(Link to the part 1: http://www.crd-net.org/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=2474)

Suppression of religious freedom continues

13. Two house church leaders arrested in Shenzhen; Catholic church leader charged

On September 20, two house church leaders from Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, father Shao Zhumin and Father Jiang Shuonian, were reportedly detained at the Shenzhen border checkpoint.  They were returning from a visit to Europe via Hong Kong. Their books and belonging were confiscated and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Both men have been arrested or detained several times before. The last time was in 1999 when they were arrested and convicted of “illegal publication” of worship songs. They were sentenced to six years imprisonment and fined 32,000 US dollars. 

Another church leader, Father Jia Zhiguo, of Zhengding District in Hebei Province, was released in September 2006 after a 10-month detention without trial. Jia Zhiguo was taken away by local police on November 8, 2005, who said he would be sent to an “education class” (Xuexi ban) after he refused to cut off his relationship with the Vatican. Jia has reportedly been detained eight times since January 2004. He was also reportedly imprisoned for 20 years after being nominated by the Vatican as bishop in 1980.   

On September 11, in the Zhouzhi District of Shanxi Province, Bishop Wu Qinjing was arrested and charged with “violating religious regulations.” Authorities said the Vatican-nominated Bishop was not recognized by the Chinese government and that it was illegal for him to carry out religious work in that position.

Promised voting rights under threat, local PC elections wrought with fraud

14. As elections of People’s Congress delegates continue, authorities obstructs voting rights, intimidating independent candidates

During the county-district-township simultaneous elections for delegates to local People’s Congresses, which have been underway in China for several months now, Communist Party and government authorities have targeted independent candidates seeking election in many parts of the country.  Some candidates have been beaten, detained for questioning, threatened, or pressured by their employees to withdraw. Incidents of harassment and intimidation of independent candidates are on the rise. From March to September, several previously elected rural representatives to local People’s Congresses were harassed or prevented from running for re-election.  For more information, see http://crd-net.org/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=2293

15. Reporting election fraud, police officer beaten by police chief

Mr. Wang Guoqiang, a police officer posted in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, was assaulted by the chief of the Huaqiao PSB branch office, who is also an officially designated candidate in the election of delegates to the local People’s Congress.  The beating took place after Mr. Wang reported fraudulent or illegal acts by some local officials to cheat in the voting process on election day in Wuhan, September 22. 

Mr. Wang, male, 50, an independent candidate himself, reported to the head of the PSB Huaqiao branch office, Xia Yixue, about the illegal act of moving ballot boxes around station booths.  Xia Yixue and three other policemen pushed him into a small room, pushed him against the wall, kicked him, and hit him with their fists.  He was bruised and had injuries on his head, arms, and pain in his kidneys.  He was hospitalized for three days.  He then went to the media with his story.  He has also reported the incident to relevant government offices and plans to seek legal redress.   

Harassment of independent candidates in Wuhan, and in other areas, has raised serious concerns.  Last month, CRD issued a press release, calling for protection of citizens’ rights to participate in government through genuine democratic elections: http://www.crd-net.org/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=2293.

For more information in Chinese on problems encountered by independent candidates, see http://www.crd-net.org/Article_Class.asp?ClassID=55

Health rights obstructed due to failure to implement civil rights

16. Petitioning Shanghai government, HIV/AIDS/hemophilia activists beaten by police

About 30 HIV/AIDS/hemophilia activists were harassed and beaten by police in riot-control gear. Some of them were injured. The activists (including patients and families) demonstrated in front of the city government building, demanding a meeting with officials to discuss compensation and investigation into incidents of infection through blood transfusion in state hospitals. The state hospitals used defective blood products from state or private suppliers.

Government officials refused to meet the demonstrators. Instead, about 100 police in riot gear surrounded them and tried to disperse them.  Police beat up the protesters and dragged them off the scene when they refused to move. No one was arrested.

One supplier of the blood products was the Shanghai Biomedical Product Institute, which provided the faulty products more then 10 years ago.  Most of the demonstrators were people who were infected in state hospitals located in other provinces.  In Shanghai, some patients received some compensation. This encouraged the demonstrators because their hospitals used the same product supplied by the same pharmaceutical company.  Some of these people have received some assistance from Red Cross China.

17. An AIDS NGO in Xinjiang ordered to shut down

Government authorities in Xinjiang Autonomous Region ordered the AIDS NGO Snow Lotus (xue lian hua) to close down. Police searched the home of its director Chang Kun and confiscated his personal belongings including a computer.  Police had been investigating Mr. Chang Kun for the past few months.  Chang Kun is a college student doing voluntary AIDS prevention and education work. The group was awarded the MTV international Award this year.  It was banned because it was not registered.  Many AIDS groups including MSM groups are not able to register because of tough government registration restrictions. (http://www.aizhi.net/index.asp?action=article_Show&ArticleID=744) 

Releases of prisoners of conscience

18. Two 1989 prisoners released earlier for “good behavior”

Beijing residents Dong Shengkun and Zhang Maosheng were released on September 5 and September 13 respectively, after spending 17 years in prison for participating in the 1989 student protests, which was suppressed in a bloody crackdown by government troops.  Hundreds of people were killed and many more injured.  Many went to jail.

Dong Shengkun was a worker at a printing factory. He was charged with “arson” and sentenced to death with a two-year delay of execution. Zhang Maosheng was a worker at an engine factory.  He was was detained on June 21, 1989, for burning a tank and was sentenced for “violent rioting” (bao luan) and “arson.”  Mr. Zhang, now 38, was 21 years old at the time, while Mr. Dong, now 46, was 29 years old. Both had their sentences reduced for “good behavior.”

Zhang was forced to engage in hard labor in prison and said he was tortured during the earlier years of his imprisonment. In April 2006, he was sent to a different prison, where he received “political education” before release. At the new prison, he protested a ban on prisoners watching TV. He was punished for “refusing to be reformed” and moved to a separate detention facility until his release. Dong was also allegedly tortured and forced to engage in hard labor in prison.

Both Dong and Zhang were quoted saying that ten other 1989 prisoners remain in the Beijing No. 2 Prison. These include Zhu Gengsheng and Li Yujun, both of whom are due for release eight years from now; Li Zhixin, due for release in 4 years; and Gao Hungwei, due for release next year. All of these prisoners are Beijing residents who were arrested and sentenced because of their participation in the 1989 pro-democracy movement.

Editor:  Zhong Yan  

(Source:  http://www.crd-net.org/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=2473

CRD Chinese publication, Wei Quan Dong Tai, October 2006.)