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China's Chen Guangcheng: Isolated but not forgotten | China's Chen Guangcheng: Isolated but not forgotten |
(about 4 hours later) | |
By Michael Bristow BBC News, Shandong Province | By Michael Bristow BBC News, Shandong Province |
The three men acted swiftly and efficiently - they had a job to do. They yanked open the car door, barked a few orders and then snatched equipment from out of our hands: cameras, mobile phones and recording devices. We were told to stay put while one man radioed for help. | The three men acted swiftly and efficiently - they had a job to do. They yanked open the car door, barked a few orders and then snatched equipment from out of our hands: cameras, mobile phones and recording devices. We were told to stay put while one man radioed for help. |
This was the scene at the entrance to the village of Dongshigu in China's Shandong Province, where a self-taught legal activist has been virtually imprisoned in his own home. | This was the scene at the entrance to the village of Dongshigu in China's Shandong Province, where a self-taught legal activist has been virtually imprisoned in his own home. |
Chen Guangcheng, blind since childhood, is watched by plainclothes security officers, who appear to be acting outside the law - but with the authorities' approval. | Chen Guangcheng, blind since childhood, is watched by plainclothes security officers, who appear to be acting outside the law - but with the authorities' approval. |
Activists have been trying to visit him for months; many say they are beaten up for their efforts. The BBC saw the kind of men they say they come up against. | Activists have been trying to visit him for months; many say they are beaten up for their efforts. The BBC saw the kind of men they say they come up against. |
Mr Chen made his name by helping women who said they had been forced to have abortions or undergo sterilisation. He helped expose the harsher side of China's family planning policies. | Mr Chen made his name by helping women who said they had been forced to have abortions or undergo sterilisation. He helped expose the harsher side of China's family planning policies. |
His activism eventually landed him in jail. The 39-year-old was sentenced to more than four years in 2006 for disrupting traffic and damaging property. | His activism eventually landed him in jail. The 39-year-old was sentenced to more than four years in 2006 for disrupting traffic and damaging property. |
He denied the allegations, with many believing the charges were brought simply to silence him. | He denied the allegations, with many believing the charges were brought simply to silence him. |
The activist was released last year, but, along with his wife and daughter, has spent much of the time since confined to his home. | The activist was released last year, but, along with his wife and daughter, has spent much of the time since confined to his home. |
Although he is isolated from the world, unable to leave a village surrounded by orchards and hills, Mr Chen has not been forgotten. | Although he is isolated from the world, unable to leave a village surrounded by orchards and hills, Mr Chen has not been forgotten. |
A steady trickle of activists has been making its way to his home, near the booming city of Linyi, for the past several months. But few get through the security cordon. | A steady trickle of activists has been making its way to his home, near the booming city of Linyi, for the past several months. But few get through the security cordon. |
Personal grievance | Personal grievance |
A group of 37 tried to visit at the end of October and were attacked by about 100 unidentified individuals, according to the New York-based organisation Human Rights in China. | A group of 37 tried to visit at the end of October and were attacked by about 100 unidentified individuals, according to the New York-based organisation Human Rights in China. |
One of those who went along was Liu Li, a 49-year-old who has been living in Beijing for the last six months, pursuing his own personal grievance against the government. | One of those who went along was Liu Li, a 49-year-old who has been living in Beijing for the last six months, pursuing his own personal grievance against the government. |
Mr Liu is still on crutches, the result of being beaten up outside Mr Chen's village, he said. But he does not regret trying to visit him. | Mr Liu is still on crutches, the result of being beaten up outside Mr Chen's village, he said. But he does not regret trying to visit him. |
"Chen Guangcheng represents all that's wrong and unfair when it comes to human rights in China. He lost his freedom - so we want to visit him to show our support," he said. | "Chen Guangcheng represents all that's wrong and unfair when it comes to human rights in China. He lost his freedom - so we want to visit him to show our support," he said. |
Others have shown their dissatisfaction with the legal activist's treatment by posting photographs on the internet showing themselves wearing dark glasses similar to ones worn by Mr Chen. | Others have shown their dissatisfaction with the legal activist's treatment by posting photographs on the internet showing themselves wearing dark glasses similar to ones worn by Mr Chen. |
The case has also attracted international attention. | The case has also attracted international attention. |
Gary Locke, the US ambassador in China, recently wrote to the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, to ask about Mr Chen. | Gary Locke, the US ambassador in China, recently wrote to the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, to ask about Mr Chen. |
The claims of attacks on activists outside Mr Chen's village sound, at the very least, plausible. | The claims of attacks on activists outside Mr Chen's village sound, at the very least, plausible. |
Rule of law? | Rule of law? |
When the BBC visited, it was clear the men who stopped us were well drilled and organised - although it was impossible to say who had hired them. | |
There appeared to be a chain of command: one man took took some money from our car and put it into his pocket, before someone else told him to put it back. | |
The men wore plain clothes, showed no identification and refused to answer questions about who they were. They did not ask before taking what they wanted. | |
After searching our equipment they gave it back and then told us to leave the village. | |
Beijing-based lawyer Lan Zhixue said the government had offered no legal reason for restricting the activities of the blind activist, and Chinese law gave them no excuse. | Beijing-based lawyer Lan Zhixue said the government had offered no legal reason for restricting the activities of the blind activist, and Chinese law gave them no excuse. |
"He should have the full range of freedoms - the freedom to move around, the freedom to speak out and the freedom to meet friends," he said. | "He should have the full range of freedoms - the freedom to move around, the freedom to speak out and the freedom to meet friends," he said. |
The government does not appear to have even offered a veneer of legality in this case, a worrying development according to Mr Lan. | The government does not appear to have even offered a veneer of legality in this case, a worrying development according to Mr Lan. |
"Without the rule of law, how can we talk about harmony and stability?" he added, referring to watchwords often used by the Chinese government to justify its actions. | "Without the rule of law, how can we talk about harmony and stability?" he added, referring to watchwords often used by the Chinese government to justify its actions. |
Other legal experts go further, saying the treatment meted out to Chen Guangcheng is common - and at least known by those at the very top of the Chinese Communist Party, if not authorised by them. | Other legal experts go further, saying the treatment meted out to Chen Guangcheng is common - and at least known by those at the very top of the Chinese Communist Party, if not authorised by them. |
Jerome Cohen, an authority on China's legal system, said: "The leaders of China are very smart guys and they are very knowledgeable about the full scope of unrest and dissatisfaction." | Jerome Cohen, an authority on China's legal system, said: "The leaders of China are very smart guys and they are very knowledgeable about the full scope of unrest and dissatisfaction." |
Mr Cohen, a professor at New York University School of Law, said officials used repression because they feared that dissatisfaction, fanned by people like Mr Chen, could undermine their rule. | |
China likes to say it is a country ruled by laws; government spokespeople regularly repeat this mantra in answer to questions about the treatment of activists and dissidents. | |
In October, it issued an official document on the development it has made in establishing a "socialist legal system". | |
This has been "solidly put in place", declared the paper. Chen Guangcheng, and many others, might disagree. | This has been "solidly put in place", declared the paper. Chen Guangcheng, and many others, might disagree. |
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