Tianamen Square hero to speak out in belfast

Tiananmen Square hero Shao Jiang will address a special conference in Belfast this Saturday 15 September, highlighting serious human rights abuses in China ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Shao Jiang was one of the organisers of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations, which ended in carnage and saw China's democracy movement brutally repressed.

Frequently imprisoned by the authorities, he now lives in exile for speaking out against human rights violations in China.

He said: “As one of many survivors of the non-violent Tiananmen protests in Beijing, I am often haunted by blood and bodies, and I will never forget the brave Chinese citizens who defended their civil and political rights.

“Now I support Amnesty International in urging the Chinese authorities to make reforms in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.”

Other speakers will include Anna Lo, MLA, the UK’s first ethnic Chinese parliamentarian.

Patrick Corrigan, Programme Director for Amnesty International Northern Ireland, said:

“Come the 2008 Olympics, much of the focus will be on the sports and the city of Beijing – but we cannot afford to lose sight of the pressing issues of torture, political detention and unfair trials in China.

“This conference will give a fascinating insight from some first-hand witnesses to many of the worst abuses of power taking place in China.”

The conference will also focus on violence against Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights, with contributions from celebrated Iraqi journalist Houzan Mahmood.

She will speak about how the upsurge in sectarian bloodshed and the collapse of Iraq’s infrastructure are affecting Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights across the region.

The conference will take place in Queen’s University Peter Froggatt Centre from 10:00am to 5:00pm.