Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China ...

<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China (2009)April 26, 2010and strikes by workers are also common, as workers lack formal channels (such asindependent unions) to negotiate and resolve conflicts with their employers. 11• On February 23 and 24, dozens of citizens chained themselves together outside ofthe Chengdu Intermediate Court in Sichuan Province to protest corruption withinthe judicial system and unfair or improper decisions made by the courts. Clad inwhite hats and carrying handmade signs with the character “injustice,” theprotestors chanted “down with corrupt officials,” “give us back our human rights”and other slogans. Around 3 p.m. on February 24, the police, who had long beenobserving the protest, asked the organizers of the protest to meet them inside thecourthouse for talks. After theorganizers of the protestentered the courthouse, thepolice seized them, and a fewhours later, the protestorsoutside were surrounded bymore than 100 police, whotook at least 22 of theprotestors into custody. Atotal of ten of these protestorsand activists have beenarrested and charged with“gathering crowds to disturbsocial order.” They are nowpending trial. 12Protestors outside of the Chengdu Intermediate Courton February 23 and 24• On February 15, five workers at a silk factory in Tongliang County, ChongqingMunicipality, were taken into custody for organizing a year-long occupation ofthe factory. The five were representatives of about 800 dismissed workers whohave been seeking unpaid pensions and medical insurance following the factory’sclosure. Tongliang authorities released three of the representatives after they spentbetween 10 and 15 days in administrative detention, but formally arrested twoother representatives, Hu Weimin ( and Tang Aimin ( on March20 on suspicion of “gathering crowds to disturb social order.” 13唐 胡Given the restrictions barring ordinary citizens from assembling, it is not surprising thathuman rights defenders face even greater difficulties. Human rights defenders are oftenprevented from convening or participating in peaceful gatherings such as forums,seminars, commemorative events, or simply luncheons or dinners.) 民 卫), 民 爱9In 2009, police assaulted, detained, and summoned potential participants in gatheringsorganized by human rights defenders. They also took other steps, such as pressuring theindividuals who own the sites where such events are scheduled to take place, to preventthe gatherings from taking place. For example, on February 16, a working conferenceorganized by Aizhixing Research Institute, a Beijing-based NGO working on AIDSissues, was interrupted when the Beijing police arrived at the conference and demanded