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News Roundup anmen Square movement. The authorities to the radio station that the Chinese warned Ching’s wife and the newspaper not authorities were preventing transmission of May–mid-August 2005 to disclose Ching’s detention. On August 5, VOA programs. In addition, a listener who the Chinese authorities announced that had sent VOA a CD-ROM containing stories COMPILED BY CAROL K. WANG Ching had been formally charged with espi- of veterans of the Korean War was reported onage. (Reuters, WP) to have been interrogated by police and had his mail intercepted. (VOA) CENSORSHIP MICROSOFT Microsoft Corp. has joined Yahoo and CNN BLOCKED All Web site owners and bloggers were Google in aiding the Chinese government in Chinese authorities blocked 15 seconds of required to register their real names and censoring its 94 million Internet users. a CNN interview with Helen Clark, Prime identity numbers with the government by Unlike Yahoo, which blocks sites only upon Minister of , when Clark com- June 30 under threat of closures and fines receiving a complaint from the Chinese gov- mented on human rights in . Her of up to 1 million yuan under new regula- ernment, and Google, which blocks out voice returned to the air when she moved tions announced by the Ministry of Informa- banned web sources, Microsoft has pro- on to a different topic. Clark said she was tion Industry. On June 17, The Guardian grammed a software package that prevents not surprised at being censored, given that reported that China’s censorship tactics bloggers from using politically sensitive “China is not a democracy, there isn’t free- now include installing cultural double words on MSN Spaces, a blog service. dom of expression.” (VOA) agents in Internet chat rooms to give dis- Microsoft said in a statement, “MSN abides cussions a pro-Beijing slant. (IHT,Guardian) by the laws and regulations of each country FOREIGN PROGRAMMING BARRED The authorities have also directed news- in which it operates.” (BG, The Guardian) In a move to heighten control over coopera- papers to cease the use of pen names by tion between Chinese and foreign media reporters and commentators. Directives “NIGHT CRAWLER” SYSTEM companies, the Chinese State Administra- from the Publicity Department also state A new Internet content management sys- tion of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) that trade publications and metropolitan tem called the “Night Crawler” (pa chong) is on July 12 announced a ban on the opera- newspapers can only cover news in their blocking access to Web sites that have not tion of channels in partnerships with for- area, a move that editors and analysts say registered with the authorities. The “Night eign broadcasters. Another regulation will limit investigative reporting and weaken Crawler” is a real-time automatic monitor- taking effect on July 7 bars Chinese broad- oversight by the media. (IHT,AP, SCMP) ing system that targets Web sites with casters from leasing channels to foreign mainland Chinese IP addresses. In late companies. This is predicted to affect com- EDITOR BARRED March, the Ministry of Information Industry panies that have formed joint ventures with Yizhong, former editor-in-chief of (MII) ordered local Chinese telecommunica- Chinese partners, or that have sold blocks Southern Metropolitan Daily,was barred tions authorities to compile databases of of programming to Chinese broadcast com- from accepting in person the 2005 personal information for all individuals and panies. The new bans result from growing UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Free- companies that have registered domain concern within the Chinese government dom Prize at a ceremony held in Dakar. names. Approximately 430,000 domain regarding “political standards” in broad- Cheng believed that his family has been registration applications had been received casting, with many officials citing foreign under surveillance since he was dismissed by the MII by May 23, out of 573,755 Web programs as a negative influence on soci- from the liberal and investigative newspa- sites located by the new system. (CDN) ety and children. (AP) per, which had run a string of stories embar- rassing the government. Cheng, GAY-ORIENTED WEB SITE REOPENS PIG-BORNE DISEASE together with colleagues Li Mingying and Yu A Chinese-language site for gays, www. media reported that China Huafeng, was charged with corruption in gaychinese.net, was reopened after being blocked media coverage on the spread of a late 2004. Li and Yu were sentenced