The bells of the Lunar New Year are ringing, and the Year of the Ox is here. The Chinese Communist authorities have been tightening the space for freedom over the past year, resulting in many people behind bars, but others have been released and returned Home to their families after a difficult Time in prison. For dissident groups on the mainland, the New Year has been a mixed bag of joy and sorrow.
This year’s New Year on the yellow calendar seemed special for Beijing human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng – it was his third New Year in prison and the day he received the 2021 Martin Ennals Human Rights Award.
Philippe Currat, president of the Martin Ennals Foundation, said the award was given on New Year’s Eve in the hope that the recognition would shine a light on his accomplishments and help him regain his lost freedom.
Xu Yan calls for continued attention to the human rights situation on the mainland
Yu Wensheng’s wife, Xu Yan, who received the award on his behalf, said the award is a token of support and recognition for Yu Wensheng and his work on human rights and the rule of law, and also mentioned the persecution of several human rights defenders, including mainland legal scholar Xu Zhiyong and human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, and called on the outside world to continue to give necessary attention and help to them and their families.
Peng Yongfeng, a Chinese lawyer in the United States, mentioned that although the awards will not solve any fundamental problems, I believe Yu Wensheng’s lawyers will feel some comfort when they know about it. He also blasted the Chinese Communist authorities for deliberately torturing Yu and his Family by not allowing him to serve his sentence in a Beijing prison without regard for basic human decency.
“How ironic it is that on the occasion of the New Year’s Eve reunion of all families, he (Yu Wensheng) was awarded a human rights prize in the mainland prison where there are the least human rights to speak of.”
Chinese rights lawyer Yu Wensheng (Associated Press)
Small mark: Someone behind bars during the festive season
Meanwhile, Xu Zhiyong’s girlfriend Li Qiaochu and Beijing-based publisher Geng Xiaonan were also arrested and heavily sentenced on New Year’s Eve, respectively.
Hu Jia, a human rights activist in Beijing, lamented that she misses her family every holiday season and felt sad for the women heroes who could not spend the holidays with their families.
“Before the New Year comes (the arrests and sentences), it is actually a clear case of not letting you have a good time, increasing your suffering, increasing the suffering of your family.”
Hu Jia added that because 2021 and 2022 are years with important political factors such as the centennial of the Communist Party’s founding and the Winter Olympics, the Communist authorities are tightening control in terms of stability maintenance and speech.
“Sometimes it’s just citizens getting together for a meal and talking about current affairs, and [the authorities] have very tight control over these simple things. The high-voltage line has fallen on the neck of the feet, and any attempt to take a step forward will touch it.”
Zhang Jialong (right), a former reporter for China’s Caijing magazine, pictured with then-Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014 (Facebook screenshot)
Some jailed, some released
However, Hu Jia specifically mentioned that there was also something to be happy about this Spring Festival.
“Zhang Jialong was released today and was finally able to return home on the first day of the first month of this Year of the Ox. Although it is a small prison from the high wall grid back to this kind of socialized big prison, but after all, he is with his family.”
It is understood that Zhang Jialong, a former journalist for Caijing magazine and former media personality for Tencent’s financial channel, was taken away from his home in Guiyang by police in August 2019 and accused of “publishing and forwarding a lot of false information that defames the image of the party, the state and the government” on Twitter, and was sentenced to one year and six months for “provoking and provoking trouble” in January this year, and was released from prison on Feb. 12.
Zhang Jialong’s wife, Shao Yuan, told reporters through communication software that Zhang Jialong is in fair condition, but somewhat thin. As he is still on bail, it is not convenient to say much, but thanks for the concern.
In addition to Zhang Jialong, Wang Quanzhang, who was released last year in the “709” case, also celebrated his first Spring Festival reunion with his family after five years in prison. In a video posted on Twitter by his wife Li Wenzu, Wang Quanzhang said he was “very touched to be back on earth after 5 years and enjoy the delicious Food and human family Life in this world.
In addition, Nanjing dissident artist Soul Chaser, who was recently released from prison, was also able to meet with a group of friends on New Year’s Eve. A friend of Chasing the Soul, Beijing Songzhuang poet “Eight or Nine Monsoons,” told reporters that Chasing the Soul is not available for interviews. As for the issue of his vehicle and works being impounded by the government, Chasing Soul will deal with it after the Spring Festival.
Beijing Songzhuang artist Chasing Soul (Liu Jinxing) (courtesy of Chasing Soul’s friends)
The “eight or nine monsoons” emphasize the shrinking space for freedom in China, and the fact that those who dare to speak out will be imprisoned at any time.
“I hope the law will return to the right track and enter the true rule of law, not the rule of man. Don’t keep talking about the rule of law, that’s not what the real rule of law is. We definitely want the country to turn for the better, especially into a real democracy and rule of law, but the status quo is quite disappointing.”
Hu Jia: Don’t despair
Regarding the deteriorating human rights situation on the mainland, Hu Jia said he has never been desperate.
“You despair is somehow conceding defeat and allowing those who do evil to have their way and be arrogant. I have never despaired even in the most critical times, including when I was facing death in this state.”
Hu Jia believes that it is increasingly difficult to breathe the air of freedom, but still leaves a certain amount of space to speak, however, the risk of speaking is very high, often at the expense of personal freedom and family, their closest people also have to pay the price.
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