China: Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan

 LETTER 

Hu Jia, one of China’s most prominent human rights defenders, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in April 2008 for speaking out about the Chinese authorities’ human rights record. His conviction on charges of ‘subversion’ followed several years of harassment. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, and their infant daughter are currently under house arrest. Hu Jia’s sentence serves as a warning to others who dare to raise human rights concerns publicly. Send an appeal letter to the Chinese authorities now

UPDATE 24 JULY 2009: ACTIVISTS CELEBRATE HU JIA'S BIRTHDAY

UPDATE 4 JUNE 2009: TIANANMEN CRACKDOWN
On 3 June Zeng Jinyan was stopped from leaving her house to attend her mother’s birthday celebration, as the Chinese authorities have stepped up curbs on dissenting voices ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown.

She was apparently told that she would not be able to leave the house in the coming days. In Beijing, HIV/AIDS activist, Wan Yanhai, was forced to travel to the northern city of Changchun ahead of the anniversary. Police officers knocked at his door and requested he leave to “avoid possible conflict”. He refused but was forced to board a train to leave the capital with his family.

In order to limit communication between activists and internet campaigners, Chinese authorities have shut down Twitter, Flickr and Hotmail.

UPDATE 16 JANUARY 2009: Treatment concern
Hu Jia’s mother visited him on 15 January 2009. She said that he looked "okay." However, his family doctor is concerned that he needs new treatment for his liver disease, as his current medicine will be becoming less effective. Hu Jia’s mother has asked the prison to give him a check-up and let the doctor decide on a new course of medication.

Since Zeng Jinyan gave an acceptance speech on behalf of Hu Jia when he won the Sakharov prize, she has been refused permission to visit her husband. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted angrily to Hu Jia being awarded the prize by the European Parliament, saying it was "a gross interference in China’s domestic affairs."

UPDATE 23 OCTOBER 2009
Hu Jia was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov prize for Freedom of Thought.

UPDATE 22 OCTOBER 2009
Hu Jia was moved to Beijing City Prison. His family have welcomed the move because the prison is much closer to their home. It remains unclear, however, if this move will be of any practical benefit to Hu Jia.

The prison authority rejected the family's request to visit him on 15 October and refused to tell them whether they would be granted access in November.

Hu Jia was convicted of ‘inciting subversion’ and sentenced to three and a half years in prison on 18 March 2008. Evidence against him included internet articles and interviews with foreign media. Neither his wife, Zeng Jinyan, nor his father were allowed to attend his trial and his lawyers were given just three days to prepare his defence.

Hu Jia’s outspoken activism has made him a frequent target for harassment by the Chinese authorities. Since 2004 he has been arbitrarily detained several times and in 2006 was held incommunicado for 41 days, after calling for the release of imprisoned human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng. Following his release, both he and his wife were placed under near continuous house arrest for 18 months, during which time their daughter, Hu Qianci, was born. She has lived under house arrest ever since.

As with Hu Jia, Zeng Jinyan’s activism has brought her to the attention of the authorities. In 2007 she gained worldwide recognition after TIME Magazine named her one of ‘100 People Who Shape Our World’ for a blog she set up during Hu Jia’s detention in 2006. She continued to maintain the blog, detailing the couples’ day-to-day experiences as activists living in China, until the authorities cut her internet connection last year. Since then she has had intermittent access.

Zeng Jinyan and new daughter Hu Qianci have been held under house arrest since Hu Jia’s arrest in December 2007. Police have warned Zeng several times that if she does not ‘cooperate’ or tries to talk to the media about Hu Jia’s imprisonment, she too will be detained.

Hu Jia is in the early stages of sclerosis of the liver and needs daily medication for Hepatitis B. His application for medical parole was rejected in June 2008 and he was told that he would have to serve at least one-third of his sentence before he could re-apply. Since he protested about human rights violations in prison, his letters home to his family have been confiscated.

 LETTER 

Hu Jia, one of China’s most prominent human rights defenders, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in April 2008 for speaking out about the Chinese authorities’ human rights record. His conviction on charges of ‘subversion’ followed several years of harassment. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, and their infant daughter are currently under house arrest. Hu Jia’s sentence serves as a warning to others who dare to raise human rights concerns publicly. Send an appeal letter to the Chinese authorities now

UPDATE 24 JULY 2009: ACTIVISTS CELEBRATE HU JIA'S BIRTHDAY

Send an appeal to the Chinese authorities calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Hu Jia, and an end to the harassment of Zeng Jinyan.