Another human rights activist, Chi Jianwei, has been arrested on the charge of "hindering the execution of law by using an evil cult." In actuality, Chi only held a silent protest in support of Zhu Yifu, a member of the Democracy Party. Zhu was unable to find work after his release from prison. Zhu's former employer also refused to hire him. In fact his former manager had even harassed him for asking for the opportunity to return to work.
Chi and Zhu were within their rights as Chinese citizens when they sat silently in protest in front of Zhu's former working unit. The only purpose of the protest was to gain permission for Zhu to return to his former job. Such protests for protecting individual's rights are common today in China. As demonstrated by Chu's arrest, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) today often uses arrest as punishment when its laws do not specifically prohibit a specific act as being unlawful.
Chi was arrested not only for his silent protest but also because of his membership in the Democracy Party. Later when the police searched his home and found Falun Gong literature and a Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party disc, the charge "evil cult" was added to his arrest report.
Since Falun Gong practitioners in China today are only able to discretely distribute Falun Gong materials and the Nine Commentaries , people might find these items on their doorsteps on any day. Previously it was not a serious issue if Falun gong materials were found in the possession of a Chinese citizen. The arrest of Chi and the subsequent search of his home suggest that Chinese citizens may now have to take legal responsibility for any materials left on their doorsteps. Today in China, when police search the home of a Chinese citizen, that family is held responsible for all items found during the search, even politically sensitive materials that were collected from the front doorstep and then tossed into a corner and forgotten.
The police have no evidence indicating that Chi had been active in distributing the Falun Gong materials found in his home. The police can only prove that he was in possession of the materials. If possession alone means employing "evil cult," should a socialist or a religious scholar be arrested for putting the book Zhuan Falun 1on their shelves?
Since August of this past year, human rights activists Guo Feixiong, Li Hong, Chen Shuqing and Yan Zhengxue have been arrested. If their arrests are the immediate aftermath of arresting Gao Zhisheng, then the arrest of Chi proves that those human rights activists who are less well known and less influential may also fall into the same intricate political traps now being set by the CCP. This latest arrest also demonstrates that the oppressive political machine of the CCP continues to operate effectively on the national level.
When Hu Jintao first came to power, many Chinese people put their hopes on him for an improvement in human rights and a more democratic form of government. But the fact that human rights activists Wang Bingzang, Xu Wanping, and Yang Tianshui were given heavy sentences during his short time in office has left many people without hope. The increasingly lengthening list of names of imprisoned Chinese human rights activists including Zhang Lin, Shi Tao, Li Jianping, Chen Guangcheng, Gao Zhisheng, Guo Feixiong, Li Hong, Cheng Shuqing, Yan Zhengxue and Chi Jianwei, has forced most people to understand the intention of his rule. Mr. Hu continues to arrest human rights activists as had Jiang Zeming, his immediate predecessor.
History clearly demonstrates that the CCP's stubborn ideology and insatiable greed is inconsistent with its suggestions to construct a harmonious society—which are full of lies.
The increasing number of arrests of human rights activists will test the current Chinese leadership and their stated intention of building a society based on the written law. The arrests destroy the regime's image through feedback from dissidents, human rights activists and society.
So, Mr. Hu, I urge you to consider the consequences of your leadership and the actions of the CCP under your leadership. How many human rights activists have been imprisoned under your rule!
Note [1]:
Feeds