Contents
1. About Chinese Prisoner of Conscience Mao Hengfeng.
2. 'Living in a box': Article by Kirsty MacLennan for South Croydon Newslink.
3. You can make a difference: Send a letter to help Mao.
4. Give leaflets to your friends , which has an attached postcard to send...
5. A more detailed account of Mao Hengfeng's case.
6. Write/send a card to Mao.
7. Send a letter/organise a petition to send to the Chinese Government.
1. About Chinese Prisoner of Conscience Mao Hengfeng
Since 1988 Mao Hengfeng has experienced periods of imprisonment and torture by the Chinese authorities. She has been kept in solitary confinement or a small cell with no windows with urine and excrement covered floor. On 9th August 2004, she was kneed repeatedly in the groin, causing her to temporarily lose control of her bladder and bowels. In October 2004, she was tied up, suspended from the ceiling and severely beaten. In November 2004 she was strapped down to a metal ‘bed’ for two days whilst she repeatedly had her limbs pulled in opposite directions, was prevented from going to the toilet, denied food and forced to drink an unidentified substance that turned her mouth black and made her feel dizzy. This ill-treatment caused her back to break out with ulcers. The authorities also tricked her into having an abortion by saying that if she terminated her pregnancy they would rule an appeal hearing in her favour, which they then did not.
Her crime…
Refused to have an abortion and peacefully protested against coerced abortion and other human rights abuses. On 12th January 2007 Mao was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. This time, her crime was ‘intentionally destroying property’- protesting against her ill-treatment she broke two lamps. Her trial lasted 30 minutes and her lawyer wasn’t permitted to enter the room.
2. 'Living in a box': Article by Kirsty MacLennan written for South Croydon Newslink.
Living in a box
Abigail Davies, 21, has read about prisoners of conscience and regularly written letters as part of an Amnesty campaign, but has now decided to take action. From 9 September, she will spend three days in a cage in the church foyer to draw attention to the plight of Mao Hengfeng, a woman in China who has endured periods of imprisonment and torture. Mao Hengfeng’s crime was to protest against coerced abortion. On 12 January she was again imprisoned – for two and a half years.
‘I’d like people to tell their friends about her and take the letters that they can sign,’ says Abby. ‘My aim is basically to help this lady; I think that’s what Jesus would want.’ Abby’s inspiration was a verse from Luke: ‘He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners.’ (Luke 4.18). ‘I want to let people know that God cares for people who are oppressed and that, as Christians, we care about those people,’ she says. ‘I’d like to ask Christians to pray for them.’
Abby will have a sleeping bag and eat basic meals. The one concession will be access to the toilets – her cage will be just outside. She wanted to read the Bible, but has given this up as prisoners in China aren’t allowed to have one. She’s hoping people will come and chat to her about Mao Hengfeng. ‘I thought that being in a cage for three days would be like preaching to the unconverted - people don’t really think about human rights. But they might think I’m weird! When I told my sister, she sent me an email saying: “Two words: David Blaine. You’re bonkers!” But he did it as a spectacle of himself and I really don’t want that; I’m not someone who likes attention of that kind.’
As Abby feels claustrophobic in small spaces, she’ll be doing some preparation for this challenge. ‘I’m going to spend a few days in my parents’ motorhome to get used to being in a confined space. I think it’s going to be harder than I first envisaged.’
Abby has also been encouraged by the release of Mirza Hussain, who was imprisoned in Pakistan for 18 years. ‘So many people campaigned on his behalf,’ says Abby. ‘He lives around the corner from me in Leeds now. He wouldn’t be alive if Amnesty and others weren’t campaigning. His release came because people stood up and said something. I just really want people to feel they can do something about it.'
Please do visit Abby and show your support for her three-day vigil. For more information on prisoners of conscience, visit www.amnesty.org.uk. To read more about Abby, visit http://davies.abigail.googlepages.com/home
3. You can make a difference: Send a letter to help Mao.
How you can help Mao...
Below is a letter you can print, sign and send to the Chinese embassy in London, asking the Chinese authorities to:
· Provide a full, fair and transparent review of Mao’s case.
· Ensure that the conditions Mao is kept in comply with those set out in the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. . .
· For all those in China, including Mao Hengfeng, to be able to exercise their right to lawfully petition authorities without fear of arbitrary retaliation by the authorities.
Address the letter to Mrs Fu Ying, using the address given in the top left hand corner of the letter. Although not fundamental, it would be good if you could write your address in the right hand corner of the letter (or handwriting the whole letter would be even better)...
