Activist Huang Qi Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for “Illegal Possession of State Secrets”
Activist Huang Qi Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for “Illegal Possession of State Secrets”
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 23, 2009) -Huang Qi (黄琦), prominent human rights activist and director of Tianwang Human Rights Center (www.64tianwang.com), was found guilty of “illegal possession of state secrets” and sentenced to three years in prison today. It is believed that Huang has been imprisoned for reporting and giving interviews to foreign journalists about protests staged by families of schoolchildren killed in the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008.
According to Huang’s wife, Zeng Li (曾丽), who attended the 11am hearing at Wuhou District Court, Chengdu City, the presiding judge found Huang guilty on the basis that he possessed “three documents issued by a certain city government”. However, the judge did not specify what kind of documents they were, which city government has issued them, or more importantly, how their contents constituted “state secrets”. When Zeng demanded a written copy of the verdict at the end of the hearing, the judge told her rudely that “there wasn’t one.” Zeng and Huang’s mother said they would continue to demand a copy from the court and that Huang should appeal the verdict.
About 30 Huang’s supporters were barred from entering the courthouse. One supporter, petitioner Li Tinghui (李庭惠), was taken away whhile another petitioner was roughly handled by the security guards when they tried entering the court.
Huang’s verdict came over 17 months after he was first taken into police custody on June 10, 2008. Huang was tried on August 5, 2009 in a closed trial.
Huang’s family has been concerned about his health, which has deteriorated rapidly in recent months. Huang has two tumors growing on his chest and stomach, and is suffering from headaches and heart troubles. Huang has not received any medical treatment in response to these complaints. Although Huang’s lawyers applied for his release on bail for medical treatment many months ago, authorities have not responded.
CHRD calls on the Chinese government to immediately release Huang Qi. CHRD believes that Huang’s trial and verdict hearing violated his right to a fair trial and that he has been punished simply for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. These rights are guaranteed by Articles 14 and 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. The right to freedom of expression is also enshrined in Article 35 of the Chinese Constitution.
Huang is from Chengdu City in Sichuan Province. In 1998, Huang established the first website in China that disseminated news about people who had been trafficked and disappeared. The website evolved to report on issues of injustice and complaints against the government (www.64tianwang.com). On February 22, 2003, Huang was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to five years in prison and one year of political rights deprivation. After his early release on June 4, 2005, he continued his human rights work.
However, Huang disappeared on June 10, 2008. It was later discovered that he had been detained by the police. A few days before his detention, Huang met with some of the families who wanted to file lawsuits against officials allegedly responsible for the shoddy school buildings that killed the children in the Sichuan earthquake.
During Huang’s detention, he was barred from accessing his lawyers for over three months after he was first taken into custody. Huang told the lawyers he had not been beaten but he was subjected to interrogation sessions lasting twenty-four hours. Huang’s family has not been allowed to visit the activist despite repeated requests.
For more information, please contact:
Renee Xia, International Director (English and Mandarin): +852 8191 6937
Jiang Yingying, Researcher (English and Mandarin): +852 8170 0237
For more information, please see
“Huang Qi Reportedly Ill in Detention, Denied Access to Medical Attention”, July 28, 2009, http://crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200907/20090729013619_16502.html
“Human Rights Defender Huang Qi Formally Arrested”, July 18, 2008, http://crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200807/20080719105359_9496.html
“Human Rights Defender Huang Qi Disappear, Feared Detained by Police”, June 12, 2008, http://www.crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class15/200806/20080613061417_9005.html
