[CHRB] China Must Free Journalist Gao Yu and Others Detained during June Fourth Anniversary Crackdown as They Face Trial (11/15-20/2014)

November 20, 2014       Comments Off on [CHRB] China Must Free Journalist Gao Yu and Others Detained during June Fourth Anniversary Crackdown as They Face Trial (11/15-20/2014)

China Human Rights Briefing

November 15 – 20, 2014

Contents

Arbitrary Detention

• China Must Free Journalist Gao Yu, Lawyers Pu Zhiqiang & Tang Jingling, Who Face Imminent Trials

Freedom of Expression

• Supporter of Hong Kong Protests Arrested for “Inciting Subversion”

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Arbitrary Detention

China Must Free Journalist Gao Yu, Lawyers Pu Zhiqiang & Tang Jingling, Who Face Imminent Trials

Gao Yu (高瑜), Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), and Tang Jingling (唐荆陵), arrested in the suppression surrounding around this year’s June Fourth anniversary, will face trial imminently, with court proceedings in Ms. Gao’s case scheduled to begin this Friday, according to Rights Defense Network. These will be the first cases to be heard in court tied to government suppression from the spring and summer that has led to at least 20 confirmed arrests. Six of the more than 40 people who were put under criminal detention still remain in custody. CHRD demands the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained/arrested for exercising their right to free speech and expression during the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre crackdown.

A Beijing court will put dissident journalist Gao Yu on trial on November 21 on a charge of “illegally disseminating state secrets overseas.” Reportedly, the charges against Gao accuse her of leaking a Communist Party directive against “universal values,” widely referred to as Document No. 9, to an overseas website. The hearing will be held at the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court. Gao, 70, has been held in Beijing No. 1 Detention Center since she disappeared in April. In reprisal for supporting the 1989 pro-democracy protests, Gao was barred from publishing in China and imprisoned for six years in 1993 after being convicted of “leaking state secrets.”[1]

The cases of lawyers Pu Zhiqiang and Tang Jingling have moved closer to trial, after prosecutors indicted both men. Beijing authorities arrested Pu on charges of “creating a disturbance” and “illegally obtaining personal information” in mid-June, Pu is currently held at Beijing No. 1 Detention Center, where he reportedly had not received proper treatment for illnesses. Guangzhou police arrested Tang on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” in June, and are holding him at the Guangzhou No. 1 Detention Center. A former Tiananmen student leader in 1989, Pu has defended several high-profile human rights cases in recent years. In 2006, Tang lost his license to practice law in reprisal for his activism, and has most recently worked with a network of activists in the “Non-Violent Citizens’ Disobedience Movement.”[2]

Freedom of Expression

Supporter of Hong Kong Protests Arrested for “Inciting Subversion”

A Guangdong activist detained as a part of the crackdown on mainland supporters of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests has been arrested on a charge of “inciting subversion of state power,” joining two others who have been criminally detained on such a serious charge. Activist Wang Mo (王默), a Guangzhou-based activist, has been formally placed under arrest according to a police notice that his family received on November 17. Wang has been in police custody since October 3, when he was initially detained on suspicion of “creating a disturbance” after taking part in an activity supporting the Hong Kong Protests. He is now being held at Guangzhou No. 1 Detention Center. Two other activists being held for “inciting subversion” are Ms. Su Changlan (苏昌兰), criminally detained by Guangdong police on October 27 and held at Guicheng Police Station in Foshan City, and Mr. Sun Feng (孙峰), criminally detained on November 17 and held in an unknown location in Zibo City, Shandong Province. The crime of “inciting subversion of state power” (Article 105 (2) of China’s Criminal Law) carries a possible prison sentence of up to five years, or longer for those deemed “ringleaders.” Authorities’ move to charge three supporters of the Hong Kong protests with “inciting subversion” signals a step back from the currently favored charges of “creating a disturbance” and “gathering a crowd to disrupt public order” used against activists and dissidents. “Inciting subversion” was more commonly used to criminalize free speech and expression only a few years ago, for instance, in the cases of Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌), Chen Wei (陈卫), and Chen Xi (陈西), who are all still serving long prison sentences.[3]

Contacts:

Renee Xia, International Director (Mandarin, English), +1 240 374 8937, reneexia@chrdnet.com, Follow on Twitter: @ReneeXiaCHRD

Victor Clemens, Research Coordinator (English), +1 209 643 0539, victorclemens@chrdnet.com

Frances Eve, Research Assistant (English), + 1 646 801 9479, franceseve@chrdnet.com, Follow on Twitter: @FrancesEveCHRD

Follow CHRD on Twitter: @CHRDnet

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[1] “Gao Yu Trial to Open This Friday at 9:30AM at Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court” (高瑜案将于本周五上午9点30时在北京三中院开庭), November 18, 2014, Rights Defense Network (RDN).

[2] “Alert: Pu Zhiqiang Case Already Indicted by Procuratorate” (快讯：浦志强案件已移送检察院起诉), November 19, 2014, RDN; “Alert: Tang Jingling Already Indicted by Procuratorate in ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’ Case” (快讯：唐荆陵案煽动颠覆国家政权案已经移送检察院起诉), November 19, 2014, RDN.

[3] “Zibo City, Shandong Province Citizen Sun Feng Criminally Detained for ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (山东淄博公民孙峰被以“涉嫌煽动颠覆国家政权罪”刑拘), November 18, 2014, RDN; “Huaian, Jiangsu Province Activist Wang Mo Arrested for ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (江苏淮安维权人士王默被以涉嫌煽动颠覆国家政权罪逮捕), November 17, 2014, RDN; “Urgent Attention: Guangdong Activist Ms. Su Changlan Criminally Detained for ‘Inciting Subversion of State Power’” (紧急关注：广东维权人士苏昌兰女士被以“煽动颠覆国家政权罪”刑事拘留), October 28, 2014, RDN.