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We are currently looking for people who are visiting or living in China between now and the end of the year to participate in the China Internet Censorship Index (CICI) action.
The CICI is an online gadget to help Amnesty International collect data on levels of internet censorship at different times and throughout different regions of China. In particular, we are interested in whether internet censorship will increase after the Games.
If you are or will be in China this year, help us by registering to become a CICI tester and providing feedback about internet censorship from within China. It's simple and safe.
01 July 2008
Being a human rights defender in China can be a dicey endeavour. Here are the stories of three brave men; a farmer, a journalist and a democracy activist.
Lu Banglie is a farmer-turned-activist who for the last decade has been helping protect fellow farmers threatened by developments encroaching on to their land.
The Washington Post has his story:
" … In a country where the Communist Party crushes any attempt at forming associations outside its control, Lu's goal of spreading the word on how to use law books to oppose local leaders amounted to a relatively novel political challenge.
" … His passage from pumpkins to politics was not without cost. Lu has been severely beaten twice by thugs who he said were dispatched by local party authorities eager to cash in on land transactions at the expense of farmers. The Public Security Bureau, he said, still keeps a close watch on his home village …"
For journalist Sun Lin luck has run out.
Just a few days ago he was jailed for four years for "gathering crowds to cause social unrest" and the "illegal possession of firearms".
Sun Lin, who uses the pen name Jie Mu, is a contributor to the US-based Chinese news website Boxun, which is banned in China. His wife, He Fang, who also wrote for Boxun, was released after being given a suspended prison sentence. The pair have been in custody since last May.
Reporters Without Borders says:
" …"Two well-known news website contributors have been given jail terms after an investigation marked by mendacious allegations and a trial marred by irregularities. This is yet another tragic example of the government's inability to tolerate journalists who dare to report news freely, without constraint or censorship." ..."
And for Yao Lifa things look grim.
The human rights defender and democracy activist was kidnapped last week.
He had been investigating a protest caused by police abuse, and was apparently kidnapped on 26 June by people working for Qianjiang Municipal Government.
Boxun says:
" … His last word sounds being escorted to Jing... , which can be Jingzhou or Jingmen yet not clear so far as he is still missing. Yao's seriously illed mom badly wants help and is waiting for him to be released …"
In China, peaceful human rights defenders risk house arrest, surveillance, imprisonment, torture and even execution.
Sometimes their phones are tapped, their homes raided, their assets frozen, their businesses closed and their relatives are hassled.
The harassment of human rights defenders, particularly those based in Beijing, has increased as the Games have got closer and Amnesty International is worried it will continue during the Olympics.
China is violating international human rights standards and must release every peaceful human rights defender who is in prison.
So is AI taking up the cases of these individuals? I know that we’re working on the issues of internet repression and abuse of HRDs, and also working on some individual cases, but there is specific power in working for individuals, and it’s hard to read about cases like these and then not take some action.
I completely agree Gill. Having this conversation and spreading news of these cases is already in some way working on them. The seven individuals in the China campaign have been chosen because we have consent from the individuals, the lawyers and / or the families involved. As more cases come to light and Amnesty is able to develop more relationships and reliable information sources - we may add more individuals to our actions. As we did with Hu Jia, not on our initial list. For the time being, the 3 individuals discussed here are not in our case portfolio.
The aim of Kim and Antony’s blogs is to bring to light as much information about human rights (or lack of) in China. Hence the variety of sources and sometimes divergence from usual global AI focus. We will certainly use uncensor to track these cases as best we can.
Thanks and apologies, I know at times it feels our hands are tied. I am confident that reminding China the world is watching is positive for human rights.
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