Take Action in Year of the Rabbit!
(Chinese Year 4709)
Express Your Support for Imprisoned Activists and Rights Defenders in China
The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese tradition – a time for the whole family to come together. You can celebrate the New Year (which begins on February 3, 2011) by sending messages of support to those in China who cannot be with their families because they have been imprisoned for their peaceful exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.
HRIC is compiling a list of imprisoned activists and rights defenders with information on their activities and imprisonment. The following 35 individuals include writers, scientists, poets, labor organizers, and journalists, who have been advocating for environmental protection, land rights, religious freedom, and democratic reform.
Send your message of support now. You can adapt or cut and paste the message below onto a blank piece of paper, then just sign it and send as a postcard or inside an envelope by airmail to the address of the prison or place of detention. To address the letter, print out the imprisoned individual’s name and address in Chinese from the list below, including the English words “P.R. China” at the end of the address, and affix it to an envelope or postcard to mail. (Included below are the addresses of some of these individuals’ families. We urge you to send messages to them as well.)
Letters and postcards from the United States reach China by airmail typically within ten days. Airmail postage from the United States to China is $0.98 for a one ounce letter or postcard.
|
Sample Message |
|
|
Dear [Activist Name] : Please know that you are neither alone nor forgotten. There are many in the world who care deeply for you and the international community is calling for your unconditional release. Sincerely yours, [YOUR SIGNATURE] |
亲爱的 [Activist Name] 先生 (If Mao Hengfeng, Cheng Jianping: 女士)： 在羁押中的您并不孤独，人们没有忘记您，许许多多相识和不相识的人在关注惦记着您，国际社会在呼吁您被无条件释放。 请多保重！ 远方的朋友 |
Imprisoned Activists in China
[Compiled by Human Rights in China, January 2011]
|
Name |
Activities |
Charge Convicted |
Sentence |
Anticipated Release |
Address |
|
Chen Daojun
|
Published writings supporting democratic reform and environment protests until his detention in May 2008. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Three years’ imprisonment and three subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
May 8, 2011 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Cheng Jianping (Wang Yi)
|
Retweeted a sarcastic message about China’s “angry youth” in 2010. |
Disrupting order in a public place (扰乱公共场所秩序) |
One year of Reeducation-Through-Labor. |
November 14, 2011 |
RTL facility address:
|
|
Guo Quan |
Wrote open letters to President Hu Jintao and other leaders in 2007-08 appealing for multi-party elections, the de-politicization of the People's Liberation Army, the Sichuan earthquake, and other social issues. Founded the New Democracy Party of China. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Ten years’ imprisonment and three subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
November 12, 2018 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Hu Jia |
Criticized the Communist Party and China’s human rights situation; posted critical essays online in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Three and a half years’ imprisonment and one subsequent year of deprivation of political rights. |
June 26, 2011 |
Prison address: Family address:
|
|
Hu Mingjun |
Organized the Sichuan Province branch of the banned China Democratic Party (CDP); wrote and distributed protest statements regarding the government’s treatment of striking workers at a steel mill in Dazhou, Sichuan in 2000. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Eleven years’ imprisonment and four subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
May 30, 2012 |
Prison address: |
|
Huang Jinqiu |
Wrote for the US-based website Boxun while abroad in Malaysia in 2000 to 2003. Began planning the establishment of the China Patriot Democracy Party (中国爱国民主党) in 2002. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Twelve years’ imprisonment and four subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
December 12, 2011 |
Prison address: |
|
Huang Qi |
Sentenced to five years for advocating on behalf of victims of the 1989 Democracy Movement and Falun Gong practitioners. After his release, he immediately resumed his political activities, posting commentary on the 2008 Sichuan earthquake that was critical of the government’s handling of disaster relief. |
Illegally possessing state secrets (非法持有国家机密文件) |
Three years’ imprisonment. |
June 10, 2011 |
Prison address:
Family address: |
|
Huang Xiaomin Lu Dachun Xing Qingxian Yan Wenhan |
Assisted petitioners in February 2009 in spreading information about a protest outside the gate of the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court and in front of a department store. The incident has come to be known as the “Chain Gate” case. Also helped spread news of the protest by taking photos and videos and writing a report that they circulated on overseas websites. |
