China Human Rights Briefing Weekly  April 6-12, 2011

Highlights

• “Jasmine” Crackdown Continues as Veteran Activist Zhu Yufu is Arrested: Pro-democracy activist Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) was formally arrested this week for “inciting subversion of state power” by officials in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Zhu is the fifth activist overall, and the first outside of Sichuan Province, to be formally arrested during the “Jasmine Revolution” crackdown. As of April 12, a total of 38 individuals have been criminally detained in the crackdown, and 16 remain missing.

Contents

• Arbitrary Detention
  • Updates on Detentions and Disappearances Related to the “Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown
  • Petitioners Seized at Sentencing of Liu Xianbin Face Criminal Detention
• Freedom of Religion
  • Police in Beijing Disrupt Meeting of House Church, Seize Worshippers
• Harassment of Activists
  • Police Search Home of Chengdu Activist Ling Yi, Confiscate Computer

ArbitraryDetentionUpdateson Detentions and Disappearances Related to the“Jasmine Revolution” Crackdown

• On April 11, the Hangzhou City Procuratorate approved the arrest of Zhejiang Province-based democracy activist Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) for "inciting subversion of state power." Zhu, who is currently being held in the Shangcheng District Detention Center in Hangzhou, was criminally detained for "inciting subversion of state power" on March 5. He is the first individual outside of Sichuan Province to be formally arrested as part of the "Jasmine Revolution" crackdown. A longtime activist and founder of the China Democracy Party (CDP), Zhu spent seven years in prison for "subversion of state power" following the 1998 crackdown on the CDP. He was imprisoned for a second time between 2007 and 2009.[i]
• CHRD has learned that Beijing-based housing rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) and her husband Dong Jiqin (董继勤), missing since April 7, are currently being detained in the Xicheng Detention Center in Beijing's Haidian District. Family members discovered Ni and Dong's whereabouts after contacting police on April 11; however, officers have yet to provide the family with any formal documentation which might authorize the couple's detention. The precise reason for their detention, and potential length of their detention, are not currently known.[ii]
• On April 8, CHRD learned that Beijing-based activist Wei Qiang (魏强) has been sent to two years of Re-education through Labor (RTL) in his home province of Shaanxi. Wei is being held at the Baota District RTL Camp in Shaanxi's Yan'an City. Wei's parents traveled to Beijing to inquire into the whereabouts of their son, who was criminally detained in the capital on February 25 on suspicion of participating in an "illegal demonstration." They were told he had been sent back to Yan'an, and when Wei's parents contacted local officials, they learned that Wei had already been sent to RTL. Wei's parents have yet to receive any documentation which might authorize the decision to send their son to RTL; reportedly, Wei was forcibly returned to Yan'an on March 25 and almost immediately sent to RTL.[iii]
• CHRD learned on April 10 that activist Liu Guohui (刘国慧), of Linyi City, Shandong Province, is currently living at home under residential surveillance. Liu, missing since March 10, was criminally detained on March 11 on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power" and held in the Linyi City Detention Center. Her family never received any legal documentation notifying them of her detention. She was released on bail to await trial on April 8.[iv]
• CHRD learned on April 11 that Shanghai-based petitioners Tan Lanying (谈兰英), Yang Lamei (杨腊梅), and Guo Yigui (郭谊贵) have been released from criminal detention. The three were seized on February 20 and held on suspicion of "assembling a crowd to disrupt the order of a public place." Tan and Yang were released on March 23, while Guo was released on February 25. The three, all veteran petitioners, were separately taken into custody by police at a site in Shanghai identified in online postings calling for "Jasmine Revolution" protests, though there is no indication the three knew anything about the protests.[v]
• CHRD learned on April 9 that police in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, have blocked meetings between detained democracy activist Ding Mao (丁茅) and a lawyer hired for him by his family. According to Ding's wife, officials in Mianyang claimed that Ding's case "involves state secrets." Ding was formally arrested on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power" on March 25, and has yet to meet with his lawyer.[vi]
• Around one o'clock in the morning on April 7, police burst into the Beijing hotel room where housing rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) and her husband Dong Jiqin (董继勤) have been living and took the couple away. Ni, a former lawyer, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in 2008 for resisting the forced demolition of her home; since her release from prison on April 15, 2010, Ni and her husband have lived on the street or in guesthouses because their home was forcibly demolished. She and Dong have been staying at the Yuxingong Guesthouse since the summer of 2010, and their hotel room has become a meeting place for petitioners and human rights lawyers in Beijing. During that time, police repeatedly pressured hotel management to turn off the electricity, internet, and water in an attempt to force the couple out. Ni has been very vocal on Twitter protesting the current crackdown.[vii]
• On April 7, Ran Tong (冉彤), lawyer for detained Chengdu legal aid worker Li Shuangde (李双德), was notified that his request for his client's release on bail to await trial had been denied. Li remains detained in the Chengdu City Detention Center in Sichuan Province. He was formally arrested on April 2 for "credit card fraud" after being taken away by police on March 21.[viii]
• On April 6, Beijing-based rights activist Li Yongsheng (李永生) was released on bail to await trial and returned home. Li had been criminally detained at the Taihu District Detention Center in Tongzhou District, Beijing, since March 6 on suspicion of "creating a disturbance."[ix]
• On April 6, Beijing-based democracy activist Li Hai (李海) returned home after being released on bail to await trial. Li was seized on February 26 and held in the Chaoyang District Detention Center in Beijing on suspicion of “creating a disturbance.”[x]
• CHRD learned on April 6 that Wen Tao (文涛), former journalist and assistant to Ai Weiwei (艾未未), has been missing since April 3. Wen was seized by plainclothes police officers outside of his girlfriend's home in the Caochangdi neighborhood of Beijing's Chaoyang District on Sunday afternoon. Wen was fired from his job at the Global Times' English-language edition for reporting on a demonstration led by artists down Chang'an Avenue in February 2010 protesting the forced demolition of a Beijing arts district.[xi]
• On the afternoon of April 8, police in Beijing once again searched missing artist and activist Ai Weiwei's (艾未未) workshop. According to witnesses, police confiscated many boxes of material following an approximately three-hour search.  Ai remains missing after he was seized by police at Beijing's Capital Airport.[xii]