to six blocked for nearly three months. It retains pig-borne disease. The disease was first years and eight years in prison respectively; its original form and content, with informa- revealed in Sichuan, where local govern- Cheng was eventually released due to insuf- tion on AIDS prevention, sex changes, and ment denied the outbreak. The World ficient evidence. (SCMP) photographs of China’s first Gay Pride Day Health Organization also expressed con- on June 12. The Web site, which generates cern over the incident, which is reported to HK REPORTER DETAINED more than 10,000 hits per day, was shut have caused 34 deaths. (VOA) Ching Cheong,a prominent Hong Kong jour- down by public security officials in April, nalist and the chief China correspondent for according to Wan Yanhai, coordinator of the The Straits Times (), was detained Beijing-based AIDS Action Project. The DEATH PENALTY in Guangzhou on April 22. He was report- reopening followed a June 15 report by edly in China to pick up a collection of Human Rights Watch. (BBC) Rome-based NGO Hands Off Cain (Nessuno secret interviews with , who Tocchi Caino) reported on June 24 that at died in January after having been purged for VOA INTERCEPTED least 5,000 of the 5,476 confirmed execu- opposing the crackdown on the 1989 Tian- Listeners of Voice of America complained tions worldwide in 2004 occurred in China. CRF-2005-03-text.qxd 9/8/052:56PMPage7 The others wereThe others inprison. twoyears had previously served leader ofthetraffickingring, sentenced todeathwithreprieve. The whileoneotherwas traffickers, seven drug handed downdeathsentencesagainst ate People’s inJiangsuProvince Court HOC) prison. (CD, commutedtolifein which isnormally w dealer. Three of the12deathsentences w others, inYunnan.large quantitiesofdrugs Two April 2004whileattemptingtotransport and W Yan Tunxi, HuYuerong, Sheng Youming, including 24. Ten ofthem, P to deathby theKunming Intermediate tence. (ChineseNews Net) passedsen- immediately afterthecourt wen ZhuangZhen- ZhengYangquan, Hongjie, The convicted men, amine (“ice”)between 1996and2000. of producingupto17tonsmethamphet- ofagangconvictedtences againstleaders Province passeddeathsen- Changsha City. (SCMP victed andexecutedonJune26in cuted thenextday. were Three others con- sentenced todeathonJune25andexe- five traffickers inGuizhouCitywhowere w drugs.” Atleast28deathsentencecases astrongmomentinthefightagainst “mark imprisonment astheauthoritiesaimedto ofuptolife tenced todeathorjailterms traffickers101 convicted were drug sen- wa enforced executionsoftraffickers asa China Daytional Anti-Drug (June26), (CN) pended thesentencesfortwoyears. Zhu Jingsheng Mayearly upheldthedeathsentencesof The People’s inChongqing HighCourt DRUG-TRAFFICKING CRIMES could betwiceashigh.(AFP) claimingthattherealtotal educated guess, The organizationqualifiedthefigureasan eople’s inYunnan Court Province onJune ere metedoutwithatwo-yearreprieve, ere alsochargedwithmurderingadrug r eotdi h tt ei,including inthestatemedia, ere reported n ioa,ZagJn,HeGuangren ZhangJing, ang Xiaohan, r nJl ,theWuxi MunicipalIntermedi- On July8, Tw thePeople’s in HighCourt On June23, On theweekend leadinguptoInterna- ning topotentiallawbreakers. InBeijing, Chen Chaoquan and elve drug traffickers wereelve drug sentenced Deng Pantao Zheng Rongchang and i oge,SuChuwen, Liu Hongwei, T hagCuhn,Lin Zhuang Chucheng, , ian Yibing , and had been arrested in had beenarrested AFP) Chen Junyan Ma Qinghong, ,w Lian Yongmin ere executed , but sus- , , Jie Pingnan County. Allthreeareappealing. cocaine between LongzhouCountyand rong, GuoMingqing Zhuoxiong, traffickers, againstthreedrug court sentence previously passedby thesame P Li Dawei FINANCIAL CRIMES life imprisonment.(CRIOnline) iong, policeofficer sentenced former GuangxiProvince onJuly25 Guigang City, Hunan anddistributinginGuangzhou.(PD) ing 2.45kgofmethamphetamine(“ice”)in Y Xian Bao Y nNvme 4 2004.(ChineseNews Net) on November 24, and hisdeathpenaltywas upheldonreview Lilosthisappealatthehighercourt, 2003, P 2003. Sentencedtodeathby theXi’an total of30million 9 afterbeingconvicted offraudinvolving a an investment company. (AP) dled loansandinvestment transactionsfor han- whomaintainedhisinnocence, Song, in themediaonJuly7.