[CHRB] June Fourth Crackdown Rolls On: Deprived Medical Care, New Detentions (5/9-15, 2014)

China Human Rights Briefing

May 9-15, 2014

Contents

Arbitrary Detention

• Rights Deprivations Intensifying in Crackdown Before June Fourth Anniversary
  • Detainees in Beijing Denied Medical Care, Lawyers’ Visit Delayed, Journalist Seized
  • 5 Detained in Guangdong, Had Supported Activist Punished in 2013 for June Fourth Rally Application
  • In Zhejiang, China Democracy Party Member Arrested as Another Faces “Residential Surveillance

• Housing Rights Activist, Petitioner in Henan Criminally Detained

Special Notice

• CHRD Submits Information on 2 Activists to UN Special Experts

Arbitrary Detention

Rights Deprivations Intensifying in Crackdown Before June Fourth Anniversary

Detainees in Beijing Denied Medical Care, Lawyers’ Visit Delayed, Journalist Seized

Two participants in a June Fourth commemorative seminar who have been detained in Beijing are not receiving necessary medical care, according to lawyers who visited them on May 8 at Beijing No. 1 Detention Center. Human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) told his attorneys that he is not receiving consistent treatment for his diabetes. Due to his physical condition, Pu reportedly requested lawyers Zhang Sizhi (张思之) and Qu Zhenhong (屈振红) to apply for his release on medical grounds. Also, retired scholar Xu Youyu’s (徐友渔) blood pressure is high and he has grown very gaunt, and police have not permitted him to take diabetes medication that Xu himself brought into detention, according to lawyers Mo Shaoping (莫少平) and Shang Baojun (尚宝军). When visiting Xu, the lawyers were only able to speak to him via telephone and through a glass partition, and their conversation may have been monitored and recorded.

In addition, lawyers for detained writer Liu Di (刘荻) were denied a scheduled visit with her on May 9, with authorities from Beijing No. 1 Detention Center saying that she was being arraigned when the attorneys arrived. Lawyers Ma Gangquan (马纲权) and Ding Xikui (丁锡奎), who waited around for several hours after being told that Liu was unavailable, were advised to return on May 12 to see her.

In a case seemingly linked to Pu Zhiqiang’s detention, Wu Wei (吴微), a Beijing-based journalist who has frequently interviewed Pu, went out of contact in the capital on May 7 after being taken away by state security officers. It is widely believed that Wu has been criminally detained. Her most recent weibo post, sent out on the day she went missing, discussed Pu’s case. Wu iscurrently an adviser for the International Center for Communication Development and used to work for the South China Morning Post from Beijing.[1]

Pu, Xu Youyu, and Liu Di are among five individuals—including former  lecturer at the Beijing Language Institute Hu Shigen (胡石根) [2] and professor Hao Jian (郝建) as well—who were criminally detained on May 6 on charges of “creating a disturbance” after participating in a seminar about June Fourth (see report).Their detentions are a clear sign that authorities are reacting with particular severity around the 25-year anniversary of the tragic events. Lawyer Mo Shaoping has noted that, in 2009, police merely sought out Pu, Liu, and Hu after a similar activity—and one with more attendees than the recent gathering—and did not take any of the three into custody.[2]

5 Detained in Guangdong, Had Supported Activist Punished in 2013 for June Fourth Rally Application

Five activists were criminally detained on May 10 after trying to attend a court hearing involving Guangdong activist Li Weiguo (李维国), who filed a complaint over his detention and deprivation of assembly rights that occurred last year after he and others applied to hold a demonstration to mark June Fourth. Those detained for “creating a disturbance” are Luo Xiangyang (罗向阳), Wu Bin (吴斌, who uses the screen name Youcai Jianghu, 秀才江湖), Xie Wenfei (谢文飞), Yang Chong (杨崇), and Zhang Wanhe (张皖荷). All from Guangdong, they were seized before a hearing of Li’s case against the Haizhu District sub-branch of the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, which was held at the Guangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court on May 5. Li was taken into custody by Haizhu police in late May of 2013 and then served a 15-day administrative detention. Another court heard Li’s case in January and upheld the original punishment, finding it legally justified.

