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| Huang Qi (Photo: ChinaAid) |
ChinaAid
(Mianyang, Sichuan—Jan. 15, 2018) As Sichuan authorities controlled his supporters, the founder of a human rights center stood clandestine trial yesterday for “illegally providing foreign countries state secrets” and “intentionally divulging state secrets.”
Huang Qi, who founded a website titled “64 Tianwang,” has been jailed multiple times because of his fight for democracy and human rights. On Nov. 28, 2016, police seized him from his home and arrested him on the charge of “illegally providing foreign countries state secrets.” The Mianyang Procuratorate also accused him of “intentionally divulging state secrets” last October. During his time in prison, Huang has grown dangerously ill, and prison authorities have denied him medical parole.
The Mianyang Intermediate Court, where the trial was held, did not open the hearing to the public, as is common in cases that deal with so-called “state secrets. When ChinaAid reached out to Li Jinglin, Huang’s lawyer, Li said he is unable to release any updates. Huang’s other attorney, Liu Zhengqing, had his license revoked before the trial, rendering him incapable of defending his client.
On the day of the trial, Huang’s supporters Xie Junbiao, Li Min, Liao Caili, Wei Wenyuan, Chen Mingyu, Hu Guiqin, and Zhou Wenming were traveling to the court when they were taken away by the police. Out of them, Wei, Hu, and Chen are missing. Hunan-based human rights advocate He Jiawei tweeted that more than 10 people covered his head and forced him to turn back.
Huang’s mother, a woman more than 80 years of age named Pu Wenqing, has not been heard from since Dec. 7, and no one knows her whereabouts.
Additionally, more than 20 police officers pulled three people over on the highway between Chengdu and Mianyang, covered their heads, and forced them into vans.
Some compared the supervision of Mianyang to martial law, saying that officials even came by to ensure that the residents would not open their windows.
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ChinaAid Media Team
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