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| Zhu Chengzhi (Photo: 尹正安推特) |
(Suzhou, Jiangsu—May 15, 2020) A Chinese activist has been held in prison for more than two years. It is not yet known if he has been sentenced.
Zhu Chengzhi was arrested two years ago after mourning the anniversary of the death of Lin Zhao. Zhao was a Christian activist executed by firing squad on April 29, 1968, for her political beliefs. The Chinese government later absolved her of any crime.
To observe the anniversary of her passing, Zhu and several friends arrived at a mountain to hold a worship service. They were intercepted by the police and taken to the local station. Later, three of them were released, but Zhu was sentenced to “residential surveillance,” which is government monitoring in a designated location. Afterward, he was arrested because he had used Twitter and Facebook to spread information on the Chinese government. The officials characterized the posts as derogatory to China’s image and a cause of serious public disorder.
The court heard his case in August 2019, but it is not known whether or not there has been an outcome. Zhu’s wife believes her husband has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, but this information has not been verified. On the contrary, Zhu’s former lawyer has said the verdict has not been made known.
Police have claimed Zhu is in good condition. However, activists are often tortured while behind bars.
One person with knowledge of Zhu’s case said he believes that even if Zhu is undergoing torture, he is strong and able to endure it.
ChinaAid Media Team
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