(ChinaEastDay) was reported People’sIntermediate Court, issuedby theJiaozuoCity ect. Theverdict, lion embezzling publicfundstotaling1.66mil- tenced todeathfortakingbribesand was sen- HenanProvince, Jiaozuo City, totaling 6.03million money of acceptingbribesandextorting death withatwoyearreprieve oncharges was sentencedto Heilongjiang Province, Pa million ate People’s forfraudinvolving 100 Court his conviction by theBeijingNo.1Intermedi- immediatelyfollowing Beijing onJuly21, face valueof150million withatotal him ofcounterfeitingcurrency GuangdongProvince convicted Jieyang City, after thePeople’s in Court Intermediate was summarilyexecuted from Guangdong, n ogig inYnwi Wu Bing, LianYongwei, ang Zongming, eople’s inOctober Court Intermediate eople’s upheldonretrialthedeath Court uhan r , ty municipalcommitteeofSuihuaCity, nJl 0 theGuangdongIntermediate On July20, The Intermediate People’sThe Intermediate at Court On June22, Ma De Song Zhang’ai Li Yingliang nte copie was sentencedto another accomplice, yuan along with to deathfortrafficking346.5g . Thethreewere convicted ofproduc- yuan , 1 was executedinXi’anonJune 31, from a property development proj- from aproperty and , 55, former secretary ofthe secretary former 55, between 1986and1998. Tu , Liu Congbao T

Deputy Party Secretary of Secretary Deputy Party Qiang ang Dazhang yuan , 8 was executedin 48, yuan between 2000and . (XH) yuan between 1993 and ,a . (LD)

and Chen gang leader W ang Jinx- He Shi- Yu Li tnad XH) Standard, mittee’s politicaland legalcommittee.(The Com- of theSuideCountyCommunistParty bing of Y 17 afterthePeople’s in Court Intermediate Gao Longlong June 27.(BeijingNews) six-member family. Hewas executedon being convicted ofmurderinghisgirlfriend’s cheong People’s after Court Intermediate tenced todeathonJune14by theNan- was sen- JiangxiProvince, Nancheong, “cyber-weapon” he had wonasaprize.(CD) inadisputeover a ZhuCaoyuan, bler, w Qiu onJune7.Anonlinegambler, Court People’sShanghai No.2Intermediate death withatwo-yearreprieve by the and triadactivities.(LD) uponZhang’s conviction formurder Court, tence passedby the People’s Intermediate upheldthedeathsen- Liaoning, Anshan, May 31afterthePeople’s in HighCourt blackmailed themanufacturer. (CYD) then cals intodozensofmilkcartons, found guiltyofinjectingpoisonouschemi- in XiangfanCityHubeionMay 25.Hewas to deathby thePeople’s Court Intermediate was sentenced series ofcriminaloffences, terms of 18 months to 13 years. (CYD) of18monthsto13years. terms accomplices were alsosentencedtojail deaths and41seriousinjuries.Cheng’s 14 causing14 forhumanconsumption, ducers of sellingindustrial-usealcoholtowinepro- Guangzhou onMay 18afterbeingconvicted the People’s in Court Intermediate was sentencedtodeathby cal company, Cheng Caiming VIOLENT CRIMES pany NPCrepresentative.(CNA) andformer Sang was thepresidentofatradingcom- for aseriesoforganizedcrimesandfraud. P passed by theJilinMunicipal Intermediate P on July28.(XH) People’sBeijing No.2Intermediate Court and 2002.Theverdictwas issuedby the ulin Cityconvicted themofthefatalstab- eople’s against Court eople’s upheldthedeathsentence Court as convicted ofmurdering anothergam- W W Yu Qiu Chengwei Zhang Hongdong Qian Junbo theJilinProvincial Higher On July28, ang Wenke ang Langlang

Qiang Dang Suihong , an unemployed manfrom , , 9 were executedonJune 19, , 3 whowas involved ina 33, 26, a partner ofachemi- apartner 26, , , 35, former Party Secre- Party former 35, 1 was sentencedto 41, , 20, , , 6 was executedon 46, the deputydirector Sang Yuechung He Tao , 9 and 19, , 43,

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tary of a township in Yanan, Shaanxi Court for killing a road inspector and injur- People’s Intermediate Court in Longyan Province, was executed on June 16 for mur- ing three others when he was stopped for City, Fujian Province on June 13 after being dering the township chief. (LD) exceeding the load capacity of his truck. convicted of abducting and selling 31 baby On June 21, the People’s Intermediate (Chinese News Net) boys between August 2002 and February Court of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, passed a On July 17, Yang Guoqu, party secretary 2004. One of the babies died in transit. Li’s death sentence against Liang Guanzhong, of Changning County, Yunnan Province, was 7 accomplices were sentenced to jail terms 49, former chief of Hohhot’s Public Security sentenced to death and ordered to pay ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. Bureau, after convicting him of murdering compensation of 260,000 yuan after being (Chinese News Net) his mistress. Liang has appealed to the convicted for murdering his mistress on High Court. (Beijing News) June 14. (China East Day) WRONGFUL EXECUTION REVEALED Xing Chenghan was executed in Dong Hongjian, 36, was sentenced to In April 1987, Teng Xingshan was con- Haikou, Hainan Province on June 25 