a violation of Chen＊s freedom of expression. […]
Abrogation of Rights in the Case of Gao Zhisheng Immediate release CRD, November 16, 2006 Abrogation of Legal Rights and Human Rights in the Case of Gao Zhisheng: CRD Finds Arbitrary Detention, Interference in Independency of Lawyers, Retaliation against a Human Rights Defender, Violation of Freedom of Expression, Torture or Cruel, Inhumane, and Degrading Treatment […]
Communique to UN Special Procedures on Behalf of Gao Zhisheng, Alleging Arbitrary Detention, Interference in Independency of Lawyers, Retaliation against a Human Rights Defender, Violation of Freedom of Expression, and Torture or Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or […]
CRD Welcomes Linyi Court Decision to Overturn Lower Court Verdict on Chen Guangcheng; Urges Fair Retrial The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders Immediate Release Beijing, November 1, 2006 CRD Welcomes Linyi Court Decision to Overturn Lower Court Verdict on Chen Guangcheng; Urges Fair Retrial CRD welcomes the Linyi City People’s Intermediate Court ruling to […]
China Human Rights Briefing September 14 – October 20, 2006 (CRD, Hong Kong, October 22, 2006) Table of Contents: Olympics clean-ups target mass actions, civil rights under increasing assault 1. Beijing residents clash with police over housing jeopardized by Olympics construction 2. Beijing police intercept and forcibly return petitioners 3. Farmer drawing attention to grievances […]
LETTER OF APPEAL ON THE SHUTDOWN OF CENTURY CHINA ONE HUNDRED INTELLECTUALS’ LETTER OF APPEAL ON THE SHUTDOWN OF CENTURY CHINA By Liu Xiaobo and ninety-nine others, The New York Review of Books Volume 53, Number 17 · November 2, 2006 To the Editors: For many days since July 25, 2006, Chinese intellectuals and other […]
RAPID ACTION NETWORK 10 October 2006 RAN 35/06 CHINA: Crackdown on Dissident Writers The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is alarmed about an apparent crackdown on dissident writers in China. Three writers have been detained in recent weeks: they are Zhang Jianhong (aka Li Hong) who is a member of Independent Chinese PEN […]
China Infringes Upon Rights to Take Part in Government through Free Election For immediate release China Infringes Upon Rights to Take Part in Government through Free Election – Widespread harassment on independent candidates in local races for People’s Congress (Beijing, September 27，2006) During the county-district-township simultaneous elections for delegates to local People’s Congress, which have […]
Three cyber-dissidents arrested and websites closed in new wave of Internet censorship Reporters Without Borders called today for the release of three cyber-dissidents who have been arrested in the past two weeks – Zhang Jianhong, Yang Maodong and Chen Shuqing – and voiced concern about an increase in the censorship of online publications. “The current […]
Update Communique to UN Special Procedures on the case of Chen Guangcheng To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Special Representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on Torture September 20, 2006 […]
For immediate release Sept. 11, 2009 China: Intensified Attack on Human Rights Defenders Intensified persecution of human rights activists in recent days has seriously undermined the Chinese government’s pledges to respect international human rights. These are pledges that the government made in its bid for membership on the UN Human Rights Council and its bid […]
China Human Rights Briefing (Aug. 13 – Sep. 13, 2006) September 12: Rights activist Guo Qizhen tried for sedition The activist Guo Qizhen, based in Changzhou City, Hebei Province, was tried on the charge of “sedition to overthrow state power” by the Changzhou Municipal Intermediate People’s Court on September 12. Mr. Guo told the court […]
RAPID ACTION NETWORK 25 August 2006 Update #2 to RAN 43/04 CHINA：Journalist Zhao Yan acquitted of revealing state secrets but convicted of fraud The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the announcement on 25 August 2006 that the charge of revealing state secrets has been dropped against journalist Zhao Yan， but is seriously […]
Urgent Petition: Stop Illegal Detention of Gao Zhisheng and Harassment of His Family China’s most prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been arrested. Gao is widely regarded by various international organizations, including the UN Human Rights Commission as an important and respected human rights lawyer. Recently, both the US and the European Union expressed […]
