CHINA: Sichuan earthquake activist jailed for inciting subversion

Record ID: 614602

  • Title: CHINA: Sichuan earthquake activist jailed for inciting subversion
  • Date: 10th February 2010
  • Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (FEBRUARY 9, 2010) (REUTERS) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ASIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ROSEANN RIFE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ASIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ROSEANN RIFE, SAYING: "Amnesty International believes he's been detained and convicted simply for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and we're demanding his immediate release." ROSEANN RIFE
  • Embargoed: 25th February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Legal System,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA3IHVROL6RN1J8360P4CNGU4J4
  • Story Text: A Chinese activist has been sentenced to five years in prison for subversion of state power, but supporters believe he's been detained because he planned to release an independent report on the Sichuan earthquake.
    A Chinese activist who sought to document shoddy construction that contributed to deaths in China's devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake has been sentenced to five years in prison for subversion of state power on another matter, his lawyer said on Tuesday (February 9).
    Tan Zuoren was formally accused of inciting subversion of state power in emailed comments about the bloody crackdown on June 4, 1989, on pro-democracy demonstrators around Tiananmen Square.
    Amnesty International is demanding his release.
    "Amnesty International believes he's been detained and convicted simply for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and we're demanding his immediate release," said Roseann Rife, Deputy director of Amnesty International Asia.
    Tan's supporters and Amnesty International say he was detained not because of the emailed comments on Tiananmen Square, but because he planned to issue an independent report on the collapse of school buildings during the Sichuan earthquake, in which more than 80,000 people died.
    "Amnesty believes that this verdict certainly was tied partly to the work he did in visiting the families and victims of the Sichuan earthquake and tried to document the deaths in the earthquake," Rife said.
    "Back during his trial in August, they actually discussed the earthquake and that was brought up in his trial and it's very unusual now that in the verdict we received today, the earthquake was not mentioned at all, only focussing on Tiananmen. We can only assume the reason for that is because there is actually a lot of public support for the work he did on the earthquake and if they had actually convicted him on that, the backlash would have been too harsh," she added.
    More than one hundred supporters gathered around the Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court in China where Tan's verdict was announced after they were banned from entering the court by local police.
    Hong Kong journalists trying to cover the proceedings were harassed by police outside the court.
    Tan's lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang addressed waiting media after the verdict was announced.
    "Tan will appeal because he thinks his actions are legal and didn't break any laws. He thinks his understanding of the law is very different from the courts," said Pu.
    Tan's family expressed disbelief at the verdict.
    "It's not about injustice, I feel this is ridiculous, really ridiculous!" said Tan's wife, Wang Qinghua.
    Tan's brother, Tan Liren, said the verdict changed his mind about his younger sibling's actions.
    "My brother has always worked for society and for the country. At that time I didn't agree with his actions. I think that as a citizen, you can't change the reality of society," said Tan Liren.
    "But today, I have to stand up for him and support my younger brother, Tan Zuoren. And now I understand him," he added.
    Tan Zuoren, who has been behind bars since August, was recently filmed in his prison cell.
    "From the bottom of my heart, I thank my friends. I hope they can take care of themselves and protect themselves," said Tan. "And to my family I have only three words; 'I am sorry'."
    Footage obtained by Reuters showed Tan touring one of the stricken earthquake zones in 2008 before his arrest in March 2009.
    China's official statistics show that 5,335 children died in the quake, which killed about 80,000 people and left 5 million homeless.
    In many towns, schools collapsed, burying the children inside, while surrounding residential buildings remained standing.
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