Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)

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China Human Rights Briefing 

Guangxi Dissident Writer Jing Chu Detained for "Inciting Subversion of State Power"

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 15, 2007)- Internet writer, Jing Chu (荆楚, also known as Wang Dejia ( 王德佳)), of Quanzhou County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province, was criminally detained on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power" early in the morning of December 14.

At approximately 4 pm on December 13, police from Quanzhou Chengbei Police Station and the National Security Unit of the Guilin Public Security Bureau (PSB) searched Jing's residence and took away his articles and books. At approximately 7 pm, Jing was taken away from his residence to the Quanzhou Chengbei Police Station, initially on suspicion of "defamation or slander," according to his family.

Later, at thirty minutes past midnight on December 14, he was reportedly criminally detained on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power".

Jing's family suspects his detention is directly related to his writing of many articles critical of social ills, including "Illegal Possession of State Secrets—an Important Chinese Communist Party Invention that Persecutes Prisoners of Conscience," "Handcuffed Olympics Will Bring Only Disasters to the People" and "Li Yuanlong Jailed for Two Years for Four Articles; How Many Will I be Jailed for?"

According to his wife, in October this year, Jing also met with U.S. Embassy officials concerned about China's human rights situation, and she also suspects that Jing's detention could be related to this meeting.     

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Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a non-political, non-government network of grassroots and international activists promoting human rights protection and empowering grassroots activism in China.  CHRD's objective is to build NGO capacities, monitor rights development, and assist victims of abuse.   CHRD advocates non-violent and rule of law approaches.  CHRD conducts investigation and research, provides information, organizes training, supports a program of small grants, and offers legal assistance.