follow- death by the Haikou Intermediate People’s victed of murdering Shi Xiaorong and was ing his conviction in October 2003 for join- Court on July 18 for organizing a series of executed for the offense in 1989. Police ing three others in robbing and assulting a robberies in Haikou City, Hainan Province in targeted Teng after a dismembered body prominent Shanghai space engineer, Zhou late 2003. His 22 accomplices were sen- found in a nearby river was identified as Dingxin, and his wife while they were tenced to jail terms ranging from 15 that of the missing woman. A butcher by strolling in a public park. (SCMP) months to life. Dong had previously been profession, Teng Xingshan came under sus- Wang Gang, Huang Shanfu and Li imprisoned for robbery. (Chinese News Net) picion because police said the dismember- Qiang were convicted of murder and sen- Zhu Xiufang, 42, from a rural village in ment technique was “very professional,” tenced to death by the Chengdu Intermedi- Jieshou, Anhui Province, was sentenced to and because Teng was believed to have ate People’s Court on July 4. The three death for raping eight women between 2000 had sexual relations with Shi. In 1994 Teng committed murder while attempting to and 2004. The sentence was announced by Xingshan’s children learned that Shi had monopolize the Qingshiqiao Vegetable Mar- the Intermediate People’s Court at Fuyang, reappeared alive and well in her home town ket in Chengde City. (CRI Online) Anhui in mid-July. Zhu had been imprisoned a year earlier, but it was only in May 2005 In early July, the Intermediate People’s for rape previously. (Chinese News Net) that they accumulated enough courage and Court in Suzhou City, Anhui Province sen- On July 22, Li Jinjun and Xing Hong funds to lodge a suit at the Hunan Supreme tenced 23-year-old villager Ge Guangzhou to were sentenced to death by the People’s Court. Shi, who is now in a death for rape. Ge had previously been sen- Municipal Intermediate People’s Court for Guizhou jail for drug trafficking, said she tenced to prison for rape in 1999 and 2003. kidnapping a senior party official in Linfen and Teng did not know each other and He escaped from police custody in April City, Province on August 9, 2002. urged the Hunan judiciary to declare the 2004, and in the following three months The official died of a drug overdose the day case a miscarriage of justice. (XH) abducted and raped three girls. (XH) after he was kidnapped. (Beijing News) The Intermediate People’s Court at Mei Yang Yugang,a villager from Yushe Shan, Sichuan Province on July 8 sentenced County, Shanxi Province, was sentenced to LABOR RIGHTS Yang Aiping to death for attempting to kill death and ordered to pay compensation of his wife, who had been diagnosed with can- 300,000 yuan for causing the death of five Officials have announced a plan to limit cer, in order to fraudulently obtain insurance children in a car crash on May 6. Six adults coal miners’ workshifts to six hours a day compensation. (Chinese News Net) were also injured. The Intermediate in an attempt to halt the rising number of Ma Hanqing, 41, a gang leader from People’s Court of City, Shanxi fatalities in coal mine accidents. Miners Wuhan, was sentenced to death on July 14 Province, issued the verdict on July 26 after currently work approximately eight hours by the Urumqi Intermediate People’s Court finding that Yang intentionally crashed the per day. (AFP) for robberies and murders in Wuhan and car into his sister-in-law’s house because Urumqi. The court heard that between he believed she had advised his wife to ARRESTS 1996 and 2004, Ma organized four armed divorce him. (LD) Two former workers of a state-owned gar- robberies leading to five deaths and six ment company in Muping Township, Yantai injuries. (China East Day) HUMAN TRAFFICKING-RELATED City, Shandong Province, were handed Yang Ning, 25, was executed on July 12 CRIMES prison sentences by the Muping People’s after the Liaoning Higher People’s Court Li Bifang, Jiang Chengpu, Yuan Guiyuan, Liu Intermediate Court on May 11 on charges of found him guilty of the 2003 murder of a Weibing and Liu Weihong were sentenced to “disturbing government institutions” and family of four in Fukuoka, . The death by the People’s Intermediate Court in “disturbing social order.” Li Xinta, 52, and Fukuoka Court sentenced Yang’s Kunming on May 19 for abducting and sell- Kong Jun, 42, were sentenced to five years accomplices, Wang Liang, 23, and Wei ing 19 boys aged two to six years old and two years respectively. Li and Kung, Wei, 25, to life imprisonment and