Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌), a Sichuan-based democracy activist and writer, was formally arrested on suspicion of inciting subversion of state power. Liu’s wife, Chen Mingxian (陈明先),was summoned by the Suining Municipal Public Security Bureau on the morning of July 6, 2010, where she received a formal arrest notification dated July 5. Informed sources told Human Rights in China (HRIC) that during police interrogation Liu was questioned about the more than 20 articles which he had posted on overseas websites, about his recent appeal for the release of another Sichuan-based activist, Chen Yunfei (陈云飞), and about his April 2010 trip to Beijing to participate in a discussion of the case of three Fuzhou netizens, Fan Yanqiong (范燕琼), Wu Huaying (吴华英), and You Jingyou (游精佑), found guilty in December 2009 of libel after posting information on the Internet related to the grievances of a petitioner named Lin Xiuying (林秀英).
In 1991, Liu served a two-and-a-half year prison term on conviction of “counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement” in connection with his activities in the 1989 Democracy Movement. In 1999, following his attempt to register an independent Chinese Democracy Party and other democratic activities, Liu was convicted of “subversion of state power” and sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment and three years’ deprivation of political rights. He was released in November 2008, after serving 10 of the 13 years.
For more information on Liu Xianbin (刘贤斌), see:
- “Veteran Dissident Liu Xianbin Placed in Criminal Detention Again,” June 29, 2010