Mrs Fu Ying- Ambassador
Embassy of the People's Republic of China,
49–51 Portland Place,
London,
W1B 4JL
Dear Ambassador Fu Ying,
I am writing to you calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Prisoner of Conscience Mao Hengfeng. Reports from Amnesty International have shown that Mao Hengfeng’s trial and appeal hearing were unfair and her sentence disproportionate to the crime of which she was convicted. Therefore I ask that you would ensure that there is a full, fair review of Mao Hengfeng’s case and that this time the trial would be open to the public and that Mao Hengfeng’s lawyer would be permitted to present evidence.
There have also been various reports providing evidence that Mao Hengfeng has been tortured and ill-treated whilst being detained in the past and whilst currently imprisoned. Therefore, I also ask that you would ensure that the conditions in which Mao Hengfeng is kept comply with those set out in the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
I ask that all people in China, including Mao Hengfeng, would be able to exercise their right to lawfully petition (through official channels) the authorities without fear of violent or any other arbitrary retaliation by the authorities. I ask that human rights defenders would have freedom of expression, conforming to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
When China won the 2008 Olympics bid in 2001, it promised to improve its human rights record. With not long to go now before the Olympics begin, the Chinese authorities are still failing to meet those human rights commitments. A step in the rights direction would be to release Mao Hengfeng.
Yours sincerely,
Sending a letter will make a difference...
'It may feel like a drop in the ocean but the ocean is made up of many drops'
(Mother Teresa)
"Appeals…are effective and important - I have seen first-hand how important they are" (Turkish human rights defender Sevim Yetkiner who attributed the improvement of her treatment in prison and swift release to the pressure of Amnesty International’s campaigning).
...So please tell other people about Mao and ask them to send letters to campaign for her release too.
4. Give leaflets to your friends , which has an attached postcard to send...
We have 7000 leaflets with information about Mao and this campaign, with an attached postcard for people to send to the Chinese Embassy in London. If you would like me to send you some of these in the post to distribute, please email daveperrins@gmail.com with your address and the number of leaflets you require. The leaflets contain information about Mao and the interview with Kirsty McLennan, which can be found on this website.
5. A more detailed account of Mao Hengfeng's case.
In 1988 the Chinese authorities tried to force Mao Hengfeng to have an abortion and dismissed from her job in a soap factory, because her pregnancy was violating China’s family planning policies (one child per family). Ever since she has protested (through official channels) for the right to work, against coerced abortion and other human rights issues. She has been detained, imprisoned and tortured many times because of her persistent peaceful protesting. She has been detained in psychiatric units where they have forced her to undergo shock therapy and injected with unknown medications. She was kept in a very small cell with boarded up windows where she was unable to sleep because of the stench of urine and excrement that covered the floor. Despite this ill-treatment whilst being detained, Mao managed to continue her pregnancy and gave birth to her second daughter. She then appealed against her dismissal under China’s Labour Law and won the case and so was reinstated into her job. However, the factory where she worked disputed the ruling and appealed to a higher court. Mao was seven months pregnant with her third child at the time of the appeal hearing, when the judge reportedly told her that if she terminated her pregnancy he would rule in her favour. Mao terminated her pregnancy against her wishes, but still the court rule against her, apparently because of her original violation of family planning policies.
In April 2004 Mao was sentenced to 18 months in a labour camp in Shangai to undergo ‘re-education through labour’ (RTL is a punishment imposed without charge or trial) where she was subjected to ill-treatment and torture. In October 2004, she was tied up, suspended from the ceiling and severely beaten. In November 2004, for two days they bound her wrists and ankles with leather straps and repeatedly pulled her limbs in opposite directions. She was also kept in solitary confinement for short periods. From the 9th-16th August and 9th-11th November 2004 she was repeatedly strapped down to a metal ‘bed’ with both wrists and ankles tightly bound to the corners with leather straps for hours on end, where she was prevented from going to the toilet and forced to drink an unidentified substance that turned her mouth black and made her feel dizzy. This caused ulcers to break out on her back. On 9th August 2004, she was kneed repeatedly in the groin, causing her to temporarily lose control of her bladder and bowels. In late December 2004 Mao Hengfeng’s sentence of 18 months in the labour camp was extended by three months. The extension was reportedly authorized by “people in a senior position”. Mao Hengfeng and her family were not allowed to see the authorizing documents. Therefore, it is not known precisely why or by whom the sentence was extended. It is thought, however, that Mao Hengfeng’s refusal to confess to any “wrongdoing”, even under torture, or to sign documents acknowledging that she had undergone “thought reform” in detention, are factors which may have contributed to the extension. Officials at the camp also threatened her with reduced family visits if she continued to refuse to “confess”. She was released from the camp on the 12th September 2005 with officials threatening ‘serious consequences’ if she was to continue her human rights protests. When she refused to stop protesting officials forced twelve other inmates to bind her hands, arms and legs. The officials then bundled her into a van and drove her out of the camp.
