China Human Rights Briefing 3 February 2010

Headlines

• Author Liao Yiwu Once Again Prevented from Leaving China
• Two Jiangsu Residents Seriously Injured in Forced Eviction
• Liu Xiaobo Nominated for Peace Prize by Prominent International Figures 

Freedom of Movement

Author Liao Yiwu Once Again Prevented from Leaving China

Well-known Sichuanauthor and poet Liao Yiwu (廖亦武) was informed by local police on February 3that he would not be allowed to leave the country in the coming days,statingthat he remains on a list of individuals banned from traveling abroad.Thepolice did not tell him when and how he would be taken off the list,which is drawnup by “higher authorities” in Beijing.Liao had recently received an invitation to attend the upcoming CologneInternational Literature Festival in Cologne,Germany, as a guestof honor, and had appliedfor permission to leave Chinawith the authorities. This marks the thirteenth occasion during thepast decadethat Liao has been prevented from leaving the country; he was laststopped inlate April, 2009, while on his way to accept a prize from an Australianfoundation. Liao is a vocal government critic and his recent workincludes ARecord of the Earthquake (大地震记事) and the Corpse Walker.(CHRD)[i]

Forced Eviction and Demolition

Two JiangsuResidents Seriously Injured in Forced Eviction

On January 15, tworesidents of Funing County,Jiangsu Province,sustainedserious injuries as over 100 demolition and eviction workers forcedthem out oftheir home and connected shop and violently beat them. Chen Rong (陈荣) andhis wife Liu Yufen (刘玉芬) remain hospitalized in Funing; both sufferedserious injuries to their heads and faces, while Liu's leg was brokenand Chensustained kidney damage. Chen's 92 year-old father, Chen Birun (陈必润), wasalso removed from the home as part of the eviction. According to Chen,localgovernment workers from a variety of departments, including the PublicSecurityBureau, the Urban Inspection Bureau, and the Department of Sanitationwereresponsible for the violence. The couple had not signed an agreementwithdevelopers prior to their forced eviction because they believed thecompensation they were offered was too low. Liu had attempted to resolve the matter with local officials andappliedfor adjudication in December 2009; however, her application was neveraccepted.(CHRD)[ii]

Citizens’Actions

Liu XiaoboNominated for Peace Prize by Prominent International Figures

In recent days, a number of prominentinternational figures and politicians have spoken out in support ofChinesehuman rights advocates as potential recipients of the 2010 Nobel PeacePrize.  A group of forty Czech and fiftySlovak members of parliament (see here)nominated Liu Xiaobo for the prize, while Former Czech president VaclavHavel, HisHoliness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu andotherssigned a joint letter supporting his nomination (see here).A group of seven US Congressmen nominated Liu, Chen Guangcheng, and GaoZhisheng (see here)for the award.

Editors: David Smalls and Lin Sang

News updates from CHRD: http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/Index.html

Reining in Civil Society: The Chinesegovernment’s use of laws and regulations to persecute freedom ofassociationhttp://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class11/200908/20090810214902_16733.html

CHRD Yearbook 2007-2008: http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class11/200808/20080807093200_9888.html

[i] "Sichuan Author Liao Yiwu Prevented from Leaving Countryfor13th Time" (四川作家廖亦武第十三次被限制出境),February 3, 2010, http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class53/201002/20100203190821_19758.html

[ii] "Jiangsu Violent Forced Eviction Leads to SeriousInjuries,Hospitalizations "(江苏暴力拆迁致人重伤入院),February 3, 2010, http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class53/201002/20100203194121_19759.html

Source: CHRD