For immediate release, August 17, 2006 Chen Guangcheng Trial Opens Tomorrow: CRD Calls for Justice for the Advocate for Rights of Family Planning Victims and People with Disability As the trial of Chen Guangcheng opens tomorrow, CRD calls for international monitoring, urging a fair trial, and asking the Chinese court to look into accusations of […]
China Human Rights Briefing (June 20-Aug. 13, 2006) August 11: HIV/AIDS activist Li Xige released on bail Li Xige, an HIV/AIDS activist from rural Henan Province who is the director of the group Healthy Happy Home, was released on bail after 21 days in detention. On July 18, Li Xige and seven other women travelled […]
Urgent Plea to the Standing Committee of the NPC, the Standing Committee of the Shandong People’s Congress, the SPP, the Shandong People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Supervision, and the Shandong Supervision Bureau Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Standing Committee of the Shandong People’s Congress: People’s Republic of China Supreme People’s Procuratorate and […]
Monsieur Pascal Clément Garde des Sceaux Ministère de la Justice Place Vendôme Paris Paris, le 19 juillet 2006 Monsieur le ministre, Alors que le ministre chinois de la Sécurité publique Zhou Yongkang est actuellement en France, nous souhaitons attirer votre attention sur la situation d’un avocat chinois emprisonné, Chen Guangcheng. Chen Guangcheng doit être jugé, […]
For immediate release CRD July 14, 2006 With trial of Chen Guangcheng imminent, activists issue urgent appeal calling for his immediate release and for launch of investigation into illegal acts committed in Linyi City In an urgent petition issued on July 13, 2006, independent groups and individuals, including a number of prominent lawyers, call on […]
Victims of “Development”: Extensive Violations of Human Rights in Forced Evictions of Rural People in China Urgently Need Effective Remedies For immediate release CRD， July 6， 2006 Victims of “Development：” Human Rights Violations Widespread in Land/Housing Eviction of Internally Displaced Persons in the PRC CRD has submitted this report to relevant UN human rights procedures […]
Holding China Accountable for Its Failures to Honor its Commitments to International Human Rights: Appeal to the UN’s Human Rights Bodies on Behalf of Chen Guangcheng, Calling for Urgent Action and Country Visit Chen Guangcheng, male, 35, the blind self-taught lawyer and human rights activist, who became internationally known for his role in providing legal […]
Communication Alleging Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of Chen Guangcheng, a human rights defender and citizen of the People’s Republic of China To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Special Representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights Defenders […]
For immediate release, June 16, 2006 Joint Statement on Criminal Detention of Chen Guangcheng On June 11, Yuan Weijing, wife of human rights defender Chen Guangcheng, was notified by the Linyi City Yinan County Public Security Bureau that her husband had been charged with “deliberate destruction of property” and “gathering a crowd to disrupt traffic” […]
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders For immediate release June 12, 2006 Nanhai farmers abducted by plainclothes officials, trumped up charges likely to follow CRD condemns the abduction of six villagers by men in plainclothes presumed to be security personnel in Sanshan Township, Nanhai, Guangdong Province, on June 8-9, 2006. CRD obtained and has […]
June 13: After 89 days of illegal detention, Shandong rights activist Chen Guangcheng faces charges On June 11, Yuan Weijing, wife of the human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, was notified by the Yinan County Public Security Bureau that her husband had been charged with “deliberate destruction of property” and “organizing a mob to disrupt traffic” […]
China Human Rights Briefing (May 12-June1, 2006) June 1: “Tiananmen Mothers” leader Ding Zilin urges remembering “6.4” On May 28, the leader of the Tiananmen Mothers movement, Ding Zilin, who lost her son during the June 4th Massacre in Beijing in 1989, wrote an open letter to endorse US Congressman Chris Smith‘s action to sponsor […]
Joint statement by CRD & Citizens’ Rights Defense Net (gongmin weiquanwang) May 26, 2006 Revenge on Dongzhou Villagers: Convictions Based on Travesty of Justice We condemn the blatantly unfair trials of 19 Dongzhou villagers. The convictions can only be described as retribution by local authorities for the villagers’ long-standing campaign against the requisition of their […]
