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In Custody: People Imprisoned in Connection with Journalism Or the Internet

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In Custody: People Imprisoned in Connection with Journalism or the Internet The official directive from China's Propaganda Bureau this past November prohibiting the reporting of incidents of unrest indicates how threatened the Chinese authorities feel by the dissemination of accurate information regarding current events. Likewise indicative is the rash of detentions of journalists and writers at the end of 2004. While many of these detentions were temporary, they have had an intimi- dating effect on writers, and a number of those detained remain in custody awaiting formal charges. On the 2004 index of press freedom issued by Reporters sans Frontieres, China is exceeded only by North Korea and Myanmar in its censorship and persecution of journal- ists, and tops the list of countries imprisoning journalists. The list below employs a broad definition of journalism to include a wide range of activities related to free expression and access to information. Even so, the list cannot claim to be comprehensive, and there is no doubt but that many more people are languishing in prison for no crime greater than the peaceful expression of their views. Sources: HRIC, Independent Chinese PEN Center, Human Rights Watch, Reporters sans Frontìeres, Committee to Protect Journalists, International PEN, Amnesty International Abbreviations: CDP—China Democracy Party; CDF—Chinese Democratic Federation; WAF—Workers Autonomous Federation; FLUC—Free Labor Union of China; CFDP—China Freedom and Democracy Party; RTL—Reeducation Through Labor; PSB—Public Security Bureau DATE OF DETENTION/ NAME LOCATION ARREST BACKGROUND SENTENCE OFFENSE PRISON Chen Renjie Fujian Jul-83 In September 1982 Chen, Aug-83, life propaganda and incitement Lin Youping and Chen Biling to encourage the overthrow published a pamphlet entitled of the people's democratic Freedom Report and distributed dictatorship around 300 copies in Fuzhou. Authorities accused them of contact with Taiwanese spy organizations. Chen Biling was executed. Lin Youping Fujian Jul-83 See Chen Renjie above 1983, death propaganda and incitement with reprieve Yu Dongye Hunan 23-May-89 An art critic with Liuyang 20 years counterrevolutionary Hunan Province News, Yu was arrested with propaganda others and No. 1 Prison after defacing the giant portrait sabotage of Mao that overlooks Tianan- men Square. He is reported to have gone insane as a result of torture in prison. Chen Yanbin Beijing 13-Sep-90 b. 1964. Chen, a former 5-Mar-91, organizing a Beijing No. 2 university student, was 15 years counterrevolutionary group Prison arrested with Zhang Yafei while operating Tielu, an underground publication about the 1989 crackdown at Tiananmen Square. Chen was also accused of organizing and leading the Chinese Revolutionary Democratic Front. Zhang has completed his prison term and been released. Hu Shigen Beijing 27-May-92 A lecturer at Beijing Language 14-Dec-94, organizing and leading Beijing No. 2 Institute, Hu was arrested for 20 years counter-revolutionary group Prison, Beijing for founding the Liberal and counter-revolutionary Democratic Party of China propaganda instigation (LDPC) and the Free Labor Union of China, and also for drafting documents for LDPC and articles that commemorate the June 4th victims in 1989. DATE OF DETENTION/ NAME LOCATION ARREST BACKGROUND SENTENCE OFFENSE PRISON Wu Shisen Beijing 26-Oct-92 b. 1960. An editor at the Apr-93, leaking state secrets Beijing No. 2 1,NO. 2005 (Wu Shishen) Xinhua News Agency, Wu life commuted. overseas Prison Wu was charged with leaking Due for release an advance copy of Party 10-Jul-05. leader Jiang Zemin's speech to the 14th Party Congress to a Hong Kong reporter. In Nov- ember 2004, the authorities announced that Wu's life sentence would be commuted. Chen Meng Guangdong detained b. 1961. A musician and 15-Apr-97, revealing state secrets Dongguan 14-Mar-95, participant in the 1989 12 years Prison formally arrested democracy movement. Chen CHINA RIGHTS FORUM 25-May-95 came across an official docu- ment detailing "reactionaries" 89 blacklisted from entry to China and sent it to overseas media, where it was published in January 1995. Hada Inner Mongolia 10-Dec-95 An owner of Mongolian 6-Dec-96, incitement of separatism No. 4 Prison of Academic Bookstore as well 15 years and espionage Inner Mongolia, as the founder and editor-in- Chi Feng chief of The Voice of Southern Mongolia, Hada was arrested for publishing this under- REGULAR FEATURES ground journal and for found ing and leading the Southern Mongolian Democracy Alliance (SMDA). Fan Yingshang Hebei 7-Feb-96 In 1994, Fan and Yang Jianguo 7-Feb-96, engaging in speculation and printed more than 60,000 15 years profiteering copies of the magazine Remen Huati (Popular Topics). Authorities accused them of purchasing fake printing authorizations. Yang