Reeducation-Through-Labor and Criminal Detention for Shanghai Petitioners on Eve of 18th Party Congress

Just days before the Communist Party of China’s 18th National Congress, at least four Shanghai petitioners have been ordered to serve Reeducation-Through-Labor (RTL) for “disturbing social order.” Sources told Human Rights in China (HRIC) that the petitioners, initially detained in late September, are Mao Hengfeng (毛恒凤), Tong Guojing (童国菁), Shen Yongmei (沈永梅), and Cui Fufang (崔福芳). Mao has been ordered to serve one year and six months; others one year each. A fifth Shanghai petitioner, Wang Kouma (王扣玛), was taken away by Shanghai public security in late September. His family received an official notice in mid-October that Wang was criminally detained “on suspicion of gathering a crowd to disturb public order.”

Wu Xuewei (吴学伟), Mao’s husband, told HRIC that he received the official RTL decision for Mao on November 5. Dated October 30 and signed by the Shanghai Municipal Committee on the Administration of Reeducation-Through-Labor, the decision cites two “unlawful” acts by Mao, her participation in two public events in Shanghai this year, one on January 5, to commemorate Wang Kouma’s mother, Teng Jingdi (滕金娣), who died in a black jail in 2008 after being taken into custody while petitioning in Beijing; the other on July 1, to commemorate Chen Xiaoming (陈小明), a housing rights activist who became seriously ill while serving a prison sentence and died in 2007, immediately after being transferred from the prison hospital to a local hospital. The RTL decision says that during these events, Mao, along with others, displayed banners, shouted slogans, and sang songs, which led to crowds of spectators that affected normal traffic and the “normal life of residents.”

Tong Guojing’ s wife, Zhang Fangxian (张芳贤), told HRIC that she received a notice in the mail on October 27 informing her that Tong has been ordered to serve one year of RTL because of his participation in the commemorative event for Teng Jingdi on January 5.

Wu Xuewei confirmed that the RTL decisions for Shen Yongmei and Cui Fufang were also based on their participation in the commemorative activities for Teng Jingdi.

For more information on Mao Hengfeng, see:

• “Shanghai Rights Defenders Detained in Advance of 18th Party Congress,” October 10, 2012
• “Petitioner Mao Hengfeng Released from Reeducation-Through-Labor in Serious Condition,”  July 07, 2011
• “Petitioner Recounts Abuses during RTL; Medical Parole Rescinded,” February 24, 2011
•  “Shanghai Rights Activist Mao Hengfeng Starts Hunger Strike in Reeducation-Through-Labor Camp,” May 26, 2010
• “Shanghai Petitioner to Serve 18 Months of Reeducation-Through-Labor after Shouting Slogans,” March 09, 2010
• “Petitioner Mao Hengfeng Has Been Detained after November Release from Prison,” January 13, 2009
• “Mao Hengfeng, Petitioner on Family Planning Issues, Reports Continued Abuse in Prison,” September 16, 2008
• “Mao Hengfeng Sentenced to 2-1/2 Years for Breaking Lamps,” January 16, 2007
• “Family Planning Opponent’s Sentence Extended,” January 4, 2005

For background documents on Mao Hengfeng, see:

• Shanghai Municipal Committee on the Administration of Reeducation-Through-Labor, “Reeducation-Through-Labor Decision” on Mao Hengfeng,” October 30, 2012
• Shanghai Municipal Committee on the Administration of Reeducation-Through-Labor, “Decision to Discontinue the Execution of the Remaining Period of Reeducation-Through-Labor for Mao Hengfeng,” July 28, 2011
• Wu Xuewei, “Mao Hengfeng Returns to the Devil’s Lair: Until Now There Is No News of Her Current Situation,” February 28, 2011
• Wu Xuewei, “Looking for Eye-witness Testimony to Help Mao Hengfeng Redress the Injustice Facing Her,” July 16, 2010
• Wu Xuewei, “Secret Trial: A Letter to Huangpu Court,” July 5, 2010

For more information on Wang Kouma and Tong Guojing, see:

• Li Yufang, “Where Are Human Rights? Shanghainese Rights Defenders Meet Trouble in Beidaihe,” July 31, 2012
• Du Yangming, “Shanghainese Rights Activists’ Public Appeal: Remember June Fourth,” June 4, 2012

For more information on Chen Xiaoming, see:

• “Petitioner Chen Xiaoming Dies under Belated Medical Parole,” July 12, 2007
• “Shanghai Petitioners Appeal to Central Discipline Inspection Committee over Renewed Crackdown,” September 15, 2006