Dissidents sue, but law still suits China

Article | July 3, 2010 | By Laos Human Rights

Activists hold placards with Chinese words that say "release Liu Xiaobo and Gao Zhisheng" during a protest outside the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong in May as they demand the Chinese government to release the political prisoners who are in urgent health conditions. This week's resumption of U.S.-China human rights talks after two years will spotlight what critics say is a deterioration in Beijing's record on legal protections, free speech and civil society, and are expected to take up individual cases such as Liu Xiaobo's, along with a list of topics including religious freedom, attacks on the legal profession and China's strict Internet controls. (Associated Press)

Washington, DC. June 30, 2010. Initatives for China, The Boston-based movement for a peaceful transition to democracy in China, announces its profound outrage and sorrow at the arrest of renowned democracy advocate, Liu Xianbin

A Tiananmen Square survivor and one of the original signatories to Charter 08, Xianbin is a tireless and eloquent advocate of political reform in China. He was just released from prison in 2008 after serving almost 13 years for promoting political reforms, which the Chinese government interprets as "subversion of the state."

Expressing his sorrow for this development, Initiatives for China President and fellow Tianamen survivor, Yang Jianli, said "a piece of my soul disappeared when I learned of Xianbin's arrest. Along with Liu Xiaobo, Xianbin is one of the most revered democracy advocates inside of China." {Liu Xiaobo is regarded as the lead author of the political manifesto, Charter 08, which calls for political reform in China. Last December Xiaobo was sentenced to eleven years in prison}.

"The arrest of Xianbin signals a new level of disdain by the Chinese government for its citizens who are increasingly tossed about in a land untethered by the rule of law", said Yang. "At the same time, or perhaps as a sign of this frustration, more and more citizens are following the lead of Xianbin by becoming more assertive in holding the government accountable for operating within the law. See June 30 article in the Washington Times