Yang Chunlin

Yang Chunlin (Chinese: 杨春林; Pinyin: Yáng Chūnlín; born 1954) is a human rights activist in Heilongjiang, China. Yang has published numerous articles on human rights and land rights. In 2007, he helped organise a petition entitled, "We want human rights, not the Olympics."[1] The petition reportedly collected over ten thousand signatures.[2] Yang was convicted of "inciting subversion of state power" on 24 March 2008 and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence. Another activist involved with the open letter, Yuan Xianchen, is awaiting trial on similar charges.

Yang was arrested in July 2007 and charged with "inciting subversion of state power".[3] His trial began in February 2008 in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang.[4][5] Yang was sentenced to five years in prison on 24 March 2008.[6] He maintained his innocence throughout the trial. During and after the hearing at which he was sentenced, Yang was reportedly beaten with an electric rod on at least two occasions.[7][8]

In a retrial on September 19, 2008, the Jiamusi Municipal Intermediate People's Court upheld Yang's original sentence. According to those in attendance, the trial lasted for under 30 minutes.[9] Yang was transferred to Xianglan Prison (香兰监狱) on September 25, 2008, for the remainder of his sentence.[10]

Amnesty International has been following this case during the past years by urging the authorities to take effective measures to ensure that all human rights defenders including Yang Chunlin are allowed to carry out their peaceful activities without fear of hindrance, intimidation, arbitrary detention or imprisonment. The latest update on the situation of Yang Chunlin according to the reports of Amnesty International has been issued on March 31, 2010. It was stated there that </ref> Yang Chunlin's family were able to visit him again on 11 March 2010. They saw that his legs and face were swollen from the medical condition anasarca, which causes build-up of fluid in various parts of the body, and he looked tired. He said he felt his heartbeat was not normal, and his heart often felt uncomfortable. He said the problem was that the prison did not give him any chance to do any exercise, even walking outdoors. He has no rest from forced labor, making cardboard boxes, except for sleep and very short meal breaks. He has told the prison management he feels unwell, but they have given him no medical attention.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Human Rights Watch 2008, 'HRW World Report 2008: Events in China in 2007', www.china.hrw.org, no date. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  2. ^ Associated Press 2007, 'China arrests anti-Olympics activist', ABC News (US), 3 September. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  3. ^ Beck, L. 2008, 'China foreign minister defends rights record', Reuters, 28 February. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  4. ^ Fang Yuan & Yan Xiu 2008, 'China tries land activist who opposed Olympics', Radio Free Asia, 19 February. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  5. ^ Dickie, M. 2008, 'Beijing dismisses rights fears', Financial Times, 28 February. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  6. ^ Associated Press 2008, 'China to increase torch security after protest', CNN, 24 March. Retrieved on 25 March 2008.
  7. ^ Radio Free Asia 2008, 'Human rights trail', Radio Free Asia, 24 March. (Cantonese)
  8. ^ Fan, M. 2008, 'Protestors disrupt lighting of torch in ancient Olympia', The Washington Post, 25 March. Retrieved on 25 March 2008.
  9. ^ Fang Yuan 2008, 'Yang Chunlin's second trial mere formality; judge only spoke to uphold first sentence', Radio Free Asia, 19 September. (Mandarin)
  10. ^ Fang Hua, 2008, 'Heilongjiang prison does not allow Yang Chunlin's family to visit him; lawyer says this is illegal', Radio Free Asia, 30 September. (Mandarin)
  11. ^ Amnesty International USA,2011,'Peoples Republic of China The Olympics countdown-broken promises', Amnesty International USA,2011.