China Human Rights Briefing Weekly   October 5-12, 2010

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 news, saying the award “honors all Chinese human rights defenders—Chen Guangcheng, Hu Jia, Gao Zhisheng, and countless others—who have suffered a great deal for advocating human rights.”
• Discussion of Nobel Prize in Media, Online, and Between Cell Users Censored: While Chinese authorities moved to clamp down on the news domestically through media and internet censorship, small groups of citizens gathered to celebrate the announcement. CHRD also received reports that cellular service providers block messages containing words such as “Liu Xiaobo.” Chinese websites hosted overseas which posted news of the award reported malicious attacks in the days following the announcement.
• National Security Officers Mobilize to Harass, Detain Supporters of Liu Xiaobo: Police across the country have targeted activists, dissidents, and other supporters of Liu in the days following October 8, detaining some and harassing many. CHRD believes at least several dozen individuals have been summoned for questioning, threatened with punishment for celebrating Liu’s achievement, or taken into detention.

Contents

• CHRD Congratulates 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo
• Harassment of Activists
  • Police across China Spring into Action in Wake of Nobel Announcement, Threaten and Detain Supporters
• Arbitrary Detention
  • Mother of Child Sickened by Tainted Vaccine Seized while Petitioning in Beijing
  • Jiangsu Province Man Detained for Petitioning
  • Release Upcoming for Liaoning Democracy Organizer after Seven-Year Sentence
  • Henan Petitioner Beaten by Interceptors, Forcibly Returned to Detention in Hometown Black Jail
  • Group of Shanghai Petitioners Prevented from Attending Expo; Two Remain in Detention
  • Fujian Activist Fan Yanqiong Remains in Poor Health Following Release on Medical Parole
  • Baihutou Village Representative Given 15 Days of Detention for Removing Demolition Announcement
• Freedom of Expression
  • Chinese Authorities Censor Nobel Peace Prize Information; Wife of Nobel Laureate Incommunicado
  • Hackers Target Independent Websites Posting News Related to Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Prize
  • Court in Beihai City Threatens Journalist over Microblogs from Baihutou Demolition
  • Shanxi Activist Detained 10 Days for Reporting on Clash between Security Guards and Citizens
• Citizens’ Actions
  • Veteran Guizhou Activist Distributes Articles about Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Peace Prize 

CHRD Congratulates 2010 Nobel Peace PrizeLaureate Liu Xiaobo

CHRD hails the NobelCommittee’s announcement and congratulates the imprisoned activist,writer andintellectual, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), onbeing awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize honorsLiu forhis decades-long dedication to promoting democracy and human rights in China.Mr. Liuis serving an 11-year prison sentence for “inciting subversion of statepower,”primarily for his support of Charter 08, a citizens’ manifestocallingfor democratic reform published in December 2008 to mark the 60thanniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For the fulltext ofCHRD’s statement on the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, please click here.

Harassmentof ActivistsPoliceacross China Spring into Action in Wake of Nobel Announcement, ThreatenandDetain Supporters

Internet-savvy Chinese citizens have been ableto circumvent official censorship and learn of the Nobel Committee'sdecisionto award the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波).While some have gathered in small groups to celebrate the momentousoccasion, approximatelyseveral dozen of Liu’s supporters, primarily activists and dissidents,havebeen seized by National Security officers across the country and takenintodetention. CHRD has compiled a partial list based on information fromtrustedsources; however, we have been unable to independently confirm thestatus ofthese individuals. Some may already have been released, while othersmay remainin detention. Also included in this list are a selection of reportsreceived byCHRD regarding harassment, soft detention, or other steps taken bypolice tolimit the freedoms of individuals in relation to the Nobelannouncement.

In Beijing:

• A group of activists and netizens were seized by National Security officers after gathering at a public park in Beijing. They include: Xu Zhiyong (许志永), Wang Lihong (王荔蕻), Liu Jingsheng (刘京生), Wang Guoqi (王国齐), Wu Gan (吴淦, known online as “Butcher,” 屠夫), He Yang  (何杨), A Er (阿尔), Xiao Lu (小路), Tiantian (天天), Gao Jian (高键), Peng Mo (彭墨), Zhang Yongpan (张永攀), and Zhao Fengsheng (赵枫生).
• CHRD has also received reports that three students from People’s University were detained for unfurling a banner in support of Liu Xiaobo on Tiananmen Square.
• On October 8 and again on October 10, police in Beijing increased the number of guards outside the home of Charter 08 drafter and constitutional scholar Zhang Zuhua (张祖桦). Zhang has been closely followed by police whenever he leaves his home.
• On the afternoon of October 12, Beijing activist Fan Yafeng (范亚峰) was prevented by police from leaving his home to take part in an interview, and again that evening he was prevented from attending a dinner. Fan reports he is being guarded by 20 police officers, and that they have roughly handled him in recent days.    
• On October 11, Beijing human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) reported that he has been held under soft detention at home by police. (CHRD)[1]
• Beijing democracy activist Zhou Tuo (周舵), one of the “four gentlemen of Tiananmen Square” together with Liu, reported that he has been placed under soft detention at his home by police on October 9 and as a result unable to attend a dinner gathering on that evening. (CHRD)[2]
• Liao Shuangyuan (廖双元) and Wu Yuqin (吴玉琴), members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum, have been missing since October 8, when a dinner they were attending in Beijing in honor of Liu Xiaobo was broken up by police. (CHRD)[3]
• Additionally, Beijing dissidents Cha Jianguo (查建国) and Gao Hongming (高洪明), along with scholar Wang Guangze (王光泽), were warned by police not to participate in activities to celebrate Liu's achievement. Similarly, Shanghai-based activist and secretary of Independent Chinese PEN Jiang Danwen (蒋亶文) was warned by police to not even discuss the prize. (CHRD)[4]

In Shanghai:

• Shi Feike (石菲客)
• Wang Xiaoyu (王晓渔)

In Jinan City,ShandongProvince:

• Sun Wenguang (孙文广) and friends

In GuizhouProvince:

• Huang Yanming (黄燕明)
• Chen Xi (陈西)
• and other members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum

In GuangxiProvince:

• Wang Debang (王德邦)

InSichuan Province:

• On the morning of October 11, Deyang City, Sichuan Province activist Li Yu (李宇) was summoned and interrogated for two hours about text messages he sent to friends heralding Liu's achievement. Police threatened him not to "take the lead in organizing any activities" related to the award.
• Also in Sichuan, activist Li Guohong (李国宏) reported on October 10 that police have been stationed outside of his home. In Chongqing Municipality, activist Mu Jiayu (穆家裕) has been under similar guard since the prize was announced. (CHRD)[5]
• On October 12, CHRD learned that Sichuan Province activist Chen Yunfei (陈云飞) was prevented from leaving his home to meet fellow dissidents by police. (CHRD)[6]
• On October 12, Sichuan Province democracy activist Wang Sen (王森) reported that he was summoned by National Security officers and has been closely monitored at his home. (CHRD)[7]

ArbitraryDetentionMotherof Child Sickened by Tainted Vaccine Seized while Petitioning in Beijing

CHRD learned on October 11 that Ms. Sun Hongli (孙红丽), of Zibo City,ShandongProvince, has been detained by officials from the Beijing LiaisonOffice of theShandong Provincial Government. Ms. Sun was in Beijing to petition on behalf of herchildSong Haoran (宋浩然),who has suffered convulsions after receiving a vaccination. Ms. Sunbelievesthe vaccination to be the cause of her child’s illness. Officials haveconfiscated Ms. Sun's identification card and, at the time of writing,werepreparing to forcibly return her to her hometown. (CHRD)[8]

Jiangsu Province Man Detained for Petitioning

According to an October 11 report by Civil Rightsand Livelihood Watch (CRLW), Jiangsu Province petitioner Jiang Guoping (蒋国萍) wasseized on October 8 and sent to seven days of administrative detentionforpetitioning and displaying protest banners outside of the Wuxi Citygovernmentoffices. Jiang lost his job after he applied to protest in 2003following alabor dispute with his employer. After years of petitioning, he wasseized in Beijing at the beginning ofthe Olympic Games in August2008 and detained in a psychiatric institution in Wuxi Cityfor 45 days. He was detained in the same institution once again during2009 forattempting to expose his earlier experience. (CRLW)[9]

ReleaseUpcoming for LiaoningDemocracy Organizer after Seven-Year Sentence

CHRD has learned that democracy and labor activistNing Xianhua (宁先华)is scheduled to be released from prison on December 15 after serving asevenyear term for "subversion of state power." Ning, who is currentlyincarcerated in Nanshan Prison in Jinzhou City,Liaoning Province, was taken intodetention in 2003 forhis role as an organizer for the banned China Democracy Party in Liaoning. Hewasoriginally sentenced to 12 years in prison, but had his term shortenedto sevenyears on appeal. Ning's co-defendant in the case, Kong Youping (孔佑平),is serving a 10-year sentence in Liaoning’s Lingyuan Prison. (CHRD)[10]

Henan Petitioner Beaten byInterceptors, Forcibly Returned to Detention in Hometown Black Jail