death, between August 2003 and June 2004. All of together with more than 40 workers, began respectively. (Manichi Daily News) the defendants were executed immediately petitioning the local government in July On July 12, a 37-year-old self-employed except for Liu Weihong, who was given a two- 2004 regarding their employer’s delay in truck driver surnamed Kong was sentenced year reprieve. (China East Day) paying wages and failure to pay for required to death by the Liaoning High People’s Lin Yudi was sentenced to death by the insurance. Other workers were detained but CRF-2005-03-text.qxd 9/8/052:56PMPage9 percent increaseover theprevious year. (XH) a274 caused thedeathsof546miners, and a43percentriseyear-on-year, period, duringthesame mine accidentsoccurred period lastyear. Twenty-three majorcoal an increaseof9.7percentover thesame fivemonthsof2005, dents duringthefirst 2,187 peoplewere killedincoalmineacci- duction Safetyannouncedthatatotalof theStateAdministration ofPro- On June16, DISASTERS detained andthreeinjured.(CLB) with15workers peaceful demonstration, wereofficers deployed inresponsetothe withheld since1998.Morethan100police ment ofwages and benefits thathadbeen City gatheredfromJuly5–7todemandpay- Ltd(NORHEINCO)inBaotou Group Corp Heavy Industries Inner MongoliaNorth chatrooms.(SCMP) sions inlocalInternet aswell asdiscus- dent inthestatemedia, ontheinci- hasbannedreports government numberedonly200to300.The protesters saidthe Mr. Zhang, but acompany official, employees were involved intheprotests, than 1,000ofthecompany’s 2,000 stated thatmore club.cat898.com, site, circulatedonapopularWeb 7. Areport began protestingfearedjoblossesonJune store, adepartment mercial Mansion, with theemployer. (SCMP) negotiate ment agreedtohelptheworkers thegovern- and policeduringtheprotests, ignored. Following clashesbetween workers forassistancewerethe government andtheirrequeststo Hong Kong owners, cessfully demandedcompensationfromthe unsuc- for prolongedperiods.Theworkers inhaling dustemittedfromgrindingstones whichiscausedby pneumoconiosis, ease, dis- have contractedadeadlyrespiratory wereincreasing numberofworkers foundto afteran closedinFebruary The factory conditions. working in protestagainstharsh and attemptedtoblockaccessabridge F K fromHong about500workers On May 10, DISPUTES been willingtotake uptheircases. (SCMP) butnolawyers have plan tofileanappeal, later releasedonbail.LiandKong’s families sa,GuangdongProvince went onstrike oshan, ong-owned Eryou Jewelry MaterialLtd.in Jewelry ong-owned Eryou A gasleakatamineinLoudiCity, ofthe Employees andlaid-offworkers fromWuxiHundreds ofworkers Com- h orqaiyo h rm,whichwas the poorqualityofframe, An investigationinjured sixothers. blamed Autonomous RegiononJuly9killed sixand Powerfeng Thermal PlantinInnerMongolia AFP) the time.(XH, at working of July11killed8387miners XinjiangProvince onthemorning in Fukang, 7 killedoneminerandleft14missing. JiangsuProvince onJuly Chishan Township, CBS) (CD, a mostlikely inanattemptto Ningwu County, of hadbeenshipped90milesnorth miners w butonJuly14it the deathof19miners, originallyreported Province. Themanagers Shanxi operated illegallyinNingwuCounty, whichwas 2 attheJiajiabaocoalmine, Company. (XH) which isownedby theChangguangColliery investigation was underway atthemine, ZhejiangProvince onJune26.An Zhafei, in anundergroundexplosionatamine plant beforetheexplosion.(Reuters) andfledthe explosives woulddetonate, Plant employees hadsuspectedthatthe away.ing damageasfar1.5kilometers caus- people in27villagesandsixschools, Province onJune21.Theblastinjured336 Shanxi sives atachemicalplantinTaiyuan, tional error. (Reuters) that theaccidentwas causedby anopera- Statemediareported remained missing. whiletwo other peoplewere injured, and destroying arowofbuildings.Eight killingseven people Province onJune20, Sichuan chemical plantinMeishan, (The Australian) isunder investigation. beforedawn, mitory dor- neartheworkers’ whichoccurred sion, HebeiProvince. Theexplo- mine inShahe, above-ground explosionattheLaotongiron difficulty breathing. nauseaand symptoms suchasheadaches, hospitalizedfor 86miners media reporting withstatebroadcast the sitewere rescued, presentat Another199workers missing. withfourworkers that killed21people, onJune8ignitedinablast Hunan Province, void paying compensationtothefamilies. as revealed thatthebodiesof17other The collapseofaroofframeattheXin- An explosionattheShenlongCoalMine A floodattheYongsheng coalminenear onJuly A gasexplosionkilled36miners F Soaring temperaturesignitedexplo- explodedata Thousands ofdetonators diedinan nineworkers Also onJune8, our miners wereour miners killedandtwoinjured 10,000 justadecadeago.