Friday, November 21, 2008

China: Shi Tao



China: Shi Tao
Professional BackgroundAge 37, Shi Tao is a journalist and poet who wrote for daily Chinese publication Dangdai ShangBao (Contemporary Business News) based in Changsha. Shi also contributed to other newspapers and was active on the Internet; he submitted articles and supplied occasional political commentary to overseas Chinese web sites such as the dissident MinZhu LunTan ("Democracy Forum”). His essays often call for political reform in government. He has also written several books of poetry. Current StatusShi Tao was honored in 2005 with the Committee to Protect Journalists' International Press Freedom Award for his courage in this situation and for drawing the world's attention to China's intense effort to control information on the internet. His imprisonment has prevented him from receiving the award.On June 4, 2007, the 18th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Shi received a further honor, the Golden Pen of Freedom Award. The award, which is the annual press freedom prize from the World Association of Newspapers, was accepted by the mother of the jailed journalist who said her son was "a direct victim of the shackles of press freedom." Shi Tao joined a U.S. lawsuit claiming Yahoo Inc. helped the Chinese government convict dissidents. He sought compensation on grounds that Yahoo Hong Kong and Yahoo China provided information to the Chinese authorities leading to his arrest. The case was settled out of court around November 15, 2007.In June 2007, Shi was transferred to Deshan Prison in Changde City, Hunan province. His family reports that his living conditions have improved considerably, and he is now working as a tracer in a machinery plant in prison four days a week, with regular working hours. He is now permitted to write to his family.Case HistoryFrom February to April 2004, Shi Tao was employed at Contemporary Business News; during which there was a staff meeting held to discuss the approaching 15th anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre. This meeting focused on a memo issued by China’s Central Propaganda Department giving instructions on information gathering and media coverage of the anniversary. Shi forwarded his notes taken at the meeting via e-mail to independent Chinese-language web sites abroad, which are otherwise banned in China. Shi was arrested on November 24, 2004 and charged on December 14, 2004. At the time of his arrest, his writings, computer, and other personal belongings were confiscated and his wife was warned by the police that if she told anyone about this action, her husband would be mistreated. On March 1, 2005, the Shanghai Department of Justice suspended the license of Shi’s lawyer Guo Guoting; on March 16 2005 Shi was found guilty of “illegally divulging state secrets abroad” in a secret two-hour hearing where he was represented by one of Guo’s colleagues. Since his arrest, contact with family and legal representation has been limited. During a 10-minute visit with Shi in March 2005, authorities did not allow his mother and brother to give medication to Shi, who was then suffering from the flu. On April 27, 2005, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and two years’ deprivation of political rights; an appeal filed in May by Shi’s lawyer was rejected and the sentence upheld. In August Shi’s mother filed another appeal with the support of his lawyer, claiming “serious procedural defects” because the first appeal was rejected without a hearing and did not comply with Chinese criminal procedure law. In September 2005, it was revealed that corporate internet giant Yahoo! had assisted Chinese government authorities by supplying information used to convict Shi Tao. Yahoo! Holdings (Hong Kong), Ltd. furnished the police with Shi Tao’s account holder information, leading to his IP address and facilitating his conviction. Shi had used a private Yahoo! e-mail account, under which he employed the alias “198964,” to send his notes overseas. Shi Tao was transferred to Prison No. 1, a high-security prison in Hunan province where he was forbidden from doing any significant writing. In December 2005, Shi Tao was reported to be suffering from respiratory illness and a skin inflammation. He had to do forced labor in a factory that produces jewelry sold by prison authorities. According to his family, the unsanitary conditions of his work and the dust from cutting and polishing stones caused Shi’s health to quickly deteriorate. In April 2006 his family, who was allowed to visit him only monthly, said that Shi’s mental state had degenerated and because of the dampness and overcrowding in his cell, he suffers from skin problems in addition to an ulcer and a heart ailment.


http://www.pen.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/764/prmID/172

