[CHRB] Nearly 100 Detained, Restricted in Movement Around 25th Tiananmen Anniversary (5/30-6/5/2014)

[CHRB] Nearly 100 Detained, Restricted in Movement Around 25th Tiananmen Anniversary (5/30-6/5/2014)

China Human Rights Briefing

May 30 – June 5, 2014

Contents

Arbitrary Detention

• Harshest 6/4 Anniversary Yet: More Than 40 Criminal Detentions, Many Restricted in Movement

Special Notice

• The Last Known Tiananmen Prisoner: Miao Deshun

Arbitrary Detention

Harshest 6/4 Anniversary Yet: More Than 40 Criminal Detentions, Many Restricted in Movement

CHRD to date has documented 43 criminal detentions and two arrests, beginning in April, in the most suppressive crackdown seen in China on any June Fourth anniversary.

In total, CHRD has tracked 91 individuals who have been detained, disappeared, or questioned by police. In the past two months, several dozen activists, dissidents, and scholars, many of whom were involved in the 1989 movement, have been put under tight house arrest or forcibly taken “to travel” outside their cities of residence. Cases confirmed in the past week are highlighted below.

In Henan Province, the arrest of activist Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏) on May 30 on charges of “creating a disturbance” has been confirmed. She is being held at Zhengzhou No. 3 Detention Center. Jia joins Mr. Xu Guang (徐光), a China Democracy Party member from Zhejiang, as the only two individuals known to be formally arrested in direct connection with the anniversary clampdown.

Hunan police seized activist Luo Qian (罗茜) on May 30 and criminally detained him the next day on charges of “creating a disturbance,” apparently for his commemorating June Fourth online. He is being held at Dongkou County Detention Center in Shaoyang City. A student at Renmin University in Beijing in 1989, Luo served three months in prison after the pro-democracy demonstrations were crushed. He later became an activist and was sent to Re-education through Labor (RTL). Authorities have taken further retaliation against Luo by preventing him from practicing law.[1]

Activist Chen Jianfang (陈建芳), who went missing on May 13 in Shanghai, is now confirmed to be under criminal detention on charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order of a public place.” She is being held at Pudong New District No. 1 Detention Center. When seized, Chen was with lawyer Mr. Liu Shihui (刘士辉), who was criminally detained on May 14 (see report).[2]

Police in Guangdong Province criminally detained activist Wang Aizhong (王爱忠) on May 29 on charges of “creating a disturbance.” Police took him to “have tea” that morning, and officers later came back to his home in Guangzhou with a search warrant. Wang is being held in Tianhe District Detention Center. He took part in New Citizens’ Movement rallies in 2013, and police warned him last spring not to organize any political activities.[3]

Activists Luo Qian (罗茜), Jia Lingmin (贾灵敏), and Wang Aizhong (王爱忠) are among several dozen to have been detained in the crackdown around the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. (images: RFA)

It has been confirmed that three more individuals—and now eight total—have been criminally detained in Hubei Province after police interrupted a lecture on May 17 by Sheng Guan (圣观), an 1989 student protestor-turned-Buddhist priest (see report). Besides those recently reported, Ms. Huang Jingyi (黄静怡), Ms. Xie Li (解丽), and Ms. Li Wenshan (李文禅) were also placed under criminal detentionon charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” Li, who suffers from high blood pressure, was released on medical bail on May 19. Sheng Guang, whose real name is Xu Zhiqiang (徐志强), was seized in Wuhan with four others as he was giving a talk on Buddhist texts.[4]

On the night of 3 June, the Wuhan Qingshan Prefecture police took Pan Jianmin (潘建敏) under criminal detention on suspicion of “creating a disturbance” for sharing online posts relating to Tiananmen. Mr. Pan, an engineer and project manager in his fifties, has long been involved in pro-democratic activities in Wuhan. He is being held at Qingshan Prefecture Detention Center.[5]

On June 4, Beijing police criminally detained Zhao Mu (赵牧), an executive with the Internet company Sohu.com, on charges of “creating a disturbance.” Zhao’s family believes that he was detained for posting a message and photograph about the Cultural Revolution on June 2. Zhao is being held at Beijing No. 1 Detention Center.[6]

The criminal detention of Xin Jian (辛建), a Chongqing-based news assistant with Japan’s Nihon Keizainewspaper, has been confirmed after her family received a police notice on May 26 (see report). Xin, who was taken into custody on May 13, had previously interviewed human rights lawyer Mr. Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), who was detained a month ago. Xin is being held on suspicion of “creating a disturbance,” and her place of detention is unknown.[7]