avoided arrest. Hua Di Beijing Jan-98 b. 1937. A missile expert, 23-Nov-00, leaking state secrets Beijing PSB Hua obtained political asylum 10 years Detention in the U.S. after the 1989 Center crackdown and became affili- ated with Stanford University. While overseas, he wrote articles about China's missile defense system. He was arrested when he returned to China in January 1998 for a family funeral. Originally sen- tenced to 15 years in Novem- ber 1999, Hua received a lower sentence after retrial. Tohti Tunyaz Xinjiang 6-Feb-98 An ethnic Uighur historian 10-Mar-99, inciting national disunity, and Xinjiang No. 3 and writer, Tohti Tunyaz was 11 years stealing state secrets for Prison, Urumqi, arrested for collecting sensi- foreign persons Xinjiang Uighur tive materials and publishing Autonomous articles on ethnic relations Region and on ethnic separation history. Zhang Shanguang Hunan 21-Jul-98 b. 1954. Originally a teacher. 27-Dec-98, supplying intelligence to Hunan No. 1 Zhang went to work in a fac- 10 years organizations outside China Prison tory after being imprisoned for counterrevolutionary crimes and began organizing workers DATE OF DETENTION/ NAME LOCATION ARREST BACKGROUND SENTENCE OFFENSE PRISON Zhang Shanguang, cont. under the Association to Protect Workers’ Rights. Arrested after being inter- viewed by Radio Free Asia regarding worker protests. Gao Qinrong Shanxi Detained b. 1955. A reporter with the 4-May-99, bribery, embezzlement, Jinzhong 4-Dec-98, official Xinhua News Agency, 12 years pimping Prison, formally arrested Gao was arrested after report- Qi County, 26-Dec-98 ing on a corrupt irrigation Shanxi scheme in Shanxi Province. The article raised widespread interest after it was published on May 27, 1998 in an inter- nal reference edition of People's Daily. Yue Tianxiang Gansu Jan-99, A former employee of the 5-Jul-99, incitement to subvert state Tianshiu City Transport 10 years power Agency, and a member of the CDP, Yue published Zhongguo Gongren Guancha (China Worker's Monitor), a journal supporting workers' rights. Yue was arrested with col- leagues Wang Fengshan and Guo Xinmin, who have since been released. Zhu Yufu Zhejiang detained A member of the Jiangsu 9-Nov-99, incitement to subvert state Zhejiang No. 1 May-99, branch of CDP, Zhu estab- 7 years power Prison formally arrested lished the magazine Zaiye 21-Jun-99 Dang (Opposition Party) with Mao Qingxiang, Xu Guang and Wu Yilong and circulated pro- democracy writings online. Wu Yilong Zhejiang 26-Apr-99 See Zhu Yufu. 9-Nov-99, incitement to subvert state Zhejiang No. 1 8 years power Prison Mao Qingxiang Zhejiang 19-Jun-99 b. 1949. See Zhu Yufu. 9-Nov-99, incitement to subvert state Zhejiang No. 1 12 years power Prison Gao Hongming Beijing 29-Jun-99 CDP member involved with Aug-99, incitement to subvert state the China Human Rights 8 years power Watch Newsletter. Zha Jianguo Beijing 29-Jun-99 CDP member involved with Aug-99, incitement to subvert state the China Human Rights 9 years power Watch Newsletter. Qing Yongmin Beijing 29-Jun-99 CDP member involved with Dec-98, incitement to subvert state the China Human Rights 11 years power Watch Newsletter. An Jun Henan detained b. 1955. Founder of the 19-Apr-00, incitement to subvert state Henan No. 1 16-Jul-99, China Corruption Monitor 4 years power Prison, Kaifeng formally arrested group, An Jun wrote essays 17-Aug-99 and articles on corruption. Zhang Ji Heilongjiang Oct-99 b. 1979. A student at Qiqihar 8-Nov-99 disseminating reactionary University, Zhang was accused documents via the Internet of distributing news and infor- mation regarding the Falun Gong. Li Jian Xinjiang Nov-99 Editor of Commerce in Xinjiang newspaper, reportedly arrested for publishing a reader's letter accusing local authorities of corruption. Gu Linna Guangdong 25-Nov-99 b. 1961. A radio journalist 14-Jun-00, undermining implementation and writer, Gu lost her job 4 years of the law using an evil cult DATE OF DETENTION/ NAME LOCATION ARREST BACKGROUND SENTENCE OFFENSE PRISON Gu Linna, cont. after she became a member 1,NO. 2005 of Falun Gong, and was arrested in Guangzhou after participating in a press con- ference on the group's behalf. Feng Daxun Sichuan 16-Dec-99 b. 1941. A former journalist Nov-01, incitement to subvert state Transferred and a CDP member, Feng was 3 years power from Neijiang arrested after interviewing Dongxing protesting machine tool Detention workers in Neijiang in Decem- Center to Gong ber 1999. County Coal Mine CHINA RIGHTS FORUM Xu Zerong Shenzhen 24-Jun-00 An associate research pro- Jan-02, revealing state secrets, (David Tsui) fessor at Guangzhou's 13 years economic crimes Zhongshan University and 91 resident of Hong Kong, Xu wrote freelance articles for Hong Kong publications and co-founded a Hong Kong-based journal, China Social Sciences Quarterly. Xu was arrested after using historical materials for his academic research. Huang Qi Sichuan 12-Jul-00 b.
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