As of April 12, a total of 38 individuals have beencriminally detained in relation to the crackdown onthe “Jasmine Revolution:”Five— Li Shuangde (李双德),Chen Wei (陈卫), Ran Yunfei (冉云飞),Ding Mao (丁 矛),and Zhu Yufu (朱 虞夫)—havebeen formally arrested; Two—Hua Chunhui (华春辉)and Wei Qiang (魏强)—have since been sentto Re-education throughLabor; Five—Guo Yigui (郭谊贵),Mo Jiangang (莫建刚), Pan Zhenjuan (潘振娟),Tan Lanying (谈 兰英)and Yang Lamei (杨腊梅)—have been released;Nine—Cheng Wanyun (程婉芸),Li Hai (李海), Li Yongsheng (李永生),Lan Jingyuan (兰 靖远),Liu Guohui (刘 国慧),Liu Huiping (刘 慧萍),Weng Jie (翁 杰),Zhang Jian’nan (张健男) and Zheng Chuangtian(郑创添)—have been released on bail to await trial; andSeventeen—Liang Haiyi(梁海怡),Quan Lianzhao (全 连昭),Wei Shuishan (魏 水山),Sun Desheng (孙 德胜),Yang Qiuyu (杨 秋雨),Xie Mingkai (薛 明凯),Wang Lihong (王 荔蕻),Huang Xiang (黄 香),Zhui Hun (追 魂),Cheng Li (成 力),Guo Gai (郭 盖),Peng Tianhui (彭 天惠),Li Renyu (李 仁玉),Kan Siyun (阚 思云),Li Xiaocheng (李 小成),Guo Weidong (郭 卫东),and Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) remain in detention.A total of 16individuals remain missing. They are:Jiang Tianyong (江天勇), Teng Biao (滕彪),Gu Chuan (古川), Li Tiantian (李天天),Liu Dejun (刘德军), Liu Shihui (刘士辉),Yuan Xinting (袁新亭), Lan Ruoyu (蓝若宇),Hu Di (胡荻), Zhang Haibo (张海波),Ceng Renguang (曾仁广), Zhou Li (周莉),Liu Zhengqing (刘正清), Ai Weiwei (艾未未),Wen Tao (文涛), and Dong Jiqin (董继勤).[xiii]PetitionersSeized at Sentencing of Liu Xianbin Face CriminalDetentionCHRD learned on April9 that three petitionersseized outside of the sentencing of Sichuan-basedactivist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌)in March have been criminally detained. The three—PengTianhui (彭天惠),Li Renyu (李仁玉), and Kan Siyun (阚思云)—wereoriginally returned to Chengdu City from Suining Cityand given seven days ofadministrative detention on March 28; however, insteadof being released, theywere then criminally detained by the Chengdu City PSBand transferred to theChengdu City Detention Center. While the police havethreatened that the threeface charges of "inciting subversion of state power,"their relativeshave yet to receive formal detention notices and theprecise charges againstthe three are unclear. Peng, Li and Kan, who do notpersonally know Liu, weresilently and peacefully demonstrating their supportfor him outside of thecourthouse when they were taken away by police. (CHRD)[xiv]Freedomof ReligionPolicein Beijing Disrupt Meeting of House Church, SeizeWorshippersOn April 10, police inBeijing prevented the membersof the Shouwang House Church from holding theirregular Sunday services. Thechurch was meeting in a public area, as policepressure on the landlord oftheir previous meeting location as well as thedeveloper of a piece of propertythe church has since bought has forced them out ofthose spaces. According toone member of the congregation, "nearly all" of thecore members ofthe church were placed under soft detention orotherwise prevented fromattending the service on Sunday. Though approximately100 worshippers were ableto gather, a large number of police arrived at thescene and dispersed thegroup, taking many away in police vehicles. (CHRD)[xv]Harassment ofActivistsPoliceSearch Home of Chengdu Activist Ling Yi,Confiscate ComputerOn the morning ofApril 12, police arrived at theChengdu City, Sichuan Province home of activist andmagazine editor Ling Yi (凌怡),taking her in for an interrogation. While she wasbeing questioned, her home wassearched