Gathering a crowd to disturb social order (聚众扰乱社会秩序) |
Huang: two and a half years’ imprisonment. Lu, Xing and Yan: two years’ imprisonment. |
Huang: August 31, 2011 |
Prison addresses: 陆大椿 幸清贤 严文汉 |
|
Jin Haike |
Helped establish the New Youth Study Association (新青年学会), an organization aimed at exploring ways to enact social reform. The group published online articles critical of the government. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Ten years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
March 12, 2011 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Liu Xianbin |
Participated in the 1989 Democracy Movement and the signature campaigns for Tiananmen activist Wang Dan (王丹) in 1993 and 1995.Tried to register the Sichuan Preparatory Committee of the China Democracy Party (中国民主党四川筹备委员会) in 1998; organized the Sichuan branch of the China Human Rights Watch (中国人权观察四川分部). Resumed his political activities immediately following his release from prison in 2008 after serving nine years and four months for “subversion of state power.” |
Detained on suspicion of “Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权)” |
Detained since June 2010. |
Unknown |
Detention center address: Family address: |
|
Liu Xiaobo |
Longtime activist and writer; a principal drafter of Charter 08. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Eleven years and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
June 21, 2020 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Liu Xingrong |
Accused of having established, along with fellow activist Long Hongfei, the China Workers Party, an organization with the stated objective of peacefully achieving democratic reforms in China. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Eleven years’ imprisonment and three subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
September 12, 2016 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Liu Zhengyou |
Assisted farmers who lost their land and other vulnerable groups in filing suits in courts and filing appeals to government organs since 2000. |
Fraud (诈骗) |
Two years’ imprisonment and a 2,000 RMB fine. |
November 11, 2011 |
Detention address: |
|
Long Hongfei |
Accused of having established, along with fellow activist Liu Xingrong, the China Workers Party in 2005, an organization with the stated objective of peacefully achieving democratic reforms in China. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Ten years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
September 12, 2015 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Lü Gengsong |
Author of Corruption in the Communist Party of China [中共贪官污吏] (2000), as well as a number of articles on corruption, organized crime, and political reform. Was involved in rights defense activities, such as reporting on the sentencing of Yang Yunbiao, an anti-eviction activist from Hangzhou |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Four years’ imprisonment and one subsequent year of deprivation of political rights. |
August 23, 2011 |
Prison address: Family’s address: |
|
Mao Hengfeng |
Began petitioning in 1988 after being fired from her job for refusing to abort a second pregnancy. Has been forced into psychiatric hospitals many times following petitioning activities, and suffered many types of abuse and torture while imprisoned in the Shanghai Women’s Prison. Was detained on February 25, 2010, two months after she shouted slogans outside the Beijing court where Liu Xiaobo was being tried. |
Disturbing social order (扰乱社会治安秩序) |
One and a half years of Reeducation-Through-Labor. |
August 24, 2011 |
RTL facility address: Family address: |
|
Sun Xiaodi |
Reported, for the past two decades, on the grave consequences of nuclear contamination on workers and the environment brought about by the No. 792 Uranium Mine, where he once worked. |
Detained on suspicion of “illegally providing state secrets abroad” (为境外非法提供国家秘密) |
Two years of Reeducation-Through-Labor. |
June 15, 2011 |
RTL facility address: Family address: |
|
Tan Zuoren |
An advocate for families whose children were killed in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Five years’ imprisonment and three subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
March 27, 2014 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Wang Bingzhang |
Established China Spring, the first overseas pro-democracy Chinese magazine. Launched a movement publicly denouncing the one-party rule in China in the early 1980s. Co-founded the China Freedom Democracy Party and the China Democracy Justice Party. Abducted by Chinese secret agents in Vietnam in June 2002. |
Espionage (间谍) and organizing and leading terrorism (组织、领导恐怖组织) |
Life in prison. |
N/A |
Prison address: |
|
Wang Xiaoning |