On October 6, petitioner Liu Xianzhi (刘先枝),of Henan Province, was seized in Beijing and forcibly returned to herhometownof Nancao Township. She is currently being detained in a black jailoperated bylocal government officials. Liu was reportedly beaten by interceptorswhokidnapped her in Beijingand sustained injuries to her head and neck. (CHRD)[11]

Groupof ShanghaiPetitionersPrevented from Attending Expo; Two Remain in Detention

On October 5, a group of 10 Shanghai petitioners were seized bypolice asthey entered the grounds of the Shanghai Expo. The petitioners weretaken to anearby police station and questioned; following the interrogation, allwereallowed to leave except for Ma Yalian (马亚莲) and Sun Jianmin (孙建敏). Maand Sun were separately taken to black jails in Shanghai, where they are currentlybeingheld. Ma expects to remain in illegal detention for an extended periodof time,as police seek to prevent her from traveling to Beijing during the upcoming 5thplenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the ChineseCommunist Party as well as from attempting to return to the ShanghaiExpo,which remains open through the end of the month. (CHRD)[12]

Fujian Activist Fan Yanqiong Remainsin Poor Health Following Release on Medical Parole

On October 5, a group of friends includingGuangdong human rights defender Tianli (天理, real name Chen Qitang [陈启棠]) paida visit to recently-released Fujian activist Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼) ather home in Nanping County. Tianli delivered an oxygen therapy machineto Fan,who has been having trouble breathing, and a doctor accompanying thegroupexamined Fan. Fan stated that her health recently had been extremelypoor, thatshe had been feverish, and was having difficulty performing everydaytasks.Fan, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and otherailments,was released from prison on medical parole on August 25. Fan and twootheractivists, Wu Huaying (吴华英) and You Jingyou (游精佑),were convicted of “slander” and imprisoned for posting articles andvideoonline urging government officials to investigate the alleged rape andmurderof a young woman in Fujian Province. (CHRD)[13]

Baihutou Village Representative Given 15 Daysof Detention for Removing Demolition Announcement

On the afternoon of October 5, police inBaihutou Village, Beihai City, Guangxi Province seized villagerepresentativeGao Jianbo (高建波)outside of his home and took him into custody. According to familymembers, Gaohas been sent to 15 days of judicial detention and is currently beingheld inthe Beihai City Detention House. A detention notice issued by thepolice statesthat Gao is being held for removing an official proclamation related topendingforced demolitions from the wall of his home. Gao is the latestBaihutouvillager to be detained for resisting forced demolitions being carriedout inthe village; village chief Xu Kun (许坤) and others have either beenarrested or sentenced to prison by local officials in recent months.(CHRD)[14]

Freedomof ExpressionChineseAuthorities Censor Nobel Peace Prize Information; Wife of NobelLaureateIncommunicado

As expected, Chinese officials have pulled outall the stops to prevent citizens from learning that the 2010 NobelPeace Prizewas awarded to Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) earlier today.

Even before the prize was announced, officialsordered managers at China’sfour main domestic internet portals—Ten Cent, Sina, Sohu, and Net Ease–to removepages dedicated to the 2010 Nobel Prizes. Online discussion of theNobel PeacePrize or Liu Xiaobo continues to be actively blocked.[15]

Liu’s wife Liu Xia (刘霞), whowas able to speak to international media by phone earlier in the day,wasreportedly unable to be reached as the afternoon progressed. Policewerestationed outside of her residential compound in Beijingthroughout the day to prevent anyone from entering, and CHRD hasreceivedreports that police are forcing Liu Xia to leave Beijing.

CHRD has also learned that, in addition tointernet censorship of the news, cell phone text messages related toLiu Xiaoboor the Nobel Peace Prize are being blocked by cellular carriers.

HackersTarget Independent Websites Posting News Related to Liu Xiaobo’s NobelPrize

On the afternoon of October 11, a large numberof websites--including those operated by the Independent Chinese PEN,NewCentury News, Boxun, Charter 08,Canyu, and others--were struck by malicious attacks. These sites, whicharehosted abroad, are used by Chinese netizens to post independent newsand hadbeen reporting on Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Peace Prize and government effortstoclamp down on activists and others who sought to draw attention to theaward domestically.Most had their homepages infected with viruses, according to a sourcefamiliarwith the events. It is believed that these attacks are organized andhighlysophisticated. CHRD's website has been out of service for a number ofmonthsafter suffering similar attacks earlier this summer. (CHRD)[16]

Courtin BeihaiCity ThreatensJournalist overMicroblogs from Baihutou Demolition

On October 9, China Wealth magazinereceived a fax from the Yinhai District Courtin Beihai City,Guangxi Province,warning the magazine to instruct one of its journalists to stopreporting onforced evictions taking place in Baihutou Village.According to thefax, journalist Song Fuli (宋馥李) had been posting live updates from thedemolitions on his microblog account at http://t.qq.com/songfuli#M.The court accused Song of spreading "falsified information."According to a villager familiar with Song's reporting, the court'saccusationis baseless, and Song's account of the demolition is entirely accurate.  At the time of writing, Song has been allowedby his employer to continue posting updates on the Baihutou demolitionsto hismicroblog. (CHRD)[17]

