It’s the same old story.. Chinese Human Rights Defenders website reports…
Police Detain and Harass Activists on Eve of Tiananmen Anniversary
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, June 4, 2009) – CHRD has documented the cases of sixty-five activists who have been subjected to harassment from officials in order to prevent them from organizing or taking part in activities commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre. These individuals have been taken into police custody, had their movements restricted, been forced to leave their homes, or otherwise threatened or monitored by police. In addition to those documented below, more are feared to have been subjected to similar forms of harassment, but may have chosen to keep quiet to avoid repercussions. Many of these individuals are signatories to Charter 08 and were participants in the 1989 pro-democracy movement.
Meanwhile, authorities ordered nearly 160 websites closed for “system maintenance” to prevent netizens from mobilizing online and from learning about activities planned in many cities around the world to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre. (see http://crd-net.org/Article/liusi/200906/20090603224533_15708.html)
Individuals Taken into Police Custody
According to a June 2 report by Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch (CRLW), Wu Gaoxing (吴高兴), a dissident from Linhai City in Zhejiang Province, has been detained on suspicion of “disturbing social order”. Reportedly, Wu was detained for cycling with a t-shirt commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre. It is currently unclear when he was taken into custody and his family has not received any formal notification of his detention from the police.
Also according to CRLW, Hu Guohong (胡国红), a veteran petitioner from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, was kidnapped off the street by local officials and police on May 31. Hu has since been detained in Wuhan City Mental Health Center. According to Hu’s wife, local officials and policemen told her that Hu would be released after June 4.
Tang Jitian (唐吉田), a Beijing-based human rights lawyer, was taken into custody by the National Security police from Haidian District, Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) on the morning of June 4. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Zhang Jiankang (张鉴康), a Xian-based activist and former lawyer whose license was revoked several years ago, was taken away from his home by three National Security policemen on May 29. Police said he might be released after June 4. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Ma Xiaoming (马晓明), an activist based in Xian, was taken away from his home on a “trip” by police on May 21. Ma’s family was told that he would be freed after June 5. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Yang Hai (杨海), an activist based in Xian, was taken away by police around noon on June 3. Yang had been detained by police for several hours daily in the days leading up to June 3, and asked to leave town on a “trip”, which he repeatedly refused. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Zhao Changqing (赵常青), an activist and a former prisoner of conscience from Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, was taken away by police on May 30. He had previously refused requests from the police that he leave town. His whereabouts are unknown.
Xie Fulin (谢福林), rights activist and signatory to Charter 08 from Changsha City in Hunan Province, was taken away from his home in the evening of June 1 by National Security police. According to reports, he is being detained at a rural inn and will be held for up to 10 days.
Zhao Dagong (赵达功), a writer and an active member of the Independent Chinese PEN based in Shenzhen, was taken away by police for a forced “trip” on June 1. His whereabouts are currently unknown.
Zou Wei (邹巍), an activist and signatory to Charter 08 based in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, was taken away by police on a forced “tourist trip” on June 3.
Soft Detention
Individuals subjected to “soft detention” (软禁) are guarded by police stationed at their homes. Though individuals may be allowed to leave their homes during soft detention, they are closely followed and monitored by police or asked to travel in police vehicles, and often barred from meeting other “sensitive” individuals. The following individuals are currently under soft detention:
In Beijing
- Ai Weiwei (艾未未), artist and activist who organized investigations into the deaths of schoolchildren in collapsed buildings during the Sichuan earthquake,
- Chen Ziming (陈子明), who was jailed for 13 years for orchestrating the 1989 movement and is now a freelance writer,
- Ding Zilin (丁子霖), a member of the Tiananmen Mothers , a group of relatives of those killed during the Tiananmen massacre,
- Jiang Peikun (蒋培坤), member of the Tiananmen Mothers and husband of Ding Zilin. Jiang and Ding were placed under soft detention after refusing orders to leave Beijing.
- Jiang Qisheng (江棋生), dissident writer, vice-chairman of the Independent Chinese PEN, and former 1989 prisoner,
- Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), human rights lawyer,
- Lan Zhixue (兰志学), human rights lawyer. Lan was interrogated by police at the Haidian District Sijiqing PSB Office for a number of hours on June 3 before being placed under soft detention.