CRD Release May 20, 2006 As Annan arrives in China, families of detained activists ask him to hold China to its commitments to human rights On the eve of the arrival of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in China, the families of three men who are in custody due to their efforts to defend human […]
CRD Release, May 16, 2006 CRD deplores criminalizing free expression, demands release of journalist Li Yuanlong CRD has confirmed reports that Li Yuanlong, a journalist at Bijie Daily in Guizhou Province, was tried for “subversion of state power” at the Bijie Intermediate People’s Court on May 11. CRD views the trial as yet another instance […]
China Human Rights Briefing (May 1-14, 2006) May 14: Internet Writer Tried on Subversion Charge, Prosecutor Introduced Coerced “Confession” Li Yuanlong, a journalist at Bijie Daily in Guizhou Province, was tried for “subversion of state power” at the Bijie Intermediate People’s Court on May 11. Some 20 family members, friends, and activists tried to attend […]
CRD Press Release, May 8, 2006 Vote for the Human Rights Council: Is China Qualified? On May 9, the UN General Assembly will decide in a secret ballot of all member states if China, among other candidates for membership, is qualified to join the new UN Human Rights Council. CRD welcomes China’s support for the […]
China Human Rights Briefing April 21-May 1, 2006 May 1: TIME nominates activist Chen Guangcheng as one of 100 people “who shape our world” Time magazine nominated the blind Shandong activist Chen Guangcheng as one of 100 people who shape our world in its April 30, 2006 edition ( http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186887,00.html ). Chen Guangcheng has now […]
April 20: Blind Activist Chen Guangcheng May Face Charge, Three Villagers Remain Detained On April 18, Linyi villagers Chen Guangjun and Chen Guangyu, who had been detained for 37 days, were released on bail to await trial. Linyi County PSB prohibited them from returning to the village. Both have left the detention center and are […]
CRD Press Release April 16, 2006 Justice Aborted: Violations of Court Procedure in Trial of Internet Writer The trial of Internet writer Li Jianping constitutes justice aborted. CRD calls on the judiciary to hold a retrial. The Zibo Municipal Intermediate People’s Court put the Internet writer Li Jianping on trial on charges of “inciting subversion […]
China Human Rights Briefing CRD, March 30- April 9, 2006 April 9: Internet Writer Trial for “Inciting Subversion of the State” Set to Open on April 12 The “inciting subversion of the state” case again the internet writer Li Jianping is set to open for court trial at the Zibo Municipal Intermediate People’s Court, Shandong […]
China Human Rights Briefing (March 21-29, 2006) March 29: Bulletin on Petitioners & Hunger Strikers – Forced Disappearances, Detention, and Arrests (In brackets are the date when the individual was first detained/disappeared and the location, where known) Forced disappearances: Qi Zhiyong (Feb. 16, Beijing), Ouyang Xiaorong (Feb. 16, Beijing). (Hu Jia, the Beijing AIDS activist, […]
China Human Rights Briefing (March 13-20, 2006) March 20: Trial of Fujian Farmer who Protested Land Appropriation Opens The trial of farmer Huang Weizhong on “suspicion of gathering crowds to disturb social order” was scheduled to open at the Chengxiang District Court in Putian City, Fujian Province, today, March 20, 2006. (For more information, see […]
Trial Set to Open on March 20 on Fujian Farmer Detained for Protesting Land Appropriation The trial of farmer Huang Weizhong on “suspicion of gathering crowds to disturb social order” is set to open at the Chengxiang District Court in Putian City, Fujian Procince, on March 20, 2006. The Putian Procuratorate has started the legal […]
Updated information on Chen Guangcheng To: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Special Representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights Defenders March 17, 2006 Re: Updating information on Chen Guangcheng, submitted to OHCHR on March […]
People’s Congress in Fear of the People: Police Detain Jilin AIDS Activist for Criminal Investigation, Harassing Others At a time when national affairs are under the spotlight with the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), CRD deplores the harassment and detention of activists involved in seeking redress for people living with HIV and […]