Sample Letter to the Chinese Government
Write a letter to the Chinese government, urging them to release all writers and journalists imprisoned in violation of their right to freedom of expression by August 8, 2008, when the Olympic Games open in Beijing.
[Date]
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council Beijing 100032
People’s Republic of China
Mr. Wang Shengjun
President of the Supreme People’s Court No.27
Dongjiaominxiang Dongcheng District,
Beijing 100745
People’s Republic of China Excellencies:
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the suppression of the right to freedom of expression in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games, especially the imprisonment of dozens of writers and journalists throughout China.I understand that although China pledged to open up restrictions on media reporting in advance of the Olympics, it has instead clamped down on the media and citizens’ right to receive and impart information. The continuing detention of writers and journalists damages China’s image abroad and undercuts its ambitions to develop a dynamic and competitive economy and culture. I therefore urge you to release all writers and journalists imprisoned in violation of their fundamental right to free expression, which is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. I further urge you to allow citizens to express themselves through writing. Protecting this essential right will only make China stronger. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name and Signature]

[Date] President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
Dear President Bush,
I am writing to express my deep concern over the suppression of the right to freedom of expression in China and to urge you to use your power as President of the United States to help free all writers and journalists imprisoned throughout China before the Olympic Games open in Beijing on August 8, 2008.Despite explicit promises that it would improve its human rights record, China has in fact engaged in a significant crackdown on dissident voices and free expression in this Olympic year. I understand that at least nine writers have been detained since International Human Rights Day (December 10, 2007), and many more have been harassed by authorities. There have been news blackouts and other serious restrictions on reporting from Tibet and areas affected by the May 12 earthquake, and Internet censorship remains widespread.As the Olympic Games approach, I urge you to raise these incidents with Chinese authorities and press for the release of all writers and journalists imprisoned in China in violation of their right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name and Signature]
CC:
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of StateUS Department of State
2201 C Street, NWWashington,
DC 20520Fax: 202-261-8577

Sample Letter on Behalf of Wang Xiaoning, Li Zhi, and Shi Tao
Write a letter to the Chinese government, urging them to release
Wang Xiaoning,
Li Zhi, and Shi Tao, who have been imprisoned in violation of their right to freedom of expression .
[Date]
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council Beijing 100032
People’s Republic of China
Mr. Wang Shengjun
President of the Supreme People’s Court No.27
Dongjiaominxiang Dongcheng District, Beijing 100745
People’s Republic of China
Your Excellencies:
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the suppression of the right to freedom of expression in China as it applies to the Internet and to appeal for the release of writers Wang Xiaoning, Li Zhi, and Shi Tao.Wang Xiaoning, an Internet writer and dissident, was arrested on September 1, 2002 and charged with subversion for articles published online between 2000 and 2002. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and two years’ deprivation of political rights on July 25, 2003, and is currently being held in Beijing No. 2 Prison.Li Zhi, an Internet writer and financial officer in the Dazhou municipal government in Sichuan Province, was arrested on August 11, 2003 after posting essays accusing Sichuan officials of corruption on an overseas website. On December 10, 2003, he was sentenced to eight years in prison and four years’ deprivation of political rights on charges of “subverting state power.” Mr. Li is currently being held in Sichuan No. 3 Prison in Dazhu County.Shi Tao, a journalist, poet, and member of Independent Chinese PEN Center, was arrested on November 24, 2004 after he e-mailed the government’s plans for controlling media coverage during the 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. He was sentenced on April 30, 2005 to 10 years in prison and two years’ deprivation of political rights for “illegally divulging state secrets abroad.” Mr. Shi is currently being held in Deshan Prison, Changde City, Hunan Province.I understand that corporate Internet giant Yahoo! assisted Chinese authorities by supplying user information used to convict each of these men. All three have been imprisoned for non-violent activities that are protected under Chinese law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. I therefore urge you to facilitate their immediate and unconditional release.Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name and Signature]


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