- Li Fangping (李方平), human rights lawyer,
- Li Hai (李海), a participant of the 1989 pro-democracy protests,
- Li Heping (李和平), human rights lawyer,
- Li Xiongbing (黎雄兵), human rights lawyer,
- Mo Shaoping (莫少平), human rights lawyer,
- Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), human rights lawyer,
- Qi Zhiyong (齐志勇), Beijing activist who was shot during the 1989 Tiananmen massacre and left disabled,
- Teng Biao (滕彪), human rights lawyer,
- Wan Yanhai (万延海), AIDS activist,
- Wang Debang (王德邦), human rights activist,
- Wang Guangze (王光泽), scholar,
- Wang Junxiu (王俊秀), participant in the 1989 pro-democracy protests,
- Wang Zhongxia (王仲夏), Beijing resident who made and distributed t-shirts about Charter 08,
- Xu Jue (徐珏), member of the Tiananmen Mothers,
- Yu Haocheng (于浩成), well-known legal scholar and author of many books on politics and law who spent nearly ten years in exile after 1989 before returning to China,
- Yu Jie (余杰), author who has written commemorative articles on June Fourth,
- Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), human rights activist and wife of imprisoned activist Hu Jia (胡佳),
- Zhang Dajun (张大军), scholar and organizer of a think tank,
- Zhang Xianling (张先玲), member of the Tiananmen Mothers,
- Zhang Zuhua (张祖桦), intellectual and main drafter of Charter 08,
- Zhao Hui (赵晖), publisher and participant in the 1989 protests,
- Zhou Tuo (周舵), participant in the 1989 pro-democracy protests who recently submitted an application to the Beijing police seeking to protest about the Tiananmen Massacre.
In Guizhou Province
- Chen Xi (陈西), organizer of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum
- Huang Yanming (黄燕明), organizer of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum
- Liao Shuangyuan (廖双元), organizer of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum
- Other main members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum are believed to under soft detention but precise details are currently unclear.
In Hubei Province
Yao Lifa (姚立法), activist specializing in monitoring grassroots elections
In Hunan Province
Qing Zhao (卿昭), teacher and a signatory to Charter 08
In Shenzhen
Guo Yongfeng (郭永丰), democratic activist and organizer of the Citizens’ Association for Government Oversight (公民监政会)
Ma Shaofang (马少方), one of the 21 student leaders wanted after the Tiananmen Massacre
In Zhejiang Province
Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫), leading member of China Democracy Party
Wen Kejian (温克坚), freelance writer and editor of an online journal
Forced to leave town
A number of Individuals have been forced to leave the city in which they ordinarily reside during the anniversary, and some have been asked to return to their hometowns as listed on their residency permits (hukou):
In Beijing
- Ba Zhongwei (巴忠魏), rights activist from Henan Province
- Bao Tong (鲍彤), former aide to Zhao Ziyang
- Liu Dejun (刘德军), activist and former policeman from Hubei Province
- Liu Shiying (刘诗莹), petitioner from Guangdong Province
- Tian Yongde (田永德), rights activist and signatory to Charter 08 from Inner Mongolia
- Wang Chengming (枉成明), rights activist and signatory to Charter 08 from Sichuan Province
- Zhang Hui (张辉), scholar and signatory to Charter 08 from Shanxi Province
In Shenzhen
Yang Yong (杨勇), activist from Jiangxi Province
In Zhejiang Province:
Shen Zijun (沈子俊), former 1989 student activist from Gansu province. On May 30, Shen was summoned by the Zhejiang police, who confiscated all his personal belongings. They later returned everything except for Shen’s t-shirts commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre.. On June 1, Shen was forcibly sent back to Gansu, where he was interrogated and forced to sign a guarantee promising not to leave his home town until June 10.
Other forms of harassment
Many individuals have been asked to go to a police station to have a “chat” or have been visited at home by the police, who have warned them against giving media interviews, meeting friends or organizing activities to commemorate the Tiananmen Massacre, including:
- Ding Mao (丁茅), student leader during the 1989 pro-democracy movement, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
- Jiang Danwen (蒋亶文), Vice-Secretary of the Independent Chinese PEN, Shanghai Municipality
- Li Dongzhuo (李东卓), activist, Changsha City, Hunan Province
- Lu Gang (卢刚), student leader during the 1989 pro-democracy movement, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
- Ye Du (野渡), internet activist, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province
- Zhang Jinjun (张津郡), participant in the 1989 pro-democracy protests, Shenzhen. Zhang was barred from traveling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong to attend commemorative activities for June 4.
- Zhang Xianchi (张先痴), poet, rights activist and signatory to Charter 08, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. His wife, Ms. Zhang, was also harassed by police.
Media Contacts for this release :
Renee Xia, International Director (English and Mandarin): +852 8191 6937
Wang Songlian, Research Coordinator and English Editor (English, Mandarin and Cantonese): +852 8191 1660
For CHRD’s recent report on the Tiananmen Massacre, see
The Legacy of Tiananmen: 20 Years of Oppression, Activism and Hope, June 1, 2009, http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200906/20090602091613_15678.html
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a non-political, non-governmental network of grassroots and international activists promoting human rights and empowering grassroots activism in China. CHRD’s objective is to support human rights activists in China, monitor human rights developments, and assist victims of human rights abuses. CHRD advocates approaches that are non-violent and based on rule of law. CHRD conducts research, provides information, organizes training, supports a program of small grants to human rights activists and researchers, and offers legal assistance.
