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Under House Arrest, Hu Jia's Wife Accepts Sakharov Prize on Behalf of Imprisoned Husband
Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕), wife of imprisoned HIV/AIDS activist and rights defender, Hu Jia (胡佳), accepted the European Parliament's 2008 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on behalf of Hu, via a video appearance at the award ceremony at the European Parliament in Strasbourg at noon on December 17. Hu was convicted of "inciting subversion of state power" in April 2008, and is currently serving a three-and-a-half-year prison term in Beijing. Zeng is herself under house arrest.
In her video, Zeng said that the prize is for all the rights defenders in China and their families who have endured hardships. Zeng said that, respecting Hu's wishes to support these families, she has decided to contribute the prize money – 50,000 euros (66,800 dollars) – as seed money to establish a foundation that supports the families of rights defenders. Zeng also said that during a prison visit with Hu, Hu told her that he hopes that no others in China will again lose their freedom for expressing their own views, and that he is the last person to be punished for his speech.
The video and the Chinese original and English translation of Zeng's speech are available on Zeng's blog. The Chinese and English texts of her speech are also available on HRIC's websites. The European Parliament plans to make the official video of the ceremony, including Zeng Jinyan's appearance, available on December 19, 2008, on its website.
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Independent Scholars Detained: Start of 2009 Crackdown?
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a diverse group of 303 Chinese writers, intellectuals, lawyers, journalists, retired Party officials, workers, peasants, and businessmen have issued an open letter – "Charter 08" – calling for legal reforms, democracy and protection of human rights in China.
On December 8, 2008, at 11:00 p.m., Beijing public security officers, armed with a criminal detention notice, a subpoena, and search warrants, took away two of the individuals who signed the Charter – Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) and Zhang Zhuhua (张祖桦) – ransacked their homes, and confiscated computers, books, and personal belongings.... More >>
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Translation of "Charter 08"
Human Rights in China has prepared an English translation of the "Charter 08," which calls for legal reforms, democracy and protection of human rights in China.
Read More >>
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Two Guizhou Rights Activists Detained
Human Rights in China (HRIC) has learned that two Guizhou rights activists have been detained by the authorities on the eve of Human Rights Day, December 10, which commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Another rights activist who had "disappeared" sent a text message that he would not return until after December 10. Previously, HRIC reported in a November 13, 2008 press release that the police had summoned and threatened the Guizhou rights activists multiple times and demanded they cancel the commemorative activities, or they would be "sent to jail."... More >>
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Rights Activist's Family Sends Appeal After Home was Demolished
Human Rights in China (HRIC) has learned that, on November 21, 2008, authorities in Beijing's Xicheng District used a bulldozer to demolish the home of rights defense activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), who has been in detention since April 2008 without a trial. Her husband, Dong Jiqin (董继勤), has been made homeless and has been sleeping in a train station in Beijing since the forced demolition. Dong has asked HRIC to issue an appeal on his behalf, to call public attention to the plight of the family, and for assistance to the family.... More >>
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UN Committee Says China "Should Take Immediate Steps to Prevent Acts of Torture"
In a sweeping report, the United Nations (UN) Committee against Torture today issued its review findings on China's compliance with its international treaty obligations to end torture. The Committee said that it "remains deeply concerned about the continued allegations, corroborated by numerous Chinese legal sources, of routine and widespread use of torture and ill-treatment of suspects in police custody, especially to extract confessions or information to be used in criminal proceedings."... More >>
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Announcement
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of June Fourth, Human Rights in China is upgrading its June Fourth website and developing updated content. The editorial team responsible for this project is Wang Dan, a 1989 student leader, and Liu Nianchun, a dissident in exile. We appreciate your patience while this site is under construction, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Human Rights in China will continue to press the Chinese government to resolve the problem of June Fourth with justice. It will support the efforts of civil society to demand the truth about June Fourth, to pursue accountability for the massacre, and to return justice to those who were killed. By this effort, we hope to promote progress in the human rights situation in China, and bring about the peaceful transformation in society, in order that the rights stated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights might finally be fully realized and institutionally protected.
For more information on the June Fourth crackdown:
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Beijing 2008 Olympics Resources
![[IR2008: HRIC Olympics Campaign]](http://ir2008.org/img/utils/logo-small.gif) New Resource:
Human Rights and the Olympics: What you can do!
Since 2002, HRIC has published resources examining various issues surrounding the Beijing Olympics.
The resources include in-depth articles covering the promises and guiding principles laid out in the "Beijing Olympic Action Plan"; the public relations and marketing firms helping to present and brand Beijing for the Games; security at the Games; the Olympics merchandise market; and more.
Also included are graphics and charts on the Beijing civility campaign; FAQs for journalists going to Beijing; Olympics venue construction; and more.
Visit IR2008.org for more information on HRIC's Olympics campaign, and how you can take action! Visit HRIC's Press Releases and Statements for up-to-date news.
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Bird's Nest Painting Banned
![[Bird's Nest]](/public/resources/ZHT-Birds-Nest-small.jpg)
On July 3, Chinese customs officers seized a painting by noted China-born, New York-based artist Zhang Hongtu, which depicts the National Stadium in Beijing, popularly referred to as the Bird's Nest. Titled "Bird's Nest, in the Style of Cubism," the painting incorporates images of the stadium design; the Chinese characters for the "Sacred Olympic Torch," "One world, One dream" (the Olympic slogan) and "Family, Joy, Happiness"; the Arabic numeral "8" in repetition; and the English words, "TIBET" and "HUMAN RIGHT." More >>
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Open Letter to Appeal for Better Treatment of Guo Feixiong
On September 10, 2008, Human Rights in China sent an open letter (original Chinese / English translation) to Meizhou Prison to appeal for better treatment for Guo Feixiong.
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Action Bulletin: Activist Hu Jia Serving 3 1/2-year Jail Sentence
Long-time HIV/AIDS activist and rights defender Hu Jia (胡佳) was convicted by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court of "inciting subversion of state power," and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. The court also ordered him to be deprived of his political rights for one year following his release from prison.
This Action Bulletin, updated on July 14, 2008, provides information surrounding his situation, including:
- Key Facts;
- HRIC's Advocacy and Media Work on the Issue; and
- What you can do to get involved.
More >>
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Action Bulletin: The Earthquake in China
The powerful earthquake that struck southwest China on May 12, 2008, has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions more without homes. The toll of dead, missing, and injured is still rising daily, and Human Rights in China (HRIC) extends its deepest sympathies to all who lost friends, family, and homes in the disaster.
During this critical time, domestic and international responses have been overwhelming. This Action Bulletin provides an overview of the efforts thus far, including:
It also provides details on how you can help or contribute to the relief efforts. More >>
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HRIC Report Details State Secrets System
![[State Secrets Report Cover]](http://hrichina.org/public/resources/SS.Report.Cover.small.jpg) China's states secrets system is dangerous to the health of people not only in China but also worldwide, and undermines healthy governance and rule of law.
By sweeping a broad range of information under the umbrella of "state secrets," the system withholds the very information that civil society and the government need to find solutions to the challenges facing China today... More >>
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Updated monthly. The HRIC Monthly Brief provides a selection of recent news summaries on topics including media censorship, protests and petitions, human rights defenders, and labor, reflecting current trends in dissent, activism, and legal reform. The summaries in the Monthly Brief are compiled from information available in the public domain, as well as HRIC sources.
[ Read July 2008 ]
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