amnesty international

CHINA

40 Public Security and Reform-Through-

Labour officers take Chen Ziming back

to prison

28 JUNE 1995 AI INDEX: ASA 17/44 /95

DISTR: REL CO/GR/SC

Chen Ziming, a prisoner of conscience and veteran pro

democracy activist was re-imprisoned on Sunday 25 June

in Beijing. Originally arrested in 1989 following the

crackdown on the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen

Square in June 1989, Chen Ziming was sentenced in 1991

to 13 years for "counter-revolutionary" activities and

for allegedly masterminding the June 4 protests. On May

13 1995 Chen Ziming was released on medical parole,

officially for "skin disease". After medical examination

he was found to be actually suffering from skin, heart

and liver ailments as well as urinary tract cancer. At

the time of his release Chen Ziming had served five

years of his sentence.

An unofficial source in China stated that about 40

officers from the Beijing Public Security Department and

the reform-through-labour department came to his house

and took him away at around 11 p.m. It was reported that

the authorities who took him away claimed that he had

recovered from his illness and must serve out the remainder

of his 13 year sentence for "counter revolutionary"

activities.

Since Chen Ziming's release on medical parole he has

been under virtual house arrest in Beijing. Despite the

heavy surveillance around his home in Beijing Chen Ziming

was a signatory to one of the recent pro-democracy petitions

asking for an investigation into government corruption.

Chen Ziming is a veteran pro democracy activist and took

part in the 1979 "Democracy Wall' protests when he worked

on the influential journal Beijing Spring. In 1986 Chen

Ziming and fellow activist Wang Juntao set up an independent

social science institute, the Beijing Social and Economic

Research Institute. Chen Ziming was arrested in October 1989

along with Wang Juntao, the other so-called "Black Hand" of

the pro democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in June 1989

and the Institute was closed down.

Chen Ziming was detained with his wife in Guangdong. After

four months of solitary confinement and subsequent detention,

Chen Ziming and Wang Juntao were both brought to trial on 12

February 1991. After closed hearings they were sentenced to

13 years imprisonment and an additional four years of

depravation of political rights for "conspiring to subvert

the government" and "carrying out counter-revolutionary

propaganda and incitement" during the 1989 pro-democracy

protests. It was reported that Chen Ziming's lawyer had his

licence revoked because he presented a strong defence.

Since April 1991, both Wang Juntao and Chen Ziming were held

in solitary confinement and both were reported to have

undertaken hunger strikes. Chen Ziming's wife, Wang Zhihong,

was released without charge in mid-November 1990 after being

held for over a year without charge. It was reported that

she had been seven months pregnant at the time of the arrest

and subsequently lost the baby.

After his release from prison and later his release from the

Beijing hospital where he was undergoing treatment his wife

made numerous appeals to the Ministry for Public Security

asking that the heavy police surveillance on their house be

lifted and that Chen Ziming be allowed to make walks in the

neighbourhood.

US State Department spokesperson Nicholas Burns spoke on

Tuesday 27 June about Washington's concern over Chen's

re-imprisonment given his poor state of health. It has been

suggested by many that the original release of Chen Ziming in

April 1994 and Wang Juntao in May 1994 and his subsequent

flight to the United States were part of a campaign by the

Chinese Government to persuade President Clinton to undo the

link between China's human rights policy and the renewal

of its Most Favoured Nation status, a move being discussed in

America at the time. There have been recent press reports

suggesting that the recent re-imprisonment of Chen Ziming

and the other arrests of dissidents in recent weeks are a

response by the Chinese government to the invitation of

Taiwan's prime minister to the United Sates and the ensuing

deterioration of relations between the two countries.

During Chen Ziming's medical treatment there were numerous

reports that the authorities had been asking his family to

cover the cost of the treatment, one report suggested the

authorities were asking for close to 10,000 RMB (HK $ 9,060)

unless Chen Ziming admitted his guilt in a signed statement.

Chen Ziming stated that he had never and would never admit

to guilt.

Chen Ziming's case has received widespread attention because

of his public standing in China and because of the circumstances

surrounding his imprisonment and subsequent trial and ill

health. In December 1993 the Working Group on Arbitrary

Detention adopted a resolution declaring that the detention of

Chen Ziming and Wang Juntao was "arbitrary being in

contravention of articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights, and articles 19 and 21 of the International

Covenant on Civil and political Rights". The Working Group went

on to request the Government of the People's Republic of China

to take the necessary steps to remedy the situation in order to

bring it into conformity with the provisions and principles

contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Decision

No.63/1993 (Peoples Republic of China); E/CN.4/1995/31/Add.1,

pp33)

In an appeal issued by Chen Ziming's wife and mother,

addressed to The National Peoples Congress and the Ministry of

Justice among other Chinese authorities, strong concern was

expressed over the future state of Chen Ziming's health and the

constant medical treatment he needs to stop the spread of cancer

to other parts of his body. His doctors have reportedly stressed

the need for frequent check ups and 24 hour care.

Amnesty International has recorded at least fifty arrests of

dissidents around China in the four weeks surrounding June 4.

This crackdown far exceeds previous years crackdown on dissent

around the anniversary of the June 4 1989 pro democracy protests

when several dozen activist were detained and questioned.

Amnesty International is concerned that Chen Ziming is a prisoner

of conscience, imprisoned solely for his peaceful political

activities. Amnesty International calls on the Chinese Government

to release him immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure

that he receives adequate medical treatment.

This document is sent to China and CHIRAN Coordinators for action

by groups. It is sent to Sections for information only. Check with

the East Asia Sub-Regional Team if sending appeals after 7 AUGUST

1995.

INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT, 1 EASTON STREET, LONDON WC1X 8DJ,

UNITED KINGDOM

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