Originally published: November 19, 2013 On 15 November 2013, in its ‘CCP Central Committee Resolution Concerning Some Major Issues in Comprehensively Deepening Reform,’ debated and passed at the 18thCongress Third Plenary Meeting, the CCP announced that it would ‘abolish the Re-education Through Labour System, perfect the laws for punishment [...] Keep reading »

By YANG Jianli, President, Initiatives for China, former political prisoner of China (2002-2006) Published: November 9, 2013                 Last night, I was on the phone with Ms. Zhang Qing, the wife of Guo Feixiong (pen name for Yang Maodong). Guo, who was imprisoned from 2006 to 2011 for peacefully demonstrating in defense of [...] Keep reading »

By Yaxue Cao, published: November 9, 2013   I’m not the flag-waving sort; whatever flag it is. I’m wary of the word “patriotism.” As someone who grew up in China and now an amateur China watcher, it is downright ugly. What it immediately evokes, in me anyway, is government-incited demonstrators on the street who shout patriotic slogans [...] Keep reading »

  We hereby state: On October 28, 2013, Yushui District People’s Court in Xinyu, Jiangxi, began to try Liu Ping (刘萍), Wei Zhongping (魏忠平) and Li Sihua (李思华). As defense lawyers of the three defendants, we took part in the court procedure. During the trial, we reiterated the same opinions that we had expressed during the pre-trial [...] Keep reading »

One month after the street vendor was executed. By Ji Ye, published: October 24, 2013   On September 25, 2013, Xia Junfeng was executed. I was saddened and felt low for days. I have been paying attention to this name for more than two years, but what I care about is not the legal aspect of it. To us onlookers, we have no access to the core ev [...] Keep reading »

By China Change, published: October 18, 2013   Since his criminal detention on August 8, Chinese dissident and activist Yang Maodong (杨茂东), better known by his pen name Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄), has been in custody for over 70 days without being granted meetings with his lawyers and without being formally indicted, raising fears of tortu [...] Keep reading »

By Yaxue Cao, published: October 7, 2013   On February 28, 2003, Guangdong Supreme People’s Court maintained the sentence by the first trial court. When the verdict was read, Dr. Wang Bingzhang shouted, “I was kidnapped! I protest the illegal trial!” His youngest sister, allowed to attend the trial, met with him, and he asked for a copy [...] Keep reading »

By ChinaChange.org, published: September 24, 2013 The news came in the form of a nightly order from the CCP Propaganda Department. Xia Junfeng (夏俊峰) was a street vendor from Tieling county, Liaoning province (辽宁铁岭县). On May 16, 2009, while selling chicken strips, roasted sausages and other snacks with his wife Zhang Jing near a cros [...] Keep reading »

By Xiao Guozhen, published: September 22, 2013   In the citizens’ movement that is flourishing across China, there are activities called “same-city dinner gatherings” (“同城饭醉“). Well-known Beijing Rights lawyer Xiao Guozhen (肖国珍) was a participant in such gatherings. Xiao Guozhen is currently visiting America and rec [...] Keep reading »