China Human Rights Briefing (March 6-13, 2006) March 13: Bulletin on Petitioners and Hunger Strikers Missing, in Custody, or Detained (Date and location are bracketed in when the individual was first detained/disappeared) Still missing: Hu Jia (Feb. 16, Beijing), Qi Zhiyong (Feb. 16, Beijing), Ouyang Xiaorong (Feb. 16, Beijing). In custody: Liu Xifeng, (March 5, […]
Released on Nov. 13, 2005 (For Chinese, please visit: Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=487) Support PRC Citizens’ Action Challenging Constitutionality of Internet Censorship On November 9, 2005, on the eve of the Information Society World Summit (Geneva, November 10-12 and Tunis, November 16-18, http://www.itu.int/wsis/), a public campaign was kicked off (https://216.55.186.184/web/index.asp) by concerned Chinese citizens to demand the State […]
Dear friends and colleagues: Please sign the following open statement and forward it through your mailing lists or list-servers to friends and colleagues, showing your support to this effort to bring to justice those responsible for the Dongzhou killings. Thank you, and happy holidays! CRD Coordinator December 20, 2005 Statement on the Bloodshed at Dongzhou […]
CRD has learned that, on November 25, 2005, Zhejiang villager Wang Liangping was put on trial for “gathering crowds to harm [others], destroy [property] and rob” in the Nanxi Municipal People’s Court for his role in the April 10, 2005, protest against air pollution produced by a chemical factory in the township of Huashui, Dongyang […]
We are deeply concerned about the personal safety of Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng, after his claim that cars he believes belong to the security services attempted to run him down on the night of January 17, 2006. These cars were illegally covering their license plates so that Gao could not register their numbers, but when […]
Today, as government officials make speeches in many cities to mark the International Women’s Day, a national holiday in China, two women human rights defenders, Ma Yalian and Mao Hengfeng, remain detained by Shanghai police, family visits denied, and detention locations undisclosed. Other women activists, including AIDS activists, housing petitioners, and hunger strikers are under […]
Communication on a Victim of an Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance 1. Identity of the disappeared person: (a) Family name (*): Hu (b) First name (*): Jia (c) Sex: Male (d) Birth date: July 25, 1973 2. Date on which the disappearance occurred (at least as to the month and year) (*): Date of disappearance: Around […]
China Human Rights Briefing (February 27 – March 5, 2006) March 5: Rural Land Rights Activist Facing Trial Huang Weizhong, male, 46, a farmer from a village in Putian City, Fujian Province, who led hundreds of people in protests against low levels of compensation for expropriation of farm land, may face trial in a couple […]
Pre-meditated Use of Lethal Force against Villagers Defending Their Land – Field Investigation of “December 3rd” Extra-judicial Killings in Dongzhou, Guangdong Province The Civil Rights Defence Network (Release No. 2006-1) Published on March 4, 2006 “…the police shooting to kill did not have any legal standing, nor any excuses of so-called ‘self-defence’ or ‘protecting the […]
China Human Rights Briefing (February 20 – 26, 2006) February 21: NPC Plans to Pass Illegal Behaviors Correction Law (Weifa xingwei jiuzheng fa) to Reform RETL System The NPC plans to pass this new law at its annual Congress in March to enact reforms to the controversial system of administrative detention, Reeducation Through Labor (RETL). […]
CRD and Citizen Rights Defense Net (CRDN) protests the sentence of Internet writer Zhang Lin to five years in prison and four years deprivation of political rights by Bengbu Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Anhui Province on 28 July 2005. (See Appendix, Bengbu Municipal Intermediate People’s Court, “Zhang Lin ‘Criminal Trial Verdict,’ No. 30, 2005) […]
CRD deplores continued house arrest of human rights activist and barefoot lawyer Cheng Guangcheng and abuses against villagers seeking to support him “They have detained and tortured villagers who opposed their family planning enforcement tactics. For almost a year now， they have used ill-treatment including tying a person to a chair， depriving him/her of sleep […]
Without Protection of Civil-Political Rights， Victims of Housing Rights Violation Barred from Seeking Redress CRD has been asked to publicize an open letter to Shanghai authorities signed by 428 housing activists. In the letter released on 28 November， 2005， the activists protest about police intercepting and forcing them to return to Shanghai when they were […]
Joint Statement by CRD and Citizen Rights Defense Net On Disappearance and Detention of Hunger Strikers We are deeply concerned about the fate of several individuals who have disappeared and been detained after participating in the hunger strike marathon started by the Beijing lawyer Gao Zhisheng on February 8, 2006, to protest police violence and […]
China Human Rights Briefing (February 13-19, 2006) February 13-15: After Clash, Police Intimidation in East Shigu Village, Linyi Continues After the clash between local officials and villagers protesting against Chen Guangcheng’s prolonged house arrest under “residential surveillance” and the detention of villager Chen Hua, police continued intimidating and detaining villagers. On February 13, around 70 […]
China Human Rights Briefing (February 4-14, 2006) Feb. 4-13: Police Crackdown on Villagers Protesting Blind Activist’s Prolonged House Arrest On February 2, 2006, Chen Hua, a neighbor and relative of Chen Guangcheng, protested about the unlawful detention of Chen Guangcheng to the security guards in front of the latter’s house hired by local officials to […]
End Violence against Human Rights Defenders – CRD Urges Investigation of Detention and Beating of Activist in Guangzhou CRD protests the detention and beating of a human rights defender Yang Maodong （pen name Guo Feixiong） in Guangzhou on February 3-4. This is the latest offence in a string of violent attacks against human rights defenders， […]
China Human Rights Briefing (January 31-February 4, 2006) January 31: Released Rights Activist Subjected to Close Surveillance, Publicizing Torture of Taishi Villager while in Detention The activist Yang Maodong (known as Guo Feixiong), who was released on December 27, 2005, after being detained for 106 days without charge, reported on his personal blog “Citizens’ Rights […]
Shanghai activist Ma Yalian (F), 42, was detained from January 14 to February 2, 2006, the latest in a series of detentions without charge. Neighbors saw about 20 police surrounding her house on January 13, 2006. The next day she was taken by police to the Residents Committee of Huangpu District, Shanghai. Residents Committees are […]
China Human Rights Briefing (January 24 – 29, 2006) 1. After 35 Days’ Detention, Nanjing Writer Yang Tianshui Formally Arrested The sister of Yang Tianshui received notification from authorities on January 27, 2006, confirming that Yang was formally arrested on January 20. The notification was issued by Zhengjiang City Public Security Bureau in Jiangsu Province, […]
Trial and sentencing of representatives of private oil field investors is a catalogue of violations of criminal procedure code and human rights: CRD calls for case to be reopened, Feng released and government to open dialogue to resolve investors’ claims CRD expresses deep concerns about the fairness of the recent trial of Feng Bingxian and […]
Questionnaire completed by representatives of person alleging torture: Civil Rights Defense Net and the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders [abridged] To: Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment A. Minimum elements of information: a. Full name of the victim; Cheng, Fagen b. Date on which the […]
CRD called attention to the oilfield investors’ failed attempt to dialogue with government officials and the detentions that followed in May 2005. (See “Storm over Oil Fields in Shanxi” at http://crd-information.blogspot.com/2005_05_15_crd-information_archive.html) This case has since become one of the most celebrated human rights cases of 2005 (with the Taishi Village impeachment case and Linyi Family […]
An Update on Shi Tao’s Conditions in Prison and Appeal by Family to PRC Supreme Court CRD has obtained the latest information about the prison conditions of Shi Tao, the journalist and Internet writer, whose case has drawn international spotlight partly due to Yahoo HK’s role in providing Chinese authorities information about Mr. Shi email […]
The Honorable Louise Arbour The High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Dear Ms. Arbour: We the undersigned, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, are delighted and honored at the prospect of your visit to our country from late […]
Violence in Enforcing Family Planning in Linyi, Shandong A Report by Citizens Rights Defense Network, a project in collaboration with CRD June 11, 2005 In late April 2005, the Chinese Rights Defenders (CRD) network received several reports of serious rights violations in enforcing the family planning policy by local officials in Linyi, Shandong Province. In […]
