French Human Rights Organization Call on the international community to pressure the Chinese Communist Party to release human rights lawyers Ding Jiaxi, Xu Zhiyong, and other political prisoners.
The global democratic movement is sweeping forward with unstoppable force, breaking down barriers and clearing away the dust. The domino effect is in full swing, and democracy will ultimately prevail!
世界民主运动浩浩荡荡，摧枯拉朽、荡涤尘埃，骨牌效应、民主必胜！ Journalist’s Summary: Recently, in Paris, French human rights activist and founder of the “Solidarity with China” association, Ms. Marie HOLZMAN , met with Ms. Luo Shengchun, the wife of imprisoned political prisoner Ding Jiaxi, who is currently leading a global campaign to pressure the Chinese Communist Party to release Chinese political prisoners.
The People’s Republic of China is the world’s largest and most repressive dictatorship, holding the highest number of political prisoners. Individuals involved in freedom of speech, thought, and writing are all considered “political prisoners.” In the absence of judicial independence, these individuals are often falsely accused and persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party. We call on media with a sense of justice and conscience to show solidarity and bring attention to this matter!
France: Freedom, Human Rights, and Health Reporter: Han Rongli
On April 10, 2023, the case against Chinese political activist Xu Zhiyong and human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, who were accused of subversion of state power, was sentenced. Xu Zhiyong was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to 12 years.
Amnesty International Issues Statement Condemning the Dictatorial Chinese Communist Party: Shameful Verdict: Chinese Human Rights Activists Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi Sentenced to Harsh Prison Terms
According to a tweet from Ding Jiaxi’s wife, on April 10, 2023, a court in Shandong Province sentenced Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi to 14 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
Regarding the long prison sentences handed down to the two, Alkan Akad, China Researcher at Amnesty International, stated:
“The court has issued a shameful verdict against prominent Chinese human rights defenders Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, violating their rights to freedom of speech and assembly. They should be immediately and unconditionally released.
“No one should be imprisoned simply for participating in peaceful protests. Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi have suffered torture and other forms of mistreatment during their arbitrary detention. Now, due to a manipulated secret trial, they face more than a decade in prison.
“These verdicts expose the increasingly harsh situation faced by human rights defenders across China under President Xi Jinping’s leadership. They have been arrested, tortured, and sentenced to long prison terms simply for trying to improve others’ lives through legitimate human rights work.”
Alkan Akad also stated that these verdicts highlight the growing risks faced by human rights defenders throughout China under President Xi Jinping’s rule.
Background Information
Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi are important members of the “New Citizens Movement,” which was founded by Xu in 2012 as a loose network of activists aiming to increase government transparency and expose corruption.
In December 2019, they participated in an informal gathering in Xiamen, a city in southeastern China, where they discussed current affairs and the state of civil society in China. Following the meeting, they, along with dozens of other lawyers and activists, began facing targeted repression.
Later that month, police across China began summoning or detaining people who attended the Xiamen meeting.
On December 26, 2019, police took Ding Jiaxi into custody and placed him under more than a year of “residential surveillance at a designated location,” preventing him from contacting the outside world.
Friends of Xu Zhiyong stated that he had gone into hiding after the Xiamen meeting in December 2019. In early February 2020, Xu publicly criticized President Xi Jinping’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, calling for his resignation.
On February 15, 2020, Xu was arrested while staying at an activist’s home. He was then placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” and also prohibited from contacting the outside world.
Both men endured torture and other forms of abuse during their detention, including prolonged interrogations and being tied to an iron “tiger bench” for more than 10 hours, causing their limbs to twist in painful positions.
Such treatment violates international human rights law, which absolutely prohibits torture and other forms of abuse.
It wasn’t until January 20, 2021, that the authorities merged the investigations into Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi’s cases. They were subsequently charged with “subversion of state power,” and their lawyers were informed that their cases would be tried separately.
French Human Rights Organization Call on the international community to pressure the Chinese Communist Party to release human rights lawyers Ding Jiaxi, Xu Zhiyong, and other political prisoners.
The global democratic movement is sweeping forward with unstoppable force, breaking down barriers and clearing away the dust. The domino effect is in full swing, and democracy will ultimately prevail!
世界民主运动浩浩荡荡，摧枯拉朽、荡涤尘埃，骨牌效应、民主必胜！
Journalist’s Summary: Recently, in Paris, French human rights activist and founder of the “Solidarity with China” association, Ms. Marie HOLZMAN , met with Ms. Luo Shengchun, the wife of imprisoned political prisoner Ding Jiaxi, who is currently leading a global campaign to pressure the Chinese Communist Party to release Chinese political prisoners.
The People’s Republic of China is the world’s largest and most repressive dictatorship, holding the highest number of political prisoners. Individuals involved in freedom of speech, thought, and writing are all considered “political prisoners.” In the absence of judicial independence, these individuals are often falsely accused and persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party. We call on media with a sense of justice and conscience to show solidarity and bring attention to this matter!
France: Freedom, Human Rights, and Health
Reporter: Han Rongli
记者综述：日前，法国人权活动家“团结中国”协会创始人（Marie HOLZMAN）瑪麗·霍爾茨曼女士与记者在巴黎会见了正在履行全球呼吁施压中共、释放中国政治犯行动的狱中政治犯丁家喜妻子罗胜春女士，中共国是全球关押政治犯最多的独裁专制国家，言论、思想、写作…，统称政治犯，在司法不独立的中共国被罗列罪名、构陷迫害，敬请正义良知媒体声援关注！/ 法国：自由人权健康记者：韩荣利
On April 10, 2023, the case against Chinese political activist Xu Zhiyong and human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, who were accused of subversion of state power, was sentenced. Xu Zhiyong was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to 12 years.
