The 4 June 2009 marked the 20 year anniversary of the military crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, China. Amnesty International supporters around the world took action to mark the day and call for justice. View the photos.

More than 200 people were killed and 3,000 injured on the night of 3-4 June, 1989, during a military crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protesters in and around Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Tens of thousands of others were arrested in the aftermath. Most have been released, but dozens are believed to remain in prison.

The Chinese authorities have consistently failed to bring those responsible for these serious human rights violations to justice. They have suppressed attempts to mark the anniversary of the crackdown and banned public debate and discussions about the event. People seeking justice for the victims and their families have suffered police harassment, arbitrary detention and sometimes imprisonment. The government has refused to hold a public inquiry into the crackdown, despite international appeals. No independent investigation has been carried out and no-one has been brought to justice for their role in the crackdown.

People like you taking action

Twenty years later, on June 4, 2009, Amnesty International supporters around the world took action to call on the Chinese authorities to hold an open and independent inquiry into the crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protestors in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Events ranged from candlelight vigils to die-ins to launching a hot air balloon calling for justice.

View the photos from the global events (pdf 4.5Mb - opens in new tab)

Tiananmen Mothers - human rights defenders

Five of the Tianneman Mothers width=© Tiananmen Mothers Campaign

The Tiananmen Mothers are a network of around 130 human rights defenders – mainly women – whose children and other close relatives were killed or injured in the June 1989 crackdown on the peaceful protest in and around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.

Over the years, in the absence of any official list, the Tiananmen Mothers have compiled a list of at least 186 people who were killed in the military crackdown and 80 who were injured. Most were students between the ages of 17 and 25.

The Tiananmen Mothers regularly submit appeals and petitions calling on the Chinese authorities to allow victims’ families the right to mourn in public and to allow them to accept humanitarian aid from organisations and individuals. They also ask authorities to end the persecution of victims and their families, to release all those still imprisoned for taking part in peaceful protests and to implement a full and open inquiry into the events of 3–4 June 1989. Because of their legitimate human rights work, Tiananmen Mothers have been subjected to harassment, discrimination and arbitrary detention.

Around the time of each anniversary of the 1989 crackdown, activists and human rights defenders, including the Tiananmen Mothers, have been placed under tight police surveillance, including forms of house arrest. However, there are signs that such controls have been relaxed. In June 2007, Ding Zilin (founder of Tiananmen Mothers), her husband and two other members of victims’ families were reportedly allowed to light candles in front of pictures of their children in a short memorial ceremony at the spot where Ding Zilin’s 17-year-old son was believed to have been shot dead by soldiers.

Other members of the Tiananmen Mothers were able to continue their annual tradition of mourning children at Beijing Wan’an cemetery, seemingly with less surveillance than in previous years. Around this time, 20 members of the Tiananmen Mothers were also able to hold an informal seminar in Beijing to discuss their concerns. This was apparently the first time they had been allowed to organise such a meeting.

In solidarity with Tiananmen Mothers

Amnesty International is working in solidarity with the Tiananmen Mothers. We are calling on the Chinese authorities for the immediate and unconditional release of those still imprisoned in connection with the 1989 protests. We also seek a full and impartial inquiry into the events on 3–4 June 1989, with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice and providing compensation to the victims and their families.

Amnesty International is also calling for an end to the arbitrary detention, harassment and other restrictions which prevent the Tiananmen Mothers from carrying out their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.