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BURUNDI: Protect Journalists at Risk

Newsletter
Amnesty International USA Group 48

6.13
President Pierre Nkurunziza @AP Graphics Work

2 CAMEROON: Urge Improvement of Prison Conditions 3 EGYPT: Time to address violence against women in all its forms 6 USA: Urgent Action - Urge Governor To Veto Death Penalty Bill 8 Tiananmen crackdown 24 years on, still waiting for justice and denied a voice AIUSA-Group 48 http://aipdx.org 503-227-1878 Next Meeting: Friday June 14th First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave 7:00pm informal gathering 7:30pm meeting starts

Journalists in Burundi, as in their

BURUNDI: Protect Journalists at Risk

Amnesty International is concerned that at this very moment when both Rwanda and Burundi are shaping a new legal approach to the laws and codes that regulate journalism that freedom of the press be respected. It is all the more crucial as this is a key historical moment for both countries as they are working through post-genocide attempts to reformulate the shape of their democracy.
Action

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neighboring countries, Rwanda and the DRC, have been working courageously to report on issues their governments have tried to keep quiet. Whether it entails reports on the health of the president, an insurgent movement, a shooting in a bar, or simply the acts and words of the opponents of the regime, journalists have been frequently killed, threatened, or imprisoned. Now Burundi is attempting to formalize the restraints on journalists by creating a legal code that will impede normal journalistic work. For instance, as the Urgent Action states, Article 19 restricts the right to report on anything that relates to state and public security, information that threatens the national economy, or insulting the President (outrages et injures lendroit du Chef de lEtat).

Please write to the following authorities urging them to respect the freedom of the press. A sample letter is included below. President Pierre Nkurunziza Office of the President Boulevard de lUprona

Appeals To

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BP 1870 Bujumbura, Burundi Fax: 011 257 2224 8908 Email: president@burundi.bi Salutation: Your Excellency Her Excellency, Ambassador Angele Niyuhire Embassy of the Republic of Burundi 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 408 Washington, DC 20007 Email: burundiembassy@erols.com Dear President Nkurunziza, I am writing you as a member of Amnesty International, concerned over matters of freedom of the press. It is crucial for a democratic society that the workings of the press be respected and protected. In recent years a number of incidents suggesting that journalists have been jailed or repressed
Sample Letter

have occurred in Burundi, including the case of Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, the editor of a Burundian online news agency, Netpress, who was released from prison on May 16th 2011. He had been detained since July 2010 after suggesting that the Burundian security forces could not defend the country. Jean-Claude Kavumbagu had published an article on July 12th 2010, one day after suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, criticizing the capacity of Burundian security forces to protect the country from a terrorist attack. Other similar arrests and acts of intimidation against journalists have also occurred in recent years. The solution to the issue of the international right of the press to be free to practice their work is not to create laws impeding them. I urge you reject the draft press law in its current form. Please guarantee freedom of expression to all journalists in Burundi and allow them to carry out their legitimate work freely and independently. Respectfully,
Appeals To

CAMEROON: Urge Improvement of Prison Conditions

Son Excellence M. Paul Biya Prsident de la Rpublique Palais de la Prsidence 1000 Yaound Cameroon His Excellency Joseph B. C. Foe Atangana Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon 3400 International Drive, NW President Pierre Nkurunziza @AFP/Getty Images Washington, DC 20008 Fax: (202) 387-3826 n its 2013 Annual Report, Amnesty International reported that conditions in Cameroons two largest prisons, in Yaound Email: mail@cameroonembassyusa.org and Douala, were harsh and constituted cruel, inhuman or Sample Letter degrading treatment, and in some cases were life-threatening. Your Excellency, I am writing today concerning the deplorable conditions of Prisoners suffering from mental illness did not have access detention in your countrys prisons, and in particular, the two to psychiatric care. At the end of the year both prisons were largest prisons that are in Douala and Yaound. There is cruel, holding five times their intended capacity. inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment, including Action inadequate health care services, severe overcrowding and no Write to President Biya to implement plans to improve prison or poor quality food. There are prisoners in New Bell who are conditions. permanently shackled.
Copies to

