Case Update: Security Forces Detain Rights Activists Huang Xiaomin and Wei Zhenling
July 25, 2008
[Chinese / 中文]
Human Rights in China has learned that state security forces detained Huang Xiaomin (黄晓敏) and Wei Zhenling (魏桢凌) on July 25, 2008. Huang and Wei are the heads of the Sichuan and Zhejiang branches, respectively, of the Pan-Blue Alliance (泛蓝联盟), an online group of political and rights activists.
Huang Xiaomin is a rights defender who was previously detained for questioning in Sichuan in May, after trying to visit quake-affected areas in Sichuan, and again on June 11. Huang also contributed writings to the Tianwang64 website (http://www.64tianwang.com) founded by detained rights activist Huang Qi (黄琦). Huang Xiaomin’s sister, Huang Xiaoqin (黄晓芹), told Human Rights in China that Huang Xiaomin arrived in Shanghai on the morning of July 25 to visit his 16-year-old daughter, currently living with her in Baoshan District, Shanghai. Two plainclothes state security officers entered Huang Xiaoqin’s home, saying that they had “received a call from the Sichuan public security bureau.” He was taken away in a police car upon his arrival at his sister’s house, despite his insistence he had done nothing requiring his detention. The officers confiscated his cell phone and computer as well as presents for his sister and daughter, allowing him to leave behind only the money that he was carrying.
Wei Zhenling, who was also formerly a reporter with the Zhejiang Youth Newspaper (浙江青年报), was detained by security forces at 7pm on July 25. Wei’s wife Chen Xiafang (陈霞芳) told Human Rights in China that a group of around ten security forces personnel also searched her home later that night, removed his computer, and inspected every piece of paper that they came across.
For HRIC monitoring of Olympics-related issues, see:
- Press Statement: "Crackdown Worsens on Eve of Beijing Games," July 22, 2008, http://hrichina.org/public/contents/63709;
- HRIC Statement: "Rights Crackdown Intensifies a Month before the Games," July 08, 2008, http://hrichina.org/public/contents/63047;
- HRIC Statement: "Torch Relay in Tibet: Spectacle over Substance," June 20, 2008, http://hrichina.org/public/contents/58110;
- HRIC Press Advisory: "Legal Guidelines for Foreigners—Olympic Traps for Foreigners?," June 5, 2008, http://hrichina.org/public/contents/55647.
- Human Rights in China's Incorporating Responsibility 2008 Olympics Campaign, updated monthly, http://www.ir2008.org;
For a more detailed summary of incidents reported in the month of June, see:
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