Two Years of Reeducation-Through-Labor for Rights Activist Yang Qiuyu

Beijing rights activist Yang Qiuyu (杨秋雨) has been ordered to serve two years of Reeducation-Through-Labor (RTL) for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” (寻衅滋事).

Yang was taken into custody on March 6, 2011, when he was taking photographs near Beijing's Xidan Shopping Center. On March 9, police raided his home and took away a computer, notebooks, and other items. The RTL decision stated that one of the reasons for his sentence was that he had “incited” petitioners at the Beijing South Railway Station to go to Tiananmen Square, Wangfujing Street, and other locations in Beijing to cause trouble.

Previously, Yang was imprisoned for two-and-a-half years (2003-2006) after throwing sulfuric acid at the eight people who were beating him when he resisted a forced eviction from his home. After his prison release, Yang continued to petition the authorities for compensation for his lost home; he also began helping other petitioners.

Further information available at the Chinese bulletin.