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I respectfully request that you initiate reform including: a proactive program to increase the number of prosecutors available to process cases so that prisoners are not kept in detention for longer than their guilty verdicts would have done; ensuring that all detainees are allowed immediate access to legal counsel and adequate and free medical assistance as well as family visits;

launching of independent investigations into any deaths in custody to bring those responsible to justice; ensuring that officials carry out visits to all detention centers to ensure that all held are lawfully detained, and to allow visits by independent observers, including human rights defenders. Thank you for your action in this matter, respectfully yours,

EGYPT: Time to address violence against women in all its forms

By Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty Internationals Egypt researcher
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to get divorced. Women who do manage to obtain a divorce then face the likelihood that court orders for child support or spousal maintenance will not be enforced.

In recent weeks during an Amnesty International mission to Egypt, I met several women and girls who were assaulted by their husbands and other relatives. Many suffer in silence for years while they are subjected to beatings, severe physical and verbal abuse and rape. Om Ahmed (mother of Ahmed) told me that her husband began drinking and beating her after three years of marriage. She recounted daily abuse, punctuated with particularly vicious attacks. In one instance, her ex-husband smashed a full glass bottle on her face, leaving her without her front teeth. She stayed with him for another 17 years, partially, she explained, because she had nowhere else to go, and partially because she did not want to bring shame on her family. She never considered approaching the police, shrugging:

Violence against women in Egypt gained national and inter-

national attention following a series of well-publicized sexual assaults on women in the vicinity of Tahrir Square earlier this year during protests commemorating the second anniversary of the 25 January Revolution. Unfortunately, these instances of violence against women were neither isolated nor unique.

Whether in the public or private spheres, at the hands of state The police dont care, they dont think it is a problem if a husor non-state actors, violence against women in Egypt contin- band beats his wife. If you are a poor woman, they treat you like you dont even exist and send you back home to him after ues to go mostly unpunished. hurling a few insults. Most cases go unreported for a plethora of reasons that stem Eventually, Om Ahmeds husband kicked her out of their from discriminatory gender stereotypes, the lack of womens home, and for the next year she lived with her three children awareness of their rights, social and family pressures to in an unfinished building in an informal settlement without remain silent, discriminatory legislation and womens ecorunning water and electricity. After two years in family court, nomic dependence. Even when women do surmount these she was awarded a meagre 150 Egyptian pounds (approx. obstacles and turn to state institutions for protection, justice US$21) per month for her daughters child support (her other and reparation, they are often confronted with dismissive or abusive officials who fail to refer cases to prosecution or trial, two children dont qualify for it as they over 18). Her own spousal maintenance decision is still pending. and lengthy and expensive court proceedings if they want

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Unlike Egyptian Muslim men who can divorce their wives unilaterally and without giving any reason women who wish to divorce their abusive husbands have to go to court and prove fault or that their marriage caused them harm. To prove physical harm, they have to present evidence, such as medical reports or eyewitness testimony, in proceedings that are drawn out and expensive. Many womens rights lawyers and lawyers working in family court cases told me that this is a very difficult task for many women because they dont always report the abuse to the police, and neighbours, who are usually the only witnesses other than household members, are reluctant to get involved. I met one woman who had a particularly striking case. She told me: We [my ex-husband and I] only lived together for a few months, but it took me six years to get a divorce, and I am still in court to get my full [financial] rights back. Problems started soon after we got married, and he would beat me. His mother and sisters were also abusive After a particularly bad beating, I went to the police station to lodge a complaint, but I withdrew it under pressure [from my husband who threatened me]. The case took so long because he had good lawyers who knew all the loopholes in the law. In 2000, a second option for women seeking divorce was introduced, whereby women can obtain khul (no-fault divorce) from the courts without having to prove harm, but only if they forego their right to spousal maintenance and other financial rights. These court proceedings can still take up to a year and put women who are financially dependent on their husbands at a severe disadvantage. Despite this, several divorcees told Amnesty International that they opted for khul after waiting for a court fault-based divorce for years. Twenty-four-year-old Om Mohamed (mother of Mohamed) told Amnesty International: We have been separated for over four years, but I am still neither married nor divorced I was trying to prove all this time in court that he didnt spend any money on me or our son, and that [my husband] used to beat me with whatever he could find under his hands, including belts and wires. Every time I go to court, the hearing is postponed, and I need this or that paper. I spent a lot of money on lawyers, and got no-

by, Zeke Johnson Director, Security with Human Rights Campaign

Guantanamo Solidarity Action

Have you ever doubted the power of a letter?