2023年4月10日，中国政治活动人士许志永和维权律师丁家喜涉嫌颠覆国家政权案宣判， 许志永被判有期徒刑14年，丁家喜获刑12年。
Amnesty International Issues Statement Condemning the Dictatorial Chinese Communist Party:
Shameful Verdict: Chinese Human Rights Activists Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi Sentenced to Harsh Prison Terms
According to a tweet from Ding Jiaxi’s wife, on April 10, 2023, a court in Shandong Province sentenced Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi to 14 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
Regarding the long prison sentences handed down to the two, Alkan Akad, China Researcher at Amnesty International, stated:
“The court has issued a shameful verdict against prominent Chinese human rights defenders Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, violating their rights to freedom of speech and assembly. They should be immediately and unconditionally released.
“No one should be imprisoned simply for participating in peaceful protests. Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi have suffered torture and other forms of mistreatment during their arbitrary detention. Now, due to a manipulated secret trial, they face more than a decade in prison.
“These verdicts expose the increasingly harsh situation faced by human rights defenders across China under President Xi Jinping’s leadership. They have been arrested, tortured, and sentenced to long prison terms simply for trying to improve others’ lives through legitimate human rights work.”
Alkan Akad also stated that these verdicts highlight the growing risks faced by human rights defenders throughout China under President Xi Jinping’s rule.
Background Information
Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi are important members of the “New Citizens Movement,” which was founded by Xu in 2012 as a loose network of activists aiming to increase government transparency and expose corruption.
In December 2019, they participated in an informal gathering in Xiamen, a city in southeastern China, where they discussed current affairs and the state of civil society in China. Following the meeting, they, along with dozens of other lawyers and activists, began facing targeted repression.
Later that month, police across China began summoning or detaining people who attended the Xiamen meeting.
On December 26, 2019, police took Ding Jiaxi into custody and placed him under more than a year of “residential surveillance at a designated location,” preventing him from contacting the outside world.
Friends of Xu Zhiyong stated that he had gone into hiding after the Xiamen meeting in December 2019. In early February 2020, Xu publicly criticized President Xi Jinping’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, calling for his resignation.
On February 15, 2020, Xu was arrested while staying at an activist’s home. He was then placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” and also prohibited from contacting the outside world.
Both men endured torture and other forms of abuse during their detention, including prolonged interrogations and being tied to an iron “tiger bench” for more than 10 hours, causing their limbs to twist in painful positions.
Such treatment violates international human rights law, which absolutely prohibits torture and other forms of abuse.
It wasn’t until January 20, 2021, that the authorities merged the investigations into Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi’s cases. They were subsequently charged with “subversion of state power,” and their lawyers were informed that their cases would be tried separately.
国际特赦发文指谴责独裁中共：
可耻判决：中国人权行动者许志永、丁家喜遭判重刑
据丁家喜妻子在推特上发布的消息称： 2023年4月10日，山东省一家法院分别判处许志永和丁家喜有期徒刑14年和12年。
针对二人被判长期监禁一事，国际特赦组织中国研究专员阿尔坎·阿卡德（Alkan Akad）表示:
“法院对中国著名人权捍卫者许志永和丁家喜做出了可耻的判决，这侵犯了他们的言论和集会自由权。他们应该立即无条件获释。
“任何人都不应该仅仅因为参加和平集会而被监禁。许志永和丁家喜在多年的任意拘押期间遭受酷刑和其他虐待。现在因为一场被操纵的秘密审判，他们将面临十多年的监禁。
“这些判决暴露了在习近平主席执政下，中国各地人权捍卫者面临日益严峻的处境——他们只是试着通过合法的人权工作来改善他人生活，却遭到逮捕、酷刑和长期监禁。”
这些判决暴露了在习近平主席执政下，中国各地人权捍卫者面临日益严峻的处境
阿尔坎·阿卡德
背景信息
许志永和丁家喜都是“新公民运动”的重要成员。新公民运动是许志永在2012年成立的一个松散的活动人士网络，其目的是提高政府透明度并揭露腐败。
2019年12月，他们参加了在中国东南沿海城市厦门举行的一次非正式聚会，讨论中国的时事和公民社会的情况。此后，他们和其他数十名律师及活动人士开始被针对性地打压。
同月晚些时候，全国各地的警方开始传唤或拘留参加那场厦门聚会的人。
警方于2019年12月26日带走丁家喜后，对他进行长达一年多的“指定居所监视居住”，同时禁止他与外界接触。
许志永的朋友们则表示，他在2019年12月的那场聚会后就躲了起来。2020年2月初，许志永曾批评习近平主席处理新冠疫情危机和香港民主派抗议活动的方式，并呼吁他辞职。
2020年2月15日，许志永待在一名活动人士家中时被捕。他随后遭到“指定居所监视居住”，同时被禁止与外界接触，…
两人在拘留期间都遭受酷刑和其他虐待，包括长时间的审讯，以及持续多天每天都被绑在铁制“老虎凳”上，使其四肢扭曲超过10个小时。
这样的待遇，违反了国际人权法中绝对禁止酷刑和其他虐待的规定。
直到2021年1月20日，当局皆合并调查许志永和丁家喜的案件。此后他们被控犯有“颠覆国家政权罪”，两人的律师则被告知他们的案件将分开审理。