Zhao Lianhai
Encyclopedia
Zhao Lianhai is a Chinese dissident and former food safety worker who became an activist for parents of children harmed during the 2008 Chinese milk scandal
. In 2010 he was sentenced to 2½ years imprisonment for 'disturbing social order'.
Zhao was born circa 1972. He used to work for the Food Quality and Safety Authority of China. His son, Pengrui, was born in late 2005 and became ill as a result of drinking tainted milk.. The couple also have a daughter, Sian, born in 2008/2009.
He started the "Home for Kidney Stone Babies" (结石宝宝之家, jieshibaobao.com) website from his apartment in Daxing, near Beijing
. The website was blocked in China. The site was also shut down by the government so he moved hosting to Japan.
Parents of children harmed by melamine
-tainted milk went to the website and could exchange information about how to sue. Zhao also pushed for increased research into the number of kidney stone babies.
The site published a leaked document from the Henan Department of Health, which had allegedly ordered workers to underreport kidney stone cases.
The website also posted claims that autopsies of children were being denied.
In 2009, Zhao posted a petition arguing against accepting the government's compensation plan as inadequate (especially considering the long-term unknowns), and not created in consultation with parents. The petition was signed by several hundred parents.
The police and/or public security bureau harassed him, his wife, his mother, his siblings, and volunteer students. The government also broke up meetings and a press conference.
A lawyer's blog claimed the police wrote the following::
He was sentenced on 10 November 2010 to 2½ years prison. The main charge was inciting social disorder.
Three incidents were used against Zhao at his trial:
Amnesty International condemned the sentence and he began a hunger strike
in protest. Li Xuemei, his wife, indicated there would be an appeal.
Leung Man-tao (梁文道), a Hong Kong
based writer, wrote an op-ed
in Southern Weekend in Guangzhou
, defending Zhao.
Zhao was subsequently released on medical parole, which normally allows freedom of movement, subject to regular reports to the local police. But Zhao has largely been restricted to his Daxing home and official harassment has continued, such as on 31 May 2011, when he tried to take his children for a day out. The family were surrounded by police and public security officials and held in a nearby restaurant in what onlookers thought was a hostage situation.
posted about the unjustly jailed Zhao Lianhai on Sina microblog
. After receiving a message from website's administrator, Gigi Leung then deleted the relevant blog, resulted in hundreds of supportive messages from her fans.
Beijing
to interview his supporters. About 40 members of a "Neighbourhood Management Committee" tried to stop the journalists. The journalists were kicked, struck and had their cameras blocked. An ATV
journalist's camera was hit. A female RTHK
reporter was slapped. The Hong Kong Journalists Association
expressed concern about the incident. Hong Kong director of broadcasting Franklin Wong Wah-kay (黃華麒) condemned the attack and said the journalists were legally covering the case under mainland law.
On 29 December 2010 the director of the Hong Kong and Macau office of the State Council Wang Guangya
said that under the One country, two systems
principle Hong Kong should not interfere. He then made a controversial statement that "well water (HK) should not pollute the river water (China)"
2008 Chinese milk scandal
The 2008 Chinese milk scandal was a food safety incident in the People's Republic of China, involving milk and infant formula, and other food materials and components, adulterated with melamine....
. In 2010 he was sentenced to 2½ years imprisonment for 'disturbing social order'.
Zhao was born circa 1972. He used to work for the Food Quality and Safety Authority of China. His son, Pengrui, was born in late 2005 and became ill as a result of drinking tainted milk.. The couple also have a daughter, Sian, born in 2008/2009.
Activism and website
Zhao became a leader in the movement of parents to get restitution and treatment for their children. He called for a national memorial day for the victims. He held a memorial ceremony in his home for parents of harmed children.He started the "Home for Kidney Stone Babies" (结石宝宝之家, jieshibaobao.com) website from his apartment in Daxing, near Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. The website was blocked in China. The site was also shut down by the government so he moved hosting to Japan.
Parents of children harmed by melamine
Melamine
Melamine is an organic base and a trimer of cyanamide, with a 1,3,5-triazine skeleton. Like cyanamide, it contains 66% nitrogen by mass and, if mixed with resins, has fire retardant properties due to its release of nitrogen gas when burned or charred, and has several other industrial uses....
-tainted milk went to the website and could exchange information about how to sue. Zhao also pushed for increased research into the number of kidney stone babies.
The site published a leaked document from the Henan Department of Health, which had allegedly ordered workers to underreport kidney stone cases.