If so, read this note Amnesty received from Sami al Hajj, who was held at Guantanamo without charge for years and finally transferred home to Sudan in 2008: I received more than 20,000 letters from members and supporters of Amnesty International during my last two years at Guantnamo Bay. These letters really encouraged me during my very difficult time. They made me feel as though I was not alone and not to give up. Also, I felt and could notice that from all these letters, the Administration of Guantnamo Bay changed and improved towards me, as they knew I was not alone and I had people who cared about me. The guards said to me that they could see I was someone who mattered and must be important because of all the lettersthis made them respect me more. After over 100 days of the hunger strike and 11 years of indefinite detention, it is well past time for each detainee to either be charged and fairly tried in federal court, or released. Messages of hope are more important than ever. Can you spare a moment to write a brief card or letter? Younous Chekkouri, for example, who is on hunger strike, would love to receive a card with a picture of flowers, especially roses, as he enjoys drawing them. Its quick, easy and effective. All the information you need is here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/ GuantanamoSolidarityAction.pdf Please let me know how many letters or cards you sent so that we can keep a tally: zjohnson@aiusa.org

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where Eventually, I gave up and in January [2013] I raised a khul case. During my visit to Egypt in May and June this year, I also met women and girls who suffered violence and sexual abuse at the hands of other relatives. A 17-year-old girl told me that she ran away from home after a particularly brutal beating by her brother, who stabbed her in the nose with a kitchen knife, and burned her with a hot iron. Her scars corroborated her story. She was too scared to report the incident at the hospital where she sought treatment, as her brother had accompanied her and threatened to kill her if she spoke out. She spent months wandering the streets before being admitted into a private shelter for children. Another woman who fled home after her brother sexually assaulted her found temporary protection in a shelter run by an association under the Ministry of Insurances and Social Affairs. She fled from the shelter after the administration insisted that she give them her brothers contact details, to try to set up a reconciliation meeting. There are only nine official shelters across Egypt, which are severely under-resourced and in need of capacity-building and training. Most survivors of domestic violence dont even know they exist. The idea of shelters is not widely accepted, because of the stigma attached for women living outside their family or marital homes. A staff member at a shelter recounted to me how, after an awareness-raising session in a village in Upper Egypt, a village leader got up and in front of all those gathered threatened to stab to death any woman who dared to leave an abusive household and run to a shelter. In another instance, the husband of a woman living in a shelter threatened to set it on fire. In May, the authorities announced the establishment of a special female police unit to combat sexual violence and harassment. While this may be a welcome step, the Egyptian authorities need to do much more to prevent and punish gender-based violence and harassment, starting by unequivocally condemning it. They also need to amend legislation to ensure that survivors receive effective remedies. They must also show political will and tackle the culture of denial, inaction and, in some cases complicity, of law enforcement officials who not

only fail to protect women from violence but also to investigate properly all allegations and bring perpetrators to trial. Egyptian women were at the forefront of the popular protests that brought down Hosni Mubaraks presidency some two and a half years ago. Today, they continue to challenge the prevailing social attitudes and gender biases that facilitate violence against women, in all its forms, to continue with impunity while they continue their fight against marginalization and exclusion from the political processes shaping the countrys future. Meanwhile, with the help of human and womens rights organizations, seven women who were sexually assaulted around Tahrir Square lodged a complaint with the prosecution in March 2013 calling for accountability and redress. Investigations were started, but have since stalled. One of the lawyers for the women was told by a prosecutor that the case was not that important compared to other cases on his desk. But the plaintiffs are not giving up. As one of them told Amnesty International: Even as I was being abused, I felt that I will not stay quiet, I will not back down. They have to be punished. AIUSA Group 48 Contact Information
Group Coordinator Joanne Lau jlau@easystreet.net Treasurer Tena Hoke tena.hoke@gmail.com Newsletter Editor Dan Webb write_to_dan@yahoo.com Concert Tabling Will Ware ww_ware@yahoo.com Legislative Coordinator Dan Johnson daniel.p.johnson@gmail.com Indonesia Max White maxw33@comcast.net Central America Marylou Noble marylou_noble@ yahoo.com Darfur (Sudan) Marty Fromer martyfromer@gmail.com North Korea Erica Swiberg eswiberg@gmail.com