Detained after publishing electronic journals on political reform and distributing them online via anonymous mailing lists from 2001 to 2002. Also accused of communicating with Liu Guokai, the leader of the overseas China Social Democratic Party (中国社会民主党), which the Chinese government considers a hostile organization. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Ten years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
August 31, 2012 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Xie Changfa |
Established the Hunan Preparatory Committee of the China Democracy Party, drafted the CDP Manifesto and other documents, and planned and prepared the first convention of CDP representatives nationwide. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Thirteen years’ imprisonment and five years of deprivation of political rights. |
June 25, 2021 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Xie Fulin |
Participated in the Union of Chinese Nationalists (中国泛蓝联盟) in 2005. Signer of Charter 08, and a founder of China Human Rights Forum. Organized rights defense activities concerning forced eviction cases. |
Larceny (盗窃) |
Six years’ imprisonment and a 30,000 RMB fine. |
July 22, 2015 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Xu Kun |
Chief of Baihutou Village in Guangxi Province and a major figure in a dispute starting in 2006 between the inhabitants of the village and the Beihai Municipal Government over what the villagers alleged as the authorities’ unlawful expropriation of village land. |
Detained on May 15, 2010, for “illegal business activities” (非法经营) |
Still awaiting a trial. |
Unknown |
Detention address: Family address: |
|
Xu Wanping |
Participated in the China Democracy Party, wrote articles critical of the government, and organized donations for the families of imprisoned CDP members. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Twelve years’ imprisonment and four subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
April 29, 2017 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Xu Wei |
Helped establish the New Youth Study Association (新青年学会), an organization aimed at exploring ways to implement social reform. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Ten years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
March 12, 2011 |
Prison address: |
|
Yang Chunlin |
Organized an open letter campaign in 2007 called “We Want Human Rights, Not The Olympics,” which received over 10,000 signatures. Supported a lawsuit brought by over 40,000 farmers affected by land confiscation. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Five years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
July 5, 2012 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Yang Maodong (Guo Feixiong) |
Provided legal support in a number of controversial rights defense cases. In 2005, served as an advisor to the law firm where attorney Gao Zhisheng worked at the time. |
Illegal business activities (非法经营) |
Five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 40,000 RMB. |
September 13, 2011 |
Prison address: |
|
Yang Tongyan (Yang Tianshui) |
An outspoken commentator, who has called repeatedly and openly for democratic reform and official accountability for human rights abuses by the Chinese government. Sentenced to 10 years for participating in the 1989 Democracy Movement. Published articles criticizing the Party dictatorship soon after he was released in 2000. |
Subversion of state power (颠覆国家政权) |
Twelve years’ imprisonment and four subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
December 22, 2017 |
Prison address: Family’s address:
|
|
Yang Yunbiao |
Was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after attempting to prevent the forcible demolition of his home in 2006. Detained in September 2009 while he was petitioning in Beijing for compensation for his demolished house and to get the villagers’ land back. |
Sabotaging production and business (破坏生产经营) |
Three years’ imprisonment. |
September 23, 2012 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Alimjan Yimit (Alimujiang Yimiti) (阿里木江-依米提) |
A longtime house church leader in Kashgar. Accused of providing state secrets to an American Christian in 2007. |
Illegally providing state secrets to a foreigner (为境外人员非法提供国家秘密) |
Fifteen years’ imprisonment. |
January 11, 2023 |
Prison address:
|
|
Yuan Xianchen |
Accused of drafting articles criticizing the Communist Party, accepted interviews by foreign media, associated with rights defense groups, accepted donations from rights defense groups, and organized workers between 2005 and 2008. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Four years’ imprisonment and five subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
May 28, 2012 |
Prison address: Family address: |
|
Zhang Qi |
Actively participated in the Union of Chinese Nationalists (中国泛蓝联盟) in 2006 and 2007 and wrote and published articles online advocating political reform and a multiparty system between June 2006 and March 2007. |
Inciting subversion of state power (煽动颠覆国家政权) |
Four years’ imprisonment and two subsequent years of deprivation of political rights. |
May 15, 2012 | Prison address:
张起 Family address: |