by police officers, who confiscated herpersonal computer. Officersdid not present a search warrant or summons, or leavea list of confiscateditems. The precise nature of the questioning, or thereason her home wassearched, is not currently known. Ling returned homeafter being interrogatedfor close to 14 hours, but she disappeared aftercontacting a few of herfriends about the ordeal. Ling has been summoned andcalled for "tea"by local National Security officers on a number ofoccasions recently becauseof her support for imprisoned activist Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌)and participation in local "Jasmine Revolution"protests. (CHRD)[xvi] Editors: DavidSmalls and Lin Sang Follow us on Twitter:  @CHRDnetNewsupdates from CHRD [i]"Hangzhou Democracy Activist Zhu Yufu FormallyArrested" (杭州民主党人朱 虞夫被批准逮捕),April 12, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_3408.html[ii]"Ni Yulan, Dong Jiqin Held in Xicheng DetentionCenter" (倪玉兰、董继勤夫妇被羁押在西城看守所), April 11,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_12.html[iii]"Shaanxi Activist Wei Qiang Sent to Two Years ofRTL" (陕西维权人士魏强被劳教两年), April 8, 2011,http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_6449.html[iv]"Shandong Activist Liu Guohui Living underResidential Surveillance SinceBeing Released from Criminal Detention on Bail toAwait Trial" (山东维权人士刘国慧被刑拘后取保出来监视居住), April10, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_4822.html[v]"Three Criminally Detained Shanghai PetitionersReleased" (三位被 刑事拘留的上海访民获释),April 11, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_7976.html[vi]"Police Block Lawyer from Meeting with MianyangDemocracy Activist DingMao" (警方阻止律师会见绵阳民主维权人士丁 茅), April 9, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_5589.html[vii]"Ni Yulan and Husband Taken Away by Police,Residence SealedOff"  (倪玉兰夫妇凌晨被 警方带走，住所被查封（图）), April 7, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_8593.html[viii]"Chengdu Legal Worker Li Shuangde Denied Release onBail to AwaitTrial" (成都法律工作者李双德取保候审被拒（图）), April 7,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_990.html[ix]"Human Rights Activist Li Yongsheng Obtains Releaseon Bail to AwaitTrial, Returns Home" (维权人士李永生获“取保候审”回家),April 7, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_07.html[x]"Beijing Democracy Activist Li Hai Released on Bailto Await Trial" (北京民主维权人士李海取保候审出来), April 7,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_6689.html[xi]"Ai Weiwei and Wen Tao Still Missing Three DaysAfter Being Taken Away byPolice" (艾未未和文涛被警方带走三天仍无音讯（图）), April6,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_7531.html[xii]"Ai Weiwei's Studio Searched Again" (艾未未工作室再次 被查抄（图） ), April 8,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_08.html[xiii]"Still No Information about Many Beijing People ofConscience after TheyWere Taken Away" (北京多位良心人士被带走后仍无消息), April 10,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_1372.html[xiv]"Three Petitioners Criminally Detained forSurrounding and Watching Trialof Liu Xianbin" (三访民因围观刘贤斌案庭审被刑事拘留), April 9,2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_328.html[xv]"Meeting of Beijing's Shouwang House ChurchDisrupted by Police" (北京守望教会聚会遭到警方阻止),April 9, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_9311.html[xvi]"Home of Chengdu Activist 'Disorderly Officials'(Ling Yi) Searched"(成都维权人士上官乱（凌怡）被抄家), April 12, 2011, http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_4131.html