After her release from the labour camp in September 2005 Mao Hengfeng continued protesting and therefore suffered further abuses. Her husband, Wu Xuewei has also been subject to beatings and ill-treatment. At around 9am on 13th September 2005 Mao and her husband joined 100 other petitioners who had gathered at Putuo district court in Shangai to support Xu Zhengqing, who was facing trial in connection with his attempts to attend a memorial service for former Chinese leader Zhao Ziyang in Beijing. Wu Xuewei (Mao’s husband) claims to have been severely beaten by police standing guard outside the court, one of them putting him in a headlock with the others kicking and punching him. After this they were detained in a nearby sports centre with other petitioners. Mao Hengfeng managed to escape and tried to continue her protest on behalf of Xu Zhengqing. However, she was apprehended and escorted back to the district where she lived. The local police and government officials threatened to imprison her if she continued the protests and presented her with a formal police summons for investigation on suspicion of ‘disturbing the normal lives of others’. Wu Xuewei and the others petitioners were released later that day. However, on the 15th September 2005 Wu Xuewei was detained again. The police presented him with a document stating that he was under suspicion of the criminal offence of ‘illegal assembly’ in connection with his protest on the 8th September 2005 for the release of Mao. He was granted 6 months’ release on bail to await trial. Mao and her family were held under house arrest from 23rd-27th September 2005 after she said she would go to the UN representative office in Beijing to protest about the abuses she was experiencing. Seven officers reportedly stood guard in front of their apartment, preventing her from leaving for any purpose.
On January 12th 2007 Mao was sentenced to two-and-a-half years for ‘intentionally destroying property’. Whilst being detained in a guesthouse in June 2006 she broke two table lamps in protest against the ill-treatment she was experiencing. The judgement was based on the lamps being worth 6000 yuan despite the guesthouse rules requiring only 50 yuan in compensation per broken lamp. Her trial lasted 10 minutes and neither Mao nor her lawyer was permitted to present any argument or evidence, and the trial was not open to the public.
During her appeal case, her lawyer presented new evidence with regard to the value of the lamps to demonstrate the disproportionate nature of her sentence. Further, her lawyer argued that Mao’s first case was not just, as it was not open to the public and her lawyer was prevented from entering the room. At her appeal hearing on April 16th 2007 the session begun and ended by the judge reading out the original sentence, without opportunity to present these issues.
According to recent reports, Mao Hengfeng was severely beaten and harassed on May 15, 2007. At around 6 am, when she was transferred from the police detention center to prison, she was only given one very thin and loose shirt to wear, which could hardly cover her body. She said that she was almost naked when she was sent to prison. When she protested, police beat her up and upon arrival at the prison, she was immediately put in solitary confinement. She subsequently started a hunger strike to protest against her situation. On three occasions, prison guards forced her to eat, tying her hands and opening her mouth by force, inserting a tube into her throat, and pushing food down the tube. Prison guards then assigned several inmates to watch her. They were also ordered to abuse her verbally. She allegedly suffers from high blood pressure and arthritis with painful joints. Moreover, her detention conditions are extremely harsh: with no chairs or bed provided to her, she has to sit or lie on the cold and wet floor.
Sources:
6. Write or send a card to Mao.
You can also send letters and cards of hope and support to Mao at the address below...
Mao Hengfeng
P.O. Box 601/401
2 Dadui, 1 Zhongdui
29 Xinnanlu
Sijingzhen
Songjiangqu
Shanghai Municipal Women's prison
Shanghai 201601
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
7. Send a letter/organise a petition to send to the Chinese Government.
If you would like to make an appeal to the Chinese government this would be really effective in applying pressure to the Chinese authorities. You could send a personal letter. Or even better organise a petition to send. The address for the Chinese government is...
Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao Zongli
Guowuyuan
9 Xihuangchenggenbeijie
Beijingshi 100032
China
If you would like to organise a campaign for Mao in your local community then feel free to email me if you have any questions or would like any help, my address is purplemonkeydishwasher40@hotmail.com