Shi Tao, Ye Guozhu, Chen Guangcheng and the Tiananmen mothers - China

Human rights defenders harassed and jailed

These are just some of the many human rights defenders persecuted by the Chinese authorities for the peaceful exercise of rights to freedom of expression, association and information. Take action on behalf of imprisoned human rights defender Hu Jia

Background on Ye Guozhu

Ye Guozhu was sentenced to four years in prison in December 2004 after he applied for official permission to hold a public protest against the forced eviction of residents of Xuanwu District in Beijing in 2003 in connection with preparations for the Olympics. He was reportedly tortured in detention and has not received adequate medical attention for pre-existing health problems, including high blood pressure, heart trouble and cerebral thrombosis.

Update 7 October 2008: Due to be released on 26 July 2008, Ye Guozhu was told he would remain in detention until after the Olympics, possibly until 1 October. As of 7 October he is still detained and is not allowed to meet his lawyer or family.

In early September, Ye Guozhu's family went to Xuan Wu police detention centre to find out his situation. All the police would say was 'family has no right to know.' Ye Guozhu's lawyers have also tried many times to meet him, but were rejected by the police and told they need to seek a higher official decision.

Update 24 July 2008: Ye Guozhu was due to be released on 26 July, but has now been told he will remain in detention until 1 October, after the end of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Ye Guozhu has reportedly been moved from Chaobai prison where he was serving his sentence by Beijing Xuanwu District police. Ye’s family were told by police that he would not be allowed to return home until some time after 1 October for the good of the family and to keep them out of trouble during the Olympics.  The police refused to let his family meet him or tell them where he is now being detained.

Background on Shi Tao

Journalist and poet Shi Tao sent an email to a Chinese pro-democracy website in the USA. It summarised official instructions to media organisations about covering the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrations. Yahoo! provided the Chinese authorities with Shi Tao’s personal email account-holder information which helped to secure his conviction. He was arrested for ‘illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities’. In April 2005, Shi Tao was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Shi Tao’s family has also been harassed but his mother, Gao Qinsheng, was able to accept on his behalf the World Association of Newspapers Freedom award in June.

Update 15 November 2007: It was announced this week that Internet company Yahoo! has

• Find out more about our campaign for human rights in China
• Watch a YouTube clip of Shi Tao's mother, Gao Qinsheng, receiving Golden Pen of Freedom award on her son’s behalf

Human rights defenders harassed and jailed

These are just some of the many human rights defenders persecuted by the Chinese authorities for the peaceful exercise of rights to freedom of expression, association and information. Take action on behalf of imprisoned human rights defender Hu Jia

Follow up

Update 12 December 2008:Ye Guozhu was released on 15 Oct 2008. His family were warned by police at the time to keep news of his release secret, or Ye would be returned to custody.

His brother Ye Quoqiang said that on 29 September Ye Guozhu was forced to sign an agreement accepting compensation for his eviction. He said that Ye Guozhu was threatened with new charges and continued detention if he did not sign, and had been pressured into stating that he did not require a lawyer during his time in custody.

During his four years in prison, Ye Guozhu's health has deteriorated. He was forbidden from seeing his elderly mother and father, and his mother died while he was in custody. Ye has been exhausted by his ordeal and is currently resting and receiving medical treatment.

Please stop all actions on his behalf. We will continue to monitor his situation.

To take action on behalf of imprisoned human rights defender Hu Jia please visit www.amnesty.org.uk/huandzeng