|
At 7:40 AM
(Beijing time) on Nov. 19, Jiang Tianyong and his wife attempted to leave
their home to take their daughter to school, when they were barred from
leaving the apartment building by Public Security Bureau officers
assembled at the gate. Before Jiang could speak with them, four officers
grabbed him violently and forced him into a police car. A police officer
named Wang Tao threw his wife to the ground and began striking her.
Jiang's 7-year-old daughter cried helplessly as she watched her father
being dragged away to detention by the officers.
Jiang Tianyong
was arrested and held in detention at the Yangfangdian PSB office of
Haidian District, Beijing for over 13 hours, under the guard of Officers
Li Aimin and Wang Tao. He was allowed only one meal during his detention.
A dozen human rights lawyers rallied in front of the station to demand
Jiang's release and to show support for their colleague. He was released
at 9:26 PM (Beijing time) to return home to his family.
Immediately
after learning of Jiang's arrest, ChinaAid contacted the US Embassy in
Beijing and several U.S. Congressional offices, notifying them of Jiang
Tianyong's brutal treatment and detention. A US Embassy official quickly
responded and said that the Embassy had called the
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and formally registered the U.S.
Government's concern and opposition to this
action. The embassy further reported the incident to the National
Security Council and the State Department, all prior to Jiang's release.
Jiang Tianyong
had just returned to Beijing on Tuesday, November 17, after touring the
United States for 4 weeks and speaking out on the unjust treatment of
human rights lawyers in China. On several occasions, he and the other
five Chinese human rights defenders on the tour advised U.S. officials to
encourage President Obama to meet with human rights lawyers and speak out
on religious freedom while visiting China.
on November 18,
Jiang Tianyong and a fellow legal researcher attempted to arrange a
meeting with President Obama before he left China, hoping to follow
through with the lawyers' request for US acknowlegement of the current
dire situation. After receiving a phone call from the U.S. Embassy,
informing him President Obama would not be able to meet with the group of
five human rights lawyers who had gathered, 200 police officers
immediately pulled up, and interrogated Jiang and one of his colleagues
in the hotel for over an hour. They were informed they "were not
allowed to meet President Obama" and would "be held until he
left" yesterday afternoon.
Jiang Tianyong is a prominent Human Rights lawyer in Beijing,
China, who has courageously defended---within the Chinese system---a
number of dissidents, and even Tibetan rioters. Jiang's family now suffers
even more from this abuse, as their well-being was taxed after Jiang's
license to practice law was revoked and his tenure at the Beijing Global
Law Firm was terminated in April of this year.
Several human rights lawyers
under severe surveillance
Several human
rights lawyers were under severe surveillance and some were under house
arrest at home and their movements were under control. Beijing human
rights lawyer Li Xiongbing was under house arrest, while Li Fangping, Li Heping
and Mo Shaoping also faced harassment, with three or four police officers
stationed in front of their homes. Some of the police officers remain
outside the lawyers’ homes. It was understood that the restrictions on
them were related to US President Barack Obama’s visit to China. 18
November 2009 was the last day of President Obama’s visit to China.
 Several plainclothes officers and state
security (guobao) vehicles have stationed outside Beijing human rights
lawyer Li Xiongbing’s home for four days. He was not allowed to go out
from his home, not even to go to work or meet his friends. He was also
threatened not to receive any media interviews or meet with any US human
rights officials.
 Another Beijing human
rights lawyer Li Fangping has been under surveillance by public security.
Since last Saturday, he could only go out from his home by taking the
vehicle arranged by the public security and he needed approval to go out.
He was not allowed to go to any place where President Obama would visit.
Three public security officers followed Lawyer Li when he went out from
his home.
 Beijing human rights
lawyer Li Heping also confirmed that he has been followed and under
surveillance for two to three days. Public security officers stationed
outside his home even at night. He was told that it was related to
President Obama’s visit. Shanghai human rights lawyer Zheng Enchong and
his wife Jiang Meili were taken to the Zhabei District Public Security
Station yesterday morning for “tax problems”. It was understood that it
was also related to President Obama’s visit.
Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 1989
pro-democracy movement, police monitored the homes of Teng Biao from 25
May to 5 June, Beijing-based lawyers Li Heping, Li Fangping and Jiang
Tianyong from 25 May to 7 June and Li Xiongbing from 4 to 10 June. They were
escorted by the police wherever they went. On 3 June, the police officers
guarding Jiang Tianyong prohibited him from leaving his home and forced
him to stay there until the evening of 7June.
TAKE ACTION NOW !
|