In Beijing, some who have been under especially strict house arrest over the past two weeks include activist Mr.Hu Jia (胡佳), 1989 student leader Mr. Li Hai (李海), and constitutional scholar Mr. Zhou Duo (周舵). Police have forcibly taken “traveling,” among others, activist Mr. Qi Zhiyong (齐志勇), who lost a leg in the Tiananmen Massacre, activist Ms. Qi Yueying (齐月英), and Mr. Bao Tong (鲍彤), the former political secretary under CCP Secretary-General Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳), who was deposed after expressing sympathy for the pro-democracy demonstrators.[8]

In addition, Xinjiang activistHu Jun (胡军) was placed under six-month residential surveillance on May 27 on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power.” Changji Prefecture police searched his home, confiscating his computer, phone, external hard drive, and other materials, before presenting him with the notice. Hu had previously been summoned for questioning on May 4. Police have kept close watch over him for advocating on behalf of petitioners.[9]

See more about the 1989 Massacre on CHRD’s website, including a map of the area and a list of victimsand a report on the massacre’s legacy.

Special Notice

The Last Known Tiananmen Prisoner: Miao Deshun

Miao Deshun (苗德顺), 51, is believed to be the last person still in prison for involvement in the 1989 pro-democracy protests. Miao, then a 25-year-old factory worker, was seized on June 4 after allegedly throwing a basket on a burning tank as People’s Liberation Army forces assaulted demonstrators and onlookers in Beijing. Convicted of “arson,” Miao was sentenced to death in October 1989, with his execution suspended for two years. His sentence was then commuted twice, and he is scheduled for release in September 2018. In prison, Miao has been tortured and suffered mistreatment for refusing to admit guilt and perform manual labor. In 2003, authorities transferred him from Beijing No. 2 Prison to the psychiatric ward of Yanqing Prison, claiming that Miao was suffering from a mental illness. While held there, Miao was forced to take psychiatric drugs and was confined to bed for long periods of time. He remains held in Yanqing Prison, but no further details are known about his current situation.

Contacts:

Renee Xia, International Director (Mandarin, English), +1 240 374 8937, reneexia@chrdnet.com

David Zhao, Researcher and Media Outreach (Mandarin, English, Cantonese), +852 61252921,davidzhao@chrdnet.com

Frances Eve, Research and Administrative Assistant (English), franceseve@chrdnet.com

Follow us on Twitter:@CHRDnet

Notes:

[1] “Hunan Democracy Activist Luo Qian Criminally Detained for Commemorating June Fourth” (湖南民主维权人士罗茜因纪念“六四”被刑事拘留), May 31, 2014, Rights Defense Network (RDN).

[2] “Shanghai Activist Chen Jianfang Held at Pudong District No. 1 Criminal Detention Center” (上海维权人士陈建芳被关押在浦东新区第一看守所), June 1, 2014, RDN.

[3] “Guangdong Activist Wang Aizhong Criminally Detained For ‘Creating a Disturbance” (广东维权人士王爱忠被以“寻衅滋事”刑事拘留), May 29, 2014, RDN.

[4] “Many Wuhan Citizens Criminally Detained for ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (武汉多位公民涉“煽动颠覆国家政权”被刑拘), May 19, 2014, Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch (CRLW).

[5]   “Wuhan Citizen Pan Jianmin Placed Under Criminal Detention for Sharing 4 June Related Posts” (武汉公民潘建敏因转发六四相关文字被刑拘), June 5, 2014, RDN.

[6]“News Alert: Sohu.com Executive Zhao Mu Criminally Detained on Suspicion of “Creating a Disturbance” in Early Hours of June Fourth” (快讯：“六四”凌晨，搜狐网博客总监赵牧被警方以“涉嫌寻衅滋事罪”刑拘), June 4, 2014, RDN.

[7] “Criminal Detention Confirmed for Nihon Keizai Newspaper Assistant Xin Jian” (日本经济新闻助理辛健已确认遭刑事拘留), May 28, 2014, RDN.

[8] “On the Eve of 25th Anniversary of June Fourth, Beijing Dissidents Forcibly Taken Traveling or Put Under Tight Control” (“六四”25周年前夕，北京异见人士被强制旅游或上岗监控), June 1, 2014, RDN.

[9] “Hu Jun’s Home Searched by Xinjiang Police, Put Under Residential Surveillance on Suspicion of ‘Inciting Subversion’” (胡军被新疆警方以涉嫌“煽颠罪”抄家后监视居住), May 28, 2014, RDN; “Xinjiang PSB Puts Hu Jun Under 6-Month Residential Surveillance” (胡军被新疆公安处以监视居住六个月), May 27, 2014, Human Rights Campaign in China (HRCC).