China: Trial of human rights defender and writer Hu Jia charged with subversion

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the trial of human rights defender, Hu Jia, on 18 March 2008 and the charges of subversion against him. Hu Jia works for the rights of those suffering from HIV/ AIDS in rural China. He is the co-founder of the Beijing Aizhixing Institute for Health Education, a non-governmental organisation which promotes public awareness and education on the issue of HIV/ AIDS.

Further Information

Posted 10/03/2008 On 18 March 2008, Hu Jia's trial began in the First Beijing Intermediate Court. He is being tried on charges of subversion against the Chinese Government in relation to his on-line writings and has pleaded not guilty. He is facing up to five years' imprisonment and is expected to be sentenced in the coming week. Hu Jia's lawyer, Li Fangping, reported that he was allowed only twenty minutes in which to defend Hu Jia and was consistently interrupted by the judge when giving his defence. In addition, several foreign diplomats and members of Hu Jia's family were prevented from attending the trial and many of his supporters were reportedly forced by the authorities to leave Beijing for the duration of the trial in order to prevent them from speaking with journalists.

Hu Jia was detained on 27 December after giving his public testimony to the European Parliament in which he gave details of human rights violations reportedly being committed in China. He was officially arrested on 30 January 2008 and charged with “incitement to subvert state power”. He is currently being held in Beijing's Municipal Detention Centre. Following his arrest his wife, Zeng Jinyan, and his daughter were reportedly prevented from leaving their apartment in Beijing. Several other writers who have published their work on the internet and are considered cyber-dissidents by the authorities were arrested at the same time.

These arrests have been interpreted as a campaign of intimidation on the part of the authorities against human rights defenders in order to dissuade them from publicising information about human rights abuses in China during the period of the Olympic Games. Hu Jia has written of human rights abuses committed against those suffering from HIV/ AIDS in rural China, as well as of issues of religious freedom and the human rights situation in Tibet.

Front Line believes that Hu Jia has been targeted as a result of his legitimate human rights activities, in particular his work to defend the rights of those suffering from HIV/ AIDS in China.

Front Line urges the authorities in China to:

1.Immediately and unconditionally release Hu Jia and drop all charges against him, as Front Line believes that he has been arrested and charged solely on the basis of his legitimate human rights work;

2.Guarantee Hu Jia's physical and psychological integrity while in detention, as well as that of his family;

3.Take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders in China, carrying out their legitimate work in human rights, are able to operate without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions and harassment.