Defending human rights
1 November 2008, 07:46AM
Standing up for what you believe in can be extremely dangerous in China.
Defending human rights - even peacefully - can result in house arrest, surveillance, imprisonment, torture and execution.
Ordinary people have their phones tapped, homes raided, assets frozen and businesses closed. Sometimes their relatives are harassed or tortured in secret detention centres, or even executed for vague crimes.
Innocent people imprisoned
In China human rights activists are prosecuted in politically-motivated trials and often charged with vague crimes like ‘subversion’ or ‘revealing state secrets’.
Ye Guozhu’s home and two restaurants were demolished to make way for Olympic infrastructure. He received no compensation. He applied for permission to demonstrate peacefully but instead was sentenced to 4 years in prison for “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”.
Ye Guozhu
Clamping down
In its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, China made promises to improve its shocking human rights record. So far these promises have been empty.
In fact, the harassment and surveillance of human rights activists has increased as the Olympic Games get closer.
Help to free those in jail
In China and around the world, human rights activists are crucial in drawing attention to abuse and getting justice for victims.
You can add your support by becoming a Human Rights Defender. Give a regular gift of $25 per month and help free innocent people like Ye Guozhu.
Use your freedom to stand up for those who have none.
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After long-term imprisonment for speaking publicly about human rights issues, Wei Jingsheng was finally released with help from Amnesty International.
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