Prisoners Cases Jane Kristof Central Africa / OR State kristofj@pdx.edu Cornelia Cerf Death Penalty Abolition Ron Noble Terrie Rodello ronald0216@yahoo.com tarodello@igc.org

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USA: Urgent Action - Urge Governor To Veto Death Penalty Bill, Death penalty, Legal concern
All those on death row in Florida (m/f)
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The Governor of Florida has until mid-June to decide

the fact that the vast majority of murders in Florida (as in other states) do not result in death sentences, but also turn a blind eye to the high error rate in capital cases in the state. Florida accounts for more wrongful convictions in death penalty cases than any other US state 17 per cent of the more than 140 prisoners released from death rows in the USA on grounds of innocence since 1973 are Florida cases. The state that comes second to Florida on this list Illinois responded with an execution moratorium and eventual abolition. In contrast, this Florida bill aims at speeding up the pace of executions. It can take many years to uncover miscarriages of justice, if they are indeed discovered. Eight Florida death row exonerations took more than 10 years after conviction. For example, Juan Roberto Melendez was sentenced to death in 1984 and it took until 2002 for him to be exonerated. Rudolph Holton, sentenced to death in 1986, was exonerated 16 years later. After 14 years on Floridas death row, Frank Smith died of cancer in 2000. DNA evidence testing then exonerated him. Seth Penalver was freed in 2012, 13 years after he was sentenced to death. Please write immediately in English or your own language: Call on Governor Scott to veto the Timely Justice Act on the grounds that it seeks to expedite executions; Note that Florida accounts for more discovered wrongful convictions in capital cases than any other state; Emphasize that international human rights standards expect governments to work toward abolition of the death penalty, a punishment incompatible with human dignity and which carries the risk of irrevocable error; Call on the Governor to support a moratorium on executions in Florida and to work for abolition. PLEASE SEND OR TELEPHONE APPEALS BEFORE JUNE 20th TO: Governor Rick Scott, Office of the Governor, The Capitol,
Appeals To Action

whether to sign or veto a bill which, at least in part, aims to speed up the pace of executions. Such legislation is inconsistent with international human rights standards which seek eventual abolition of the death penalty, and ignores the reality of Floridas high error rate in capital cases.

House Bill 7083, known as the Timely Justice Act of 2013 (TJA), was passed by the Florida legislature in late April. It is now before Governor Rick Scott, who has not said publicly whether he intends to sign it or not. He has until mid-June to take action. Last week, his spokesperson said that the administration was reviewing the bill and that the governor was interested in hearing from Floridians about the merits of this legislation. The TJA is aimed at furthering the intent of the legislature to reduce delays in capital cases and to ensure all appeals and post-conviction actions in capital cases are resolved as soon as possible after the death sentence is imposed. The bill would require the clerk of the Florida Supreme Court to inform the Governor when a death row inmates ordinary appeals have been completed. Upon denial of clemency, the Governor will be required to issue an execution warrant within 30 days, directing the prison authorities to execute the prisoner within 180 days. Proponents of the bill have argued that the long periods prisoners have remained on death row are an injustice to the families of murder victims. Such assertions not only ignore

