Statement from wife reveals Taiwanese activist to stand trial soon

A screenshot of Lee Ching-Yu’s
statement, which can be read
translated below.
(Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Yueyang, Hunan—Sept. 7, 2017) The wife of a pro-democracy activist released a statement revealing that her husband’s trial would take place on Sept. 11, the first word she’s had of his condition since he disappeared 172 days ago.

Lee Ming-Che initially disappeared en route to a meeting in Zhuhai, Guangdong on March 19, and authorities later revealed that he was accused of “pursuing activities harmful to national security.” Since then, there has been no word on his condition until Zhang Zhongwei, a man claiming to be his lawyer, contacted his wife, Lee Ching-Yu and asked her to attend her husband’s trial in mainland China. A notice from the Yueyang Municipal Intermediate People’s Court revealed that Lee was being tried alongside Peng Yuhua, a pro-democracy advocate, on charges of subverting state power.

After investigating, Lee Ching-Yu discovered that the lawyer who had been assigned to Lee Ming-Che’s case is a branch secretary of the Communist Party and a member of the 7th National People’s Congress, well-connected with Chinese officials.

Concerned about the nature of the trial, Lee Ching-Yu made a disclaimer that she would not acknowledge any confession from her husband that had been coerced. She also announced that she would travel to China for the trial and requested help from any volunteers with legal experience willing to travel with her as a legal advisor.

Lee Ching-Yu has traveled the U.S. advocating for her husband, even taking part in a ChinaAid-led delegation to Washington, D.C., and testifying before Congress.

“No matter how much despair or conflict I feel, there is finally a light of hope that I may see my disappeared Lee Ming-Che again,” Lee Ching-Yu wrote. Her full statement and a copy of the arrest notice, translated by ChinaAid, can be read below.

ChinaAid reports on the trials and legal defense of falsely detained activists in order to expose the abuses perpetuated by the Chinese government and promote human rights and rule of law.





2017-9-6 The Announcement of Lee Ching-Yu




It has been 172 painful days since Lee Ming-Che’s disappearance, and no one has heard anything about him since. Today, a long-distance phone call came from a Mr. Zhang Zhongwei, who claimed to be Lee Ming-Che’s representative lawyer. He asked me to go to China immediately to attend Lee Ming-Che’s impending public trail. After investigation, I found out that this lawyer that the Chinese government has assigned for Lee Ming-Che is also a party branch secretary and a member of the 7th National People’s Congress.

No matter how much despair or conflict I feel, there is finally a light of hope that I may see my disappeared Lee Ming-Che again. Having faith in human nature, I hereby make the following announcements:

                    1. I must restate my original principle: before I see Lee Ming-Che with my own eyes, I do not acknowledge any confession and commission Lee Ming-Che makes under coercion.

                    2. Tomorrow, I will start to gather the travel documents for my trip to China.

                    3. At this moment, with all sincerity, I would like to publically recruit volunteers from the legal field to serve as my legal advisor, so I will have someone to consult during my trip to China.




Yueyang Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Hunan Province

Notice

This court will try defendants Peng Yuhua and Lee Ming-Che’s subversion of state power case in court room number 14 of the public court at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2017.

You are hereby notified.

Sept. 7, 2017


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Statement from wife reveals Taiwanese activist to stand trial soon

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