Rights activists sentenced for “creating a disturbance” with Tiananmen commemoration

On Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, Beijing Haidian District People’s Court convicted rights activists Zhao Zhenjia, Cheng Yulan and Zhang Fuying on the criminal charge of creating a disturbance. Each of them was sentenced to one year and ten months imprisonment.

Zhao Zhenjia has been imprisoned at least five times since 1974, usually in “re-education through labor” camps.

On May 19, 2013, Zhao Zhenjia and others displayed banners at the Beijing South Railway Station that read “Rehabilitate Zhao Ziyang” and “Commemorate the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.” Zhao Zhenjia was arrested on June 9 on suspicion of creating a disturbance. His sentenced had been postponed until Dec. 18, 2014. Zhao Ziyang had been general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, but was removed from that post for his perceived support of pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square during May and June of 1989.

A Boxun reporter contacted Zhao Zhenjia’s younger sister, Zhao Zhenrong, who said: “Two of my older brother’s teeth were knocked out and his legs are still swollen. He is in poor health now.”

According to news reports, more than a dozen activists including Lin Mingjie, Ju Xiaoling, Qin Shiwen, Wu Jixin, Yang Xiumei, and Hou Meiling were arrested and driven away when they went to the court to show support for Zhao Zhenjia. According to Zhao Zhenrong, people trying to enter the courtroom were thoroughly questioned. Her cell phone was taken by the police when she entered. Zhao said the hearing focused on several photos posted on Boxun. Zhao Zhenjia denied that he had forwarded them to Boxun.

Photo:Zhao Zhenjia was beaten when he was arrested

In 1974, Zhao Zhenjia was given a suspended death sentence for being a “counterrevolutionary prime culprit.” In 1985, he was declared not guilty by the Shenyang City Intermediate Court. Due to the delayed settlement for Zhao Zhenjia, he went to Beijing many times to petition. In 2000, Zhao Zhenjia was sent to a labor camp for three years by the Fushun City Education Through Labor Committee. In 2008, he was sent to the labor camp for 18 months by Fushun City Education Through Labor Committee. In 2012, Zhao Zhenjia was sent to a labor camp by the Beijing Municipal Education Through Labor Committee for 18 months for participating in rescuing petitioners who were illegally jailed at the Hunan Province, Chenzhou City Beijing Office. He was criminally detained again shortly after he was released from prison.

http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2014/12/201412182311.shtml