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400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Phone: 1 850-488-7146 Email: Rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com Salutation: Dear Governor In December 1971, the UN General Assembly affirmed that in order fully to guarantee the right to life, provided for in article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the main objective to be pursued is that of progressively restricting the number of offences for which capital punishment may be imposed, with a view to the desirability of abolishing this punishment in all countries. In 1972, in Furman v. Georgia, the US Supreme Court handed down a ruling that voided the countrys death penalty laws. Four years later, however, in Gregg v. Georgia, the Court approved new capital statutes enacted by various states including Florida and executions resumed in 1977. There are currently more than 400 men and women on death row in Florida, where there have been 76 executions since 1977. Recognition under international law of the existence of the death penalty should not be invoked to delay or to prevent the abolition of capital punishment, in the words of article 6.6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the USA ratified in 1992. In an authoritative interpretation of Article 6 of the ICCPR issued in 1982, the UN Human Rights Committee pointed to the desirability of abolition. Article 6 of the treaty, the Committee said, refers generally to abolition in terms which strongly suggest that abolition is desirable. The Committee concludes that all measures of abolition should be considered as progress in the enjoyment of the right to life. In 1995 and again in 2006, after reviewing the USAs compliance with the ICCPR, the UN Human Rights Committee called on the USA to work towards abolition, including by imposing a moratorium on executions. In 1998, following a mission to the USA, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions called for a moratorium. He noted that the desirability of abolition has been strongly reaffirmed on different occasions by United Nations organs and bodies in the field of human rights, inter alia by the Security Council, the Human Rights Committee, the General Assembly, and the Economic and
Additional Information

Social Council. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly has passed resolution after resolution in recent years calling on retentionist countries to adopt a moratorium on executions with a view to abolition, including on the grounds that ending judicial killing contributes to respect for human dignity and to the enhancement and progressive development of human rights. Today, 140 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Four US states have legislated to abolish the death penalty in the past four years New Mexico (2009), Illinois (2011), Connecticut (2012) and Maryland (2013), and 18 states are now abolitionist. In a joint statement with the states Senate President and the House Speaker, Maryland Governor Martin OMalley said on 2 May 2013, after signing his states abolitionist bill into law, With the legislation signed today, Maryland has effectively eliminated a policy that is proven not to work. Evidence shows that the death penalty is not a deterrent, it cannot be administered without racial bias, and it costs three times as much as life in prison without parole. Furthermore, there is no way to reverse a mistake if an innocent person is put to death... The Administration will continue to move forward with the things that work to save lives more effective policing, better technology, information sharing and coordination, and smarter strategies to reduce crime. The annual number of death sentences in the USA has declined since its peak in the 1990s. Florida remains one of the states bucking this trend. In 2012, there were 22 death sentences passed in Florida, more than in any year since 1998 and more than 25 per cent of all new death sentences nationally. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, unconditionally. Postage Rates
Within the United States $0.33 - Postcards $0.46 - Letters and Cards up to 1 oz. To all international destinations $1.10 - Postcards $1.10 - Airmail Letters and Cards up to 1 oz.

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter June 2013 Pg 8

Tiananmen crackdown 24 years on, still waiting for justice and denied a voice
30 May 2013
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Article 35 of the Chinese Constitution stipulates that Citizens of the Peoples Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration while Article 2 of the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) states that, The tasks of the Criminal Procedure Law of the Peoples Republic of China are to [...] to ensure respect for and safeguard human rights, and to protect citizens rights to person, rights to property, democratic rights and other rights. Attempts to commemorate, discuss and demand justice for what happened 24 years ago are forcefully curbed. The 1989 crackdown remains a major official taboo in China. No public discussion of it is allowed. While there have been repeated calls from exiles, the momentum to demand justice inside China has met different challenges. Increasing numbers of the Tiananmen Mothers, an advocacy group composed mainly of 150 parents whose children were killed in the 1989 military crackdown, have repeatedly urged the Chinese authorities to prosecute and punish the perpetrators but a number of them, have passed away due to advanced age. It is reported that at least four more members died in the past year, which combined with previous deaths reduce their original numbers now by 32, with many of the remaining members suffering from poor health.

The vivid scenes of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) troops

quashing unarmed civilians on June 3rd and 4th, 1989 in and around Tiananmen Square still haunt many people around the world. In the past 24 years, the Chinese authorities continue to reject calls from activists to hold an open and independent inquiry into this violent military crackdown.

While the Chinese authorities have demonstrated a superb ability to adapt to economic changes, they have shown stubborn resistance to reforms that would improve human rights. Chinese authorities continue to have a low tolerance for the work of human rights defenders and often persecute both the defenders and their families. For the past two years, the Chinese authorities have held Liu Xia, wife of Liu Xiaobo, under illegal house arrest. Chen Kegui, the nephew of Chen Guangcheng, faced an unfair trial after his uncles escape, while his family continues to receive threats and harassment. The government similarly persecutes many who continue to criticize the 1989 military crackdown or those who publically commemorate its victims.