(SCMP upfromabout reached 74,000in2004, cated thatthenumberofmassprotestshad indi- those fromthePublicSecurityMinistry, including the country. figures, Government the numberofprotestsisincreasingacross Julynotedthat Committee meetinginearly sultative Conference(CPPCC)Standing Officials ataChinesePeople’s Political Con- PETITIONS ANDPROTESTS suffocated.(CD) diately andnineothers safety. were oftheminers killedimme- Five barely meetsthestandardsofproduction which holds aC-level productionlicense, Guizhou Province onJuly27.Thecoalmine F Province onJuly26.(XH) a blastatchemicalplantinJiangsu (XH) missing. take shelter. remains Theseventh farmer whohadenteredthepitto seven farmers killingsixof lapsed inheavy rainonJuly20, HubeiProvince col- Shaping Township, CNN) injuries. (CD, escapedwithout trapped. Eleven miners searching forthreeotheresreported were whilerescuers the deathof26miners, ofJuly19caused Province ontheafternoon Shaanxi TongchuanJinsuoguan Town, City, (XH) whichtrappedfourminers. of July13, ontheevening JilinProvince, Liaoyuan City, lapse oftheshaftasmallcoalminein (XH) JiangsuProvince lastyear. pany inXuzhou, designed andbuiltby Feihong GroupCom- eandi pi.(S,AP) detained inApril.(RSF, and updatesonChing’s casesince hewas includingbiographicaldetails about Ching, have launched ablogtoraiseawareness based in HongKong countries. Reporters ofthepublicin20different and members w Cheong the releaseofHongKong journalist callingfor Chief ExecutiveofHongKong, thenew dent HuJintaoandDonaldTsang, a petition was sentto Presi- On June21, APPEAL FORCHINGCHEONG engxiangpo CoalMineinKaiyang County, ssge y1,0 orait,scholars as signedby 10,500journalists, A gas explosion killed 14 miners atthe A gasexplosionkilled14miners Nine peoplewere deadafter confirmed miningpitinShi’aoVillage, A deserted An explosionattheNo.5CoalMinein Rainy weather was blamedforthecol- , detained onApril22.Thepetition , IHT) Ching

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In addition, more than 1,000 journalists Yang Jinkai was detained for questioning. promulgation of new petition regulations at and alumni took (WP, XH, SCMP) the beginning of May. (SCMP) out two separate full-page advertisements In another major incident, a roadside Thousands of rural petitioners were in the Ming Pao newspaper in early June, dispute in Chizhou, Anhui Province on June reported detained by Beijing police between urging fair treatment of Ching. The Hong 26 ignited into a riot involving thousands of June 16–23 while on their way to the French Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) gath- people, with six police officers reported and British embassies to stage protests ered more than 700 signatures from mem- wounded, and a number of vehicles land grabs and corruption. The British bers of the media, who expressed concern destroyed. The brawl started around 3 p.m. embassy confirmed the incident. (Boxun) over press freedom in Hong Kong. The when a sedan grazed a middle school stu- Nineteen petitioners from Jilin wearing alumni of the University of Hong Kong, dent, and the ensuing quarrel between the T-shirts imprinted with slogans gathered at where Ching studied, appealed to President driver and the student was fueled by the South Gate of Beijing Station on July 15 to consider Ching’s patriotism bystanders and the driver’s friends. By in an attempt to walk to Zhongnanhai to when reviewing the case. (Reuters) 7:30 p.m., the crowd had reached 10,000 protest corruption in their localities. Police in number and was attacking police and intercepted the petitioners en route and CALLS TO FREE YU HUAFENG journalists. Provincial police began subsequently charged them with staging an AND LI MINYING responding after a store was looted, but illegal protest. (Orisun) In July, more than 2,300 Chinese journal- order was not restored until midnight. On ists signed a petition to the Guangdong June 27, four people were arrested in rela- High Court refuting the charges of misap- tion to the protests. (PD) POLITICAL DISSIDENTS propriation of funds that led to the impris- Beginning on July 4, as many as 15,000 onment of Yu Huafeng and Li Minying, demonstrators gathered in Xinchang, Zhe- PROTESTER JAILED managers of Southern Metropolitan Daily. jiang Province, to demand the relocation of In early May, Tang Ye, 25, who organized Many believe that the authorities fabricated the 10-year-old Jinxing Pharmaceutical anti-Japan protests in Shanghai on April the charges to punish