Human Rights in China (HRIC) has learned that Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB) police occupied a Huangpu District courtroom, creating a hostile climate at an administrative complaint hearing in which the PSB itself was a defendant.

Sources in China told HRIC that a hearing was scheduled at the Huangpu District Court on the morning of December 6 for an administrative complaint filed by Tian Baocheng and his wife, Zhang Cuiping, against the Huangpu District PSB for forcible abduction, false arrest and abusive treatment. But when the court was scheduled to open at 9 a.m., a large number of police officers arrived in a group, including several of those who were implicated in the complaint. The police officers occupied all 40-odd seats in the courtroom, while other police officers posted outside of the courtroom barred entry to the plaintiffs’ witnesses on the basis that the court was already full. As a result, the plaintiffs also refused to enter the court, and the hearing was adjourned. (The complaint and witness statement filed by the plaintiffs is attached to the Chinese version of this press release.)

According to HRIC’s sources, this administrative complaint was filed with the Huangpu District Court on September 21 this year. It relates to an incident on August 19 in which police reportedly assaulted and detained several people who were waiting outside of the Huangpu District Detention Center for the scheduled release of long-time petitioner Ma Yalian upon her completion of a term of Reeducation Through Labor. According to reports, Tian Baocheng and Zhang Cuiping, along with two others, Chen Xiaoming and 76-year-old Zhang Cunwei, were beaten, forcibly detained and subjected to body searches, and were not released until after 8 o’clock that night.

HRIC expresses great concern over the hindrance caused to an administrative procedure that was developed specifically to address administrative abuse and misconduct. This episode demonstrates the lack of independence of the court, and the failure of court officials to conduct impartial proceedings.