HU JIA

Chinese human rights activist Hu Jia is gravely ill. He is not receiving adequate treatment in prison and has been denied parole on medical grounds. His life may be in danger if he does not receive the treatment he needs. Hu Jia is serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, imposed in 2008, for "inciting subversion". He was diagnosed with hepatitis B before he was imprisoned. On 12 April, a prison hospital doctor phoned Hu Jia's mother and told her that the medical check found a benign tumor in his liver. The doctor explained that since it is curable, Hu Jia has been sent from the prison hospital back to his cell. His family has asked that the prison provide them with the full report in order to confirm this diagnosis, but the prison authorities refused.

Hu Jia's family believe that his condition may be more serious than the prison doctor has stated, and that he may have liver cancer. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, has documented his deteriorating health since his detention. Prison doctors detected a mass approximately 3cm in diameter in his abdomen. A previous prison hospital check-up found Hu Jia had gallstones, a protrusion in his liver and high blood pressure complications from chronic liver disease.

Hu Jia's family is urgently requesting the prison grant him medical parole. An earlier request for medical parole was rejected in 2009. Zeng Jinyan submitted another application for Hu Jia's medical parole on 7 April 2010, which the authorities told her on 12 April they also rejected.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Chinese, English or your own language:

• Expressing grave concern that Hu Jia is not receiving adequate medical care;
• Urging the authorities to release Hu Jia's medical reports and test results to his family;
• Urging the authorities to grant Hu Jia medical parole so he can be examined by an independent doctor and receive adequate medical treatment.

TAN ZUOREN

Chinese environmental activist and writer Tan Zuoren was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on 9 February, for "inciting subversion of state power". He is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Tan Zuoren, from Sichuan province in southwestern China, was convicted for criticizing the Chinese Communist Party and the government authorities' military crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing.

Tan Zuoren's trial was held on 12 August 2008 at the Chengdu Intermediate People's Court, but his sentence was only announced after more than five months' delay, in contravention of Chinese Criminal Procedure Law. In addition to his prison sentence, Tan Zuoren was also sentenced to three years' deprivation of political rights after he is released. This means that for these three years, he will not be able to vote, stand for election, or hold a position in any state body or state-owned company and shall submit to supervision.

Tan Zuoren's trial disregarded China's criminal procedures. His lawyers reported they were unable to call their witnesses to testify in court, show the video footage they prepared, or present their defense. Journalist were harassed and prevented from reporting both on the trial and the sentencing.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Chinese, English or your own language:

• calling on the authorities to release Tan Zuoren immediately and unconditionally;
• urging authorities to ensure he has access to a lawyer, his family and any medical treatment he may require;
• calling on them to guarantee Tan Zuoren will not be tortured or otherwise ill-treated;
• calling on them to take effective measures to ensure that all human rights defenders can carry out their peaceful activities without fear of arbitrary detention, imprisonment, hindrance or intimidation, in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

LIU XIAOBO

Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 8, 2010. Amnesty International calls on the Chinese authorities to release all prisoners of conscience detained in the country. (read more)

 

Scholar and activist Liu Xiaobo was formally arrested for "inciting subversion of state power" on 23 June, 2009. Liu Xiaobo has been held under "residential surveillance" since 8 December 2008, without any due process or access to a lawyer.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Chinese, English or your own language:

• calling on the authorities to release Liu Xiaobo immediately without conditions;
• urging the authorities to guarantee that Liu Xiaobo is not tortured or ill-treated while he remains in custody;
• calling on the authorities to ensure Liu Xiaobo has access to his family and lawyers;
• calling on the authorities to end use of vaguely defined crimes to prevent dissidents and activists from peacefully demanding legal and political reform
• expressing deep concern that the detention of peaceful human rights activists runs counter to promises made by Chinese officials on their first ever National Human Rights Action Plan 2009-2010.

ACT NOW

SEND APPEALS TO THE CHINESE PREMIER Mr. Wen Jiabao The State Council General Office 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu, Beijing 100 017, P.R. China