Shanxi Activist Detained 10 Days forReporting on Clash between Security Guards and Citizens

CHRD learned on the evening of October 6 thatTaiyuan City, Shanxi Province democracy activist Deng Taiqing (邓太清) hasbeen detained by local police. According to his wife, Deng was seizedon theafternoon of October 5. His wife discovered he was missing andtelephoned thelocal police station, where an officer informed her that her husbandhad beentaken in for 10 days of detention. The officer stated that Deng wasbeingdetained for posting information online regarding a clash betweensecurityguards and people attending a pro-democracy gathering in a Taiyuan park onOctober 2. (CHRD)[18]

Citizens’ActionsVeteranGuizhou Activist Distributes Articles about Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel PeacePrize

On October 10, 72 year-old activist Mei Chongbiao(糜崇骠)took up his usual position on People's Square in Guiyang City, GuizhouProvince, where he has appeared on the weekends for years to distributearticles from international media and Chinese dissidents aboutdemocracy, humanrights, and world affairs. On this particular day, he presentedarticles aboutLiu Xiaobo winning the Nobel Peace Prize, which fellow activistsestimated drewa crowd of "more than one hundred" citizens excited to learn of thenews. Mei, the son of a decorated general who was executed by thegovernment inthe 1950s, has persevered in his efforts to educate local citizens andpromotehuman rights and democracy in Chinadespite repeated harassment and threats from local police. (CHRD)[19]

Editors: David Smalls and Lin SangNews updatesfromCHRDIssues and Cases CHRD Recommends the Committee againstTortureInclude in its List of Issues for the Chinese Government to Address initsFifth Periodic Report

[1] "Local Authorities in China Step up Internet Controls,ClampDown on Activists and Scholars" (中国当局连日进一步加紧网络封锁、控制维权人士与学者), October 12, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010122213.shtml

[2] "Dinner for Friends Organized by Zhou Duo Thwarted byPolice" (周舵召集朋友聚餐活动遭警方破坏),October 9, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010092331.shtml

[3] "Guizhou Human RIghts Forum Members in Beijing toCongratulateLiu Xiaobo Missing for More than 100 Hours" (贵州人权研讨会成员在京贺刘晓波获奖失踪1百多个小时), October 12,2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010121131.shtml

[4] "Activists Across the Country Threatened or Deprived oftheirFreedom after Liu Xiaobo is Awarded Nobel Peace Prize" (各地维权人士因刘晓波获奖被限制自由或严厉警告(图)), October 9, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010090136.shtml

[5] "Activists Across the Country Continue to be Summoned,Placedunder Soft Detention because Liu Xiaobo Won the Nobel Peace Prize" (因刘晓波获得诺奖各地继续传唤、软禁维权人士),October 11, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010111521.shtml

[6] "Liu Xiaobo Wins Nobel Prize, Chen Yunfei Barred fromLeavingHome" (刘晓波获诺奖 陈云飞出门受阻), October12, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010121108.shtml

[7] "Sichuan Province Democracy ACtivist Wang Sen SummonedbyDazhou National Security" (四川民主党人王森被达州国保传唤),October 12, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010121221.shtml

[8] "Sun Hongli, Parent of Victim of Fake Vaccine inShandong,Illegally Detained" (山东假疫苗受害家长孙红丽被非法监禁), October 11, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010112218.shtml

[9] "Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province Psychiatric InstitutionVictimJiang Guoping Detained" (江苏无锡精神病院受难者蒋国萍遭拘留), October 11, 2010, http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010112236.shtml

[10] "Liaoning Democracy and Organized Labor Leader NingXianhua tobe Released from Prison on December 15" (辽宁民运主要领导人、著名工运领袖宁先华将于12月15日出狱), October 7,2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010071436.shtml

[11] "Henan Petitioner Liu Xianzhi Beaten, Detained in BlackJail" (河南访民刘先枝被殴打后关进黑监狱(图)), October 7, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010072150.shtml

[12] "Many Shanghai Rights-Defending Petitioners Taken AwaybyPolice While at Shanghai Expo" (上海多位维权公民参观世博会时被警察带走), October 6, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010061641.shtml

[13] "Fan Yanqiong's Health Continues to Decline, ActivistsPay Hera Visit" (范燕琼健康日益恶化，维权人士前往探望(图)), October 6, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/10/201010062044.shtml