The website also posted claims that autopsies of children were being denied.
In 2009, Zhao posted a petition arguing against accepting the government's compensation plan as inadequate (especially considering the long-term unknowns), and not created in consultation with parents. The petition was signed by several hundred parents.
The police and/or public security bureau harassed him, his wife, his mother, his siblings, and volunteer students. The government also broke up meetings and a press conference.
Arrest, trial, imprisonment
Zhao was taken by police in mid-November 2009. Arrest papers were given to his wife Li Xuemei on 21 December 2009, on charges, she said, of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". His case was handed to prosecutors in early 2010. He was tried at Daxing district court in Beijing where he was legally represented by Li Fangping and Peng Jian.A lawyer's blog claimed the police wrote the following::
From September 2008 to September 2009, Zhao Lianhai used 'protecting rights' as well as the Sanlu milk powder issue as an excuse to hype and agitate people who did not know the truth to disturb social order ... by shouting slogans and gathering illegally.
He was sentenced on 10 November 2010 to 2½ years prison. The main charge was inciting social disorder.
Three incidents were used against Zhao at his trial:
- Organizing a gathering of 12 parents
- Holding a sign in front of a factory and court
- Giving media interviews in a public place
Amnesty International condemned the sentence and he began a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
in protest. Li Xuemei, his wife, indicated there would be an appeal.
Leung Man-tao (梁文道), a Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
based writer, wrote an op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
in Southern Weekend in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, defending Zhao.
Zhao was subsequently released on medical parole, which normally allows freedom of movement, subject to regular reports to the local police. But Zhao has largely been restricted to his Daxing home and official harassment has continued, such as on 31 May 2011, when he tried to take his children for a day out. The family were surrounded by police and public security officials and held in a nearby restaurant in what onlookers thought was a hostage situation.
Censorship
Reports and discussions on Chinese websites are restricted. On 30 March 2010, Hong Kong singer Gigi LeungGigi Leung
Gigi Leung Wing-kei is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress.-Biography:Given the name Leung Bik-Zi at birth, at the age of 7 her mother changed her name changed to 'Wing-Kei' for superstitious reasons; as a child, Leung suffered from frequent asthma attacks and it was believed a change of name...
posted about the unjustly jailed Zhao Lianhai on Sina microblog
Sina Weibo
Sina Weibo is a Chinese microblogging website. Akin to a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook, it is one of the most popular sites in China, in use by well over 30% of Internet users, with a similar market penetration that Twitter has established in the USA...
. After receiving a message from website's administrator, Gigi Leung then deleted the relevant blog, resulted in hundreds of supportive messages from her fans.
2010 Hong Kong journalists assaulted
On 10 December 2010 several Hong Kong journalists were at Zhao's apartment in DaxingDaxing District
Daxing District is a suburb of Beijing, situated to the south of the city.-Overview:...
Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to interview his supporters. About 40 members of a "Neighbourhood Management Committee" tried to stop the journalists. The journalists were kicked, struck and had their cameras blocked. An ATV
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
journalist's camera was hit. A female RTHK
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
reporter was slapped. The Hong Kong Journalists Association
Hong Kong Journalists Association
The Hong Kong Journalists Association was established in 1968 for practising journalists in Hong Kong "to enhance press freedom and the integrity of news coverage"...
expressed concern about the incident. Hong Kong director of broadcasting Franklin Wong Wah-kay (黃華麒) condemned the attack and said the journalists were legally covering the case under mainland law.
On 29 December 2010 the director of the Hong Kong and Macau office of the State Council Wang Guangya
Wang Guangya
Wang Guangya , born March 1950 in Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China, is a Chinese diplomat who is currently Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. A career diplomat, Wang was previously Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs...
said that under the One country, two systems
One country, two systems
"One country, two systems" is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China , for the reunification of China during the early 1980s...
principle Hong Kong should not interfere. He then made a controversial statement that "well water (HK) should not pollute the river water (China)"
See also
- 2008 Chinese milk scandal2008 Chinese milk scandalThe 2008 Chinese milk scandal was a food safety incident in the People's Republic of China, involving milk and infant formula, and other food materials and components, adulterated with melamine....
- List of Chinese dissidents
- Chinese legal system
- Whistleblowers
- Tan ZuorenTan ZuorenTan Zuoren , from Chengdu, Sichuan province, People's Republic of China, is an environmentalist, writer and former editor of Literati magazine .On February 9, 2010...
- Xu ZhiyongXu ZhiyongXu Zhiyong is a lecturer at the Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications. He