In the newly released white paper on Progress in Chinas Human Rights in 2012, issued on 14 May, the Chinese government acknowledges the importance of the internet as a channel for citizens to exercise their rights to know, participate, be heard and supervise, as well as an important means for the government to get to know the publics opinions. However, for those who search online for June Fourth information, or seek to air their views on this subject in social media platAmnesty International reiterates the call for an open and forms, their attempts end in vain. The so-called Great Fire independent inquiry into the 1989 military crackdown and wall continues to bar Chinese citizens from accessing information not sanctioned by the government. Websites such as urges the Chinese authorities to guarantee their citizens rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful as- Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are blocked. Available social media micro blogging sites such as Sina Weibo are censored. sembly, which are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and protected in the Chinese Constitution and A number of words and phrases such as June Fourth, Zhao Ziyang, democracy and human rights have reportedly the new Criminal Procedure Law.

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been banned from posts. Any publication containing such words will be removed. At times, the Chinese authorities impose harsh prison sentences on writers, bloggers, journalists, academics, whistleblowers and ordinary citizens who peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression, including publishing articles or posting comments online that advocate democratic reform and human rights.

provide compensation to victims of the 1989 pro-democracy protests and their families. The following individuals are still imprisoned for their peaceful web communications about the 1989 crackdown. Amnesty International considers them the prisoners of conscience and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
Case updates

Chen Wei On 23 December 2011, Chen Wei was convicted of inciting subversion of state power and sentenced to nine In the lead up to the Tiananmen anniversary activists often years for 11 articles he had written in support of democracy experience harassment from authorities including: detenand political reform. He was one of the leaders of the 1989 tion, monitoring of telephones and travel bans both inside and exiting China. Shenzhen-based activist Yu Gang was not student democracy movement, for which he was imprisoned until January 1991. In May 1992, authorities arrested him allowed to leave home on May 27th, and his telephone and internet services were suspended. Yedu, an online activist, has again, this time for commemorating the anniversary of the 1989 student democracy movement and for organizing a been placed under house arrest starting May 28th and has political party. They sentenced him to five years for counterbeen denied internet access. Shandong-based human rights defender Li Hongwei and approximately a dozen people gath- revolutionary propaganda and incitement. ering to commemorate the June Fourth anniversary were in- Chen Xi a veteran democracy activist from Guizhou provterrogated by the state police. Reportedly Li Hongwei was the ince was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in December last one to be released after being detained for approximately 2011 after being convicted of inciting subversion of state seven hours. Zhang Xianling, a member of the Tiananmen power, and 36 articles he had published on overseas websites Mothers Group, was warned by the police not to go to Hong advocating democratic reform were cited as evidence. He Kong with her husband, who had been invited as an advisor had earlier been sentenced to a three-year prison term for his for a musical event, on the pretext that the city is chaotic activism during the June 4th, 1989 democracy movement and recently. The couple did not heed this warning and continwas released in June 1992. In 1996, he was sentenced to ten ued to make their travel arrangements but the organizer of years imprisonment in connection with his democracy activthe musical event later rescinded their invitation saying June ism He was released in 2005 upon completion of his term. Fourth is coming, and they should not come (to Hong Kong) Zhu Yufu a Zhejiang based democracy activist, was senduring this sensitive time. tenced to seven years in February 2012 for inciting subverAs the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown apsion of state power for writing a poem. He supported the proaches, Amnesty International urges the Chinese authoristudents during the 1989 student democracy movement and ties to: afterwards was repeatedly summoned by the authorities. His launch an open and independent inquiry into the 1989 wife Jiang Hangli has been appealing to authorities to release military crackdown and hold those responsible for human him on medical grounds due to his longstanding poor health, rights violations accountable; but these requests have been rejected. In April, his wife publicly acknowledge the human rights violations which visited Zhu Yufu and subsequently said his head was swollen. occurred; She also reported that the prison authorities have cancelled cease harassment and prosecution of those exercising their his nutritious meals and have blocked him from sending and right to freedom of expression and assembly including those receiving letters. seeking reassessment of the 1989 Tiananmen protests and commemorating its victims and;

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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter June 2013