Council for a Community of Democracies

Chinese Democracy Activist Jailed Illegally
February 1, 2010
By: Paul Larson

A leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest in China, Zhou Yongjun, has been sentenced to nine years in a Chinese prison, reports the BBC.

Zhou Yongjun has lived in exile in the U.S. since being released from a Chinese prison in 1993. It is common for Chinese citizens who are not granted a Chinese passport to purchase fake passports under an alias. Mr. Zhou received his passport from Malaysia under the name Wang Xingxiang, according to the New York Times.

Unfortunately, the name Wang Xingxiang was placed on a Hong Kong watch list for money laundering after someone tried to transfer HK$6 million (772,000 USD). The signatures on the account did not match, however, which raised suspicions.

According to Amnesty International, Zhou Yongjun, using the suspected alias, was stopped at the Hong Kong customs office upon entry for questioning. He was released after 48 hours due to lack of evidence, but Hong Kong police officers later returned and handed him over to Chinese officers from the mainland city of Shenzhen. The Chinese authorities held Mr. Zhou for seven months without any outside communications. Amnesty declares this failure to inform Mr. Zhou’s family or respond to inquiries was illegal.

According to Zhou Yongjun’s lawyer, these actions violate the “one country, two systems” form of governing. Hong Kong and China have not agreed to an extradition treaty. According to the BBC, Zhou Yongjun should have been returned to his point of origin, Macau, or to the country of his passport, Malaysia. As stated by the New York Times, Zhou Yongjun should have been sent to either Macau or to the United States, his country of permanent residency.

Amnesty claims the move was politically motivated. The arrest occurred shortly before the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests.

Sources:

Amnesty International - China: Chinese activist facing trial: Zhou Yongjun

BBC News - Tiananmen student leader Zhou Yongjun on trial in China

New York Times - Lawyer Says Hong Kong Violated Chinese Dissident’s Rights

Telegraph - Tiananmen dissident arrested in China

Times Online - Chinese democracy leader Zhou Yongjun jailed for fraud