When Huang Jinqiu’s father, Huang Quide, called the intermediate court of Changzhou City to find out the result of his son’s September 27 trial, he learned that his son had been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Huang Jinqiu was charged with "subversion of the state."

Huang Quide’s voice was hoarse when he was interviewed. He said that Huang Jinqiu’s defense attorney would insist his son is innocent and that they will appeal to a higher court.

The Changzhou court’s written judgment alleges that Huang Jinqiu, whose pen name is Qing Shuijun, heads the preparation committee of China Patriot Democracy Party (CPDP), and that in that role, he published many anti-government articles on the Internet. The court says Huang developed the party, organized, planned, and carried out the subversion of the state and that he wanted to overthrow the socialist system in China. Judging from these actions, the court claims, Huang has committed the crime of subversion of the state. Huang has been sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment and deprived of his political rights for four years.

Huang Jinqiu

Qing Shuijun’s friend, Zhao Dagong, told Radio Free Asia that he was disappointed with the judgment, but that the outcome also could have been anticipated. He said that the courts in China judge by the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party.

“I had called Qing Shuijun’s sister previously, and the attorney also had a defense strategy to prove his innocence, but it seems useless,” he said. “The judiciary in China is not independent. It’s the decision of the Party. Judges do not have the independent legal spirit.” Zhao Dagong added that he was not optimistic about the appeal to a higher court.

In fact, as early as January 2004 when Qing Shuijun was arrested, some overseas Chinese organizations such as the Chinese Overseas Joint Conference initiated an online rescue campaign and began collecting signatures. The signatures were delivered to the American government and the human rights office of the United Nations. Some overseas websites such as Kanzhongguo(Secret China), New Century Net, Zhongguohun, and The Epoch Times also called for his release. Judging from the situation of many members of CPDP in China, they could not initiate the petition campaign.

Qing Shuijun, originally named Huang Jinqiu, is a reporter and editor in China. He had studied abroad in Malaysia and established the China Patriot Democracy Party there in 2003. He published entertainment and political articles on the Internet. Huang returned to China in August 2003. Afterwards, he was followed by secret police. He left home for southern China on September 11, and disappeared on September 13. His family in Shandong learned of his arrest six months later in January 2004.