Yu and Li for a series plant after an explosion killed one worker 16, was sentenced to five-year imprison- of investigative reports. Both journalists and contaminated the water downstream. ment for “disturbing public order.” Accord- are serving sentences in Guangdong’s One villager said, “They are making poison- ing to the Public Security Bureau, Wang Panyu Prison. (RSF) ous chemicals for foreigners that the for- posted messages including the marching eigners don’t dare to produce in their own route, time and meeting place of the RURAL UNREST countries.” The villagers were motivated to protests on the Internet and mobile phones Six villagers were killed and 51 injured in a act by the spring riots in Dongyang, where without government permission. Wang was clash over land rights in Shengyou, a village more than 10,000 residents successfully arrested by police on April 27. (RFA) in Hebei Province. Villagers have been demanded the closure of a pesticide fac- refusing since 2003 to accept the compen- tory. (IHT) APPEAL sation offered by the Hebei Guohua Power From late June through early July, nearly On July 30, it was reported that the Guang- Company, which hopes to build a power 600 people in Jianxia Village, Zhejiang dong Higher People’s Court rejected an plant on 26 hectares (64 acres) of village Province took control of a battery factory appeal by Yu Huafeng,a Nanfang Dushi land. On June 11, hundreds of men carrying and locked 1,000 workers inside. The resi- Bao senior journalist, against an eight-year shotguns, clubs and pipes attacked vil- dents alleged that the Zhejiang Tianneng jail term for corruption and embezzlement, lagers, who claimed their assailants were Battery Factory was producing pollutants saying Yu did not submit any “new legal and hired by the power company. Police did not that poisoned their children. (SCMP) substantive evidence” for a retrial. Yu’s respond until six hours after the attack. The On August 16, an estimated 800 lawyer said that they would further appeal victims included Niu Zhanbao, 46, who sus- people clashed with police and officials to the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing. tained a fatal gunshot wound; Hou Tong- over land requisition and corruption in (Apple Daily) shun, 56, who was stabbed in the chest Dashi village in Guangdong Province. Hun- with a hook; Niu Shunlin, 26, who was both dreds of people surrounded two vans car- CHARGED shot and stabbed; Niu Chengshe, 49, who rying officials after police arrested a On June 1, Beijing police leveled additional suffered a fatal blow to the head; and Zhao campaign leader. Nearly 600 police charges of fraud against Zhao Yan,a Yingzhi, 50, who suffered multiple wounds. responded and arrested seven people, researcher for The New York Times who has Niu Tongyin,a leader of the farmers’ move- sparking an hour-long clash. (AFP) been in detention since September 2004 ment aged around 60, bled to death from a on charges of providing state secrets to for- stab wound. Portions of the clash were PETITIONERS eigners. The new charge, issued as Zhao caught on video by one of the farmers and Some 300 to 500 petitioners who were reached the end of his maximum detention transmitted on overseas media. On July 11, planning to file petitions with the Commu- period, allows police to hold him for it was reported that 248 suspects in the nist Party Discipline Committee in Beijing another seven months without bringing him attacks had been detained. Dingzhou Party were forced to return to their home towns to trial. (NYT) secretary He Feng was dismissed after the on May 26, in spite of official promises to The Hunan Provincial Higher People’s riot, and Kaiyuan Township Party secretary improve handling of petitions following the Court upheld the ten-year sentence passed CRF-2005-03-text.qxd 9/8/052:57PMPage11 by P lowing atrialattheBengbuCityIntermediate deprivation ofpoliticalrightsonJuly28fol- subsequent inprisonandfouryears’ years was sentencedtofive and cyber-activist, secrets. (VOA) denied thatthedocumentcontainedstate Shi communicationontheInternet. internal organizations afterhepostedanalleged victed ofleakingstatesecretstooverseas was con- 37, appeal trialonJune2.Shi, essayistInternet rmhshm nCeguCt,wherehis from hishomeinChengduCity, by whichisthreehours train ents’ home, inhispar- He isnowunderhousearrest 2001. on August16, behind closeddoors Huang was inJune2000andtried arrested tence forcreatinga“subversive” Web site. June 4aftercompletinghisfive-yearsen- and CASS, Jianhua ChingCheong. the detentionofjournalist saying onlythatthecasewas notrelatedto details, butdeclinedtoprovide further arrest the fied criminalcharges.CASSconfirmed detainedinlateJuneonunspeci- reported was Academy ofSocialScience(CASS), the InstituteofPhilosophy attheChinese Zheng Jiaodong DETAINED (CPJ) written appealtothecourt. hassubmitteda prison andlaborcamps, in who previously spentatotalofeightyears notified oftheverdictonAugust2.Zhang, stability.” was Zhang’s MoShaping, lawyer, turbed socialorderanddamaged dis- spreadfalsehoods, ritorial integrity, sovereignty andter- “damaged nationalunity, whichtheprosecutionmaintainedhad view, andapressinter- on thebasisofsixarticles Zhang was convicted ofincitingsubversion Huang Qi RELEASED Reuters) (ChineseNews Net, purposes. prominent HongKong figuresforresearch that ChinghadputLuintocontactwith leveled againstChingwhen she revealed Chen was linked tothespying allegations speculation thatthedetentionofLuand fueled ChingCheong, detained journalist thewifeof state secrets.” Lau, Mary in AprilandMay onsuspicionsof“leaking detained tute’s hadbeenreported director, eople’s inAnhuiProvince onJune21. Court

the Intermediate People’sthe Intermediate against Court Zhang Lin , 5 aprominentsociologistat 45, , 0 was releasedfromprison on 40, Chen Hui , freelance Internet journalist freelance Internet ,a Shi Tao

senior researcherwith , assistant totheinsti- following an Lu aw was taken ground CatholicchurchinFujian, and nine parishioners wereand nineparishioners alsodetained, aseminarian to aU.S.monitoringgroup, mass atthehomeofafollower. According Jia Zhiguo DETAINED charged. (BBC) wereand twootherchurchmembers also free distributionratherthansale.Cai’s wife tained thatBibleshadbeenprintedfor toprintit.Cai’sgovernment lawyer main- issanctionedby onlyonefirm the China, Bibles. AlthoughtheBibleisnotbannedin forillegallyproducing months earlier practices.” Caihadbeendetained10 on July7chargesof“illegalbusiness appearedincourt Protestant housechurch, Cai Zhouhua CHARGED meeting inHenan.(CompassDirect) training whileataleadership arrested were 100pastors nearly same month, w detained inMay. Many oftheChristians house churchChristiansinJilinhadbeen thataround600 In Julyitwas reported RELIGIOUS RIGHTS (Dajiyuan) government. lished essays criticizingtheCCPand not announcetheverdict.Zhenghadpub- did butthecourt onApril26, same court 21. Thecasewas previously triedatthe P subversion attheYingkou CityIntermediate pleaded notguiltytochargesofinciting RFA) he isable.(RSF, attempt toreopentheWeb siteassoon Huangsaidhewill ment whileimprisoned, health asaresultofbeatingsandill-treat- tobeinill wife andchildreside.Reported police since January 2004.(Dajiyuan) police sinceJanuary sixth timethatJiahadbeendetainedby the undergo medicaltreatment.Thiswas the he hadbeenhospitalizedinorderto andthatheshouldmaintain arrested thathewashe shouldnottellothers onJuly4.Policerity officers warned Jiathat w ground CatholicchurchinHebeiProvince, eople’s inLiaoningProvince onJuly Court ere students and professors. Duringthe ere studentsandprofessors. as reportedly taken awayas reportedly by publicsecu- ay Dissident writer Lin Daixian

by

police onJuly25whilecelebrating , 0 thepriestofanunder- 70, , the pastorofanunderground , the priestofanunder- Zheng Yichun , 48, the Vatican. (VOA) as agestureby Beijingtoimprove tieswith December 2004.Thereleaseswere viewed in arrested Zhendong was reportedly a massinhousechurch.BishopZhao w releasedonJune1.ZhaoKexun reportedly were Catholic dioceseinHebeiProvince, and anadministratorofunderground HXinhuaNews Agency TheWall StreetJournal XH TheWashington Post WSJ WP VO Post SouthChinaMorning WithoutBorders Reporters SCMP RadioFree Asia RSF RFA TheIndependentChinesePEN People’s Daily PEN TheNew York Times PD Legal Daily NYT HeraldTribune International LD HumanRightsWatch IHT HandsOffCain HRW Times Financial HOC ChinaYouth Daily FT ChinaNews Agency CYD ChinaNews CNA ChinaLabourBulletin CN Center ChinaInformation CLB ChinaDigitalNews CIC ChinaDaily CDN TheBostonGlobe CD BritishBroadcastingCorporation BG AmnestyInternational BBC AgenceFrance Presse AI AppleDaily AFP AD ABBREVIATIONS 1999.(BBC) on October20, June 8afterbeingconfinedtohousearrest was releasedonmedicalparole jiang, priest ofanundergroundchurchinZhe- Zhao Zhendong RELEASED attending themass.(BBC) beatupothers police alsoreportedly but theiridentitieswere unknown.The K ong Guocun as detainedonMarch30afterattending AV The Vatican announcedthat Center oice ofAmerica , the 34-year-oldCatholic and Zhao Kexun V incent ,a

Bishop

REGULAR FEATURES 11 CHINA RIGHTS FORUM NO. 3, 2005