FOCUS ON CHINA
March 31- April 25, 2003
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FOCUS ON CHINA March 31- April 25, 2003 |
Summary: China has one of the fastest-growing internet markets in the world. While the authorities have encouraged its development, they are also keen to prevent its use as a tool for the dissemination of ‘objectionable’ material. Since January 2000, when new internet regulations were introduced by the Chinese State Security Bureau, the Chinese government has instigated a crackdown on internet use that it considers to be ‘subversive’ or ‘dangerous’. As a result, numerous regulations governing the use of the internet have been introduced, the authorities have temporarily banned access to certain websites and search engines, and internet writers have been subject to harassment, detention without trial, re-education through labour (RTL) and substantial prison sentences. Eleven internet writers are currently in prison in China, two of whom are serving sentences of more than seven years, and five of whom are believed to be held without trial.
Recommended Actions: Week 4 of the Campaign will focus on the cases of four imprisoned internet writers:
Li Dawei, a former police officer, was sentenced to eleven years’ imprisonment in April 2001 for downloading internet articles and compiling them into volumes that were never published.
Tao Haidong, an internet writer and editor, is the most recent internet writer to be convicted. He was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on February 16, 2003 for posting material on the internet that allegedly ‘incited people to subvert the government.’
Internet publisher Huang Qi was arrested in June 2000 and has been detained ever since for allowing allegedly ‘subversive’ material to be posted on his website. No verdict or sentence has yet been made public.
Psychology student Liu Di was arrested on November 7, 2002 for posting online essays critical of the Chinese government, denouncing in particular the arrest of Huang Qi. Her location and any verdict or sentence remain unknown.
Denouncing the recent crackdown on internet writers in China;
Expressing alarm at the high numbers of internet writers detained for the peaceful practice of their right to freedom of expression;
Highlighting the cases of Li Dawei, Tao Haidong, Huang Qi and Liu Di;
Urging the Chinese authorities to ensure their humanitarian treatment while in detention;
Calling for the release of all those held for the peaceful practice of their right to freedom of expression in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.
More information can be found below. A sample appeal, which you may copy fully or partially, is also included below for your convenience. You may choose to create your own text.
Please e-mail ftw@pen.org if you have any further questions.
Photo above courtesy of www.photomann.com
Case Histories and Sample Appeal
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1. Name: LI Dawei | Profession: Former police officer Date of Arrest: 14 April 2001 Sentence: Eleven years Expires: April 2012 Details of Arrest: Detained in Tianshui City on 14 April 2001 and formally arrested on 22 April. Details of trial: Sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment by the Intermediate Court in Tianshui City, Gansu Province for ‘subverting state power.’ He was accused of having downloaded around 500 articles from overseas Internet sites, printing them out and compiling them into 50 volumes, which were never published. The contents of the articles are not known. A court in Gansu has reportedly accepted requests for an appeal made by Li’s lawyer, but has not yet set a date for the hearing. Previous political activities: Li Dawei is a former policeman who has been targeted previously for his political activities. In May 2000 he was accused of "endangering national security" after he had written an open letter to the Chinese leadership. Place of detention: Unclear Treatment in Prison: Family reportedly not allowed to visit since May 2001 court hearing.
2. Name: TAO Haidong
3. Name: HUANG Qi
4. Name: LIU Di
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