In Zhejiang, China Democracy Party Member Arrested as Another Faces “Residential Surveillance”

China Democracy Party member Xu Guang (徐光) was arrested on May 9 in Zhejiang Province after allegedly planning a hunger strike to commemorate the Tiananmen Massacre. Xu, a participant in the 1989 pro-democracy movement, has been charged with “inciting subversion of state power,” and was criminally detained on April 3. Environmental activist Tan Kai (谭凯), also a member of the China Democracy Party in Zhejiang, has reportedly been placed under “residential surveillance.”[3]

Housing Rights Activist, Petitioner in Henan Criminally Detained

Supporters of Henan activist Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏) come together to call for her release.

Henan activist Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏) was criminally detained on suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order” on May 8 after trying to aid demolition victims in Zhengzhou and photographing plainclothes police. As housing was being toppled in Gaoxin District on May 7, Jia approached a police vehicle in the hope that officers may intervene on behalf of those losing their homes. However, she saw that the men inside lacked clear police identification. Jia began to photograph them—as evidence that they were plainclothes police—but her cell phone was snatched away, and she was pushed into the vehicle and taken to a police station. After being denied access to her, Jia’s lawyers were finally able to meet Jia on May 14 at Zhengzhou City No. 3 Detention Center. Frequently harassed by authorities, Jia Lingmin has fought for the rights of individuals who, like herself, have had their homes forcibly demolished. She has actively shared information online about rights related to demolition cases as well as how to monitor police behavior.

Liu Diwei (刘地伟), a petitioner who has learned about advocacy from Jia, also was recently put under criminal detention, supposedly for informing on activities of the Chinese Communist Party Committee secretary of Zhengzhou. Charged with “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order,” Liu is being held at Xingyang City Detention Center.[4]

Special Notice

CHRD Submits Information on 2 Activists to UN Special Experts

CHRD submitted information on two individuals—human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) and activist Ge Zhihui (葛志慧)—to UN special experts in late April, detailing numerous rights deprivations. The Beijing-based Ding, who has taken part in the “New Citizens’ Movement,” was issued a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence on April 18. He was convicted of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place” in apparent retaliation for publicly calling for top Chinese leaders to reveal their personal wealth in the spring of 2013, when he was initially detained (see case information). Ge Zhihui was seized by Beijing police on March 1 and held for about two months before being released. Ge, disabled from injuries suffered during the demolition of her home years ago, was tortured and subjected to other mistreatment in detention and also deprived of visits from her lawyer and family. Ge was taken away just two days before the UN Human Rights Council opened in early March, and it is believed that authorities targeted Ge since she had engaged before with UN human rights mechanisms.

[1]“Two Beijing-based Journalists With Close Ties to Pu Zhiqiang Taken Away by State Security” (與浦志強相熟兩駐京記者傳被國安帶走), May 13, 2014, thehousenews.com.

[2] HU Shigen, http://www.englishpen.org/case-of-the-month-may-2007-hu-shigen/

[3] “Lawyers Ma Gangquan, Ding Xikui Unable to Visit Liu Di on Friday”

(马纲权和丁锡奎律师周五未能会见到刘荻), May 10, 2014, WQW.

[4] “Several Guangdong Activists Criminally Detained, China Democracy Party Member, Xu Guang of Zhejiang, Arrested”（广东多名维权人士遭刑拘，浙江民主党人徐光被批捕）， May 10， 2014， WQW.

[5]“Urgent Attention: Zhengzhou, Henan Activist Jia Lingmin Criminally Detained For Helping Report Demolitions to Police” (紧急关注：河南郑州维权人士贾灵敏因帮助报警被刑拘), May 8, 2014, WQW; “Human rights defender Jia Lingmin Criminally Detained, Unable to Meet With Lawyer, Husband’s Appeal Rejected by Procuratorate” (人权捍卫者贾灵敏被刑拘无法会见律师，丈夫阎崇民向检察院提起控告被拒)， May 13， 2014， WQW; “Jia Lingmin, Liu Diwei Changed Names Upon Being Seized, Large Numbers Express Their Support in Front of Detention Centers”(贾灵敏、刘地伟被改名羁押，各地公民看守所前声援), May 14, 2014, WQW.