China: Free human rights defender Chen Guangcheng

  LETTER       EMAIL  

In 2005 Chen Guangcheng fell foul of the Shandong province authorities after drawing attention to an illegal campaign of forced abortion and sterilisation which affected thousands of women. Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights activist and self-trained legal adviser to the poor, had been helping villagers prepare a lawsuit against the local authority responsible. He is now serving a prison sentence for 'damaging property' and 'disrupting traffic' after a grossly unfair trial.

In December 2008, after 18 months of separation, Chen Guangcheng's wife, Yuan Weijing, was allowed to visit him. Shocked to see how ill he was, Yuan Weijing is now seeking legal help so that Chen Guangcheng can apply for medical parole.

Send an appeal to the Chinese authorities now to release Chen Guangcheng

Background information

Chinese human rights defenders like Chen Guangcheng face severe obstacles in their attempts to draw attention to human rights abuses. Human rights defenders who attempt to report more widely on violations, challenge policies which the authorities consider politically sensitive, or try to rally others to their cause, face serious risk of arbitrary detention, harassment and police surveillance. Some have been imprisoned, while others have been kept under intense surveillance or house arrest.

National Family Planning Policy in China

In September 2002, China introduced a Population and Family Planning Law in a stated attempt to standardize policies and practice in the implementation of family planning policies across the country and to safeguard citizens’ rights. However, local birth quotas play a prominent part in the policy, upheld by stiff penalties as well as rewards. Reports of coerced abortions and sterilizations have continued and few officials are believed to have been brought to justice or punished for such abuses.

  LETTER       EMAIL  

In 2005 Chen Guangcheng fell foul of the Shandong province authorities after drawing attention to an illegal campaign of forced abortion and sterilisation which affected thousands of women. Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights activist and self-trained legal adviser to the poor, had been helping villagers prepare a lawsuit against the local authority responsible. He is now serving a prison sentence for 'damaging property' and 'disrupting traffic' after a grossly unfair trial.

In December 2008, after 18 months of separation, Chen Guangcheng's wife, Yuan Weijing, was allowed to visit him. Shocked to see how ill he was, Yuan Weijing is now seeking legal help so that Chen Guangcheng can apply for medical parole.

Send an appeal to the Chinese authorities now to release Chen Guangcheng

Send the appeal below to the Chinese authorities urging them to release Chen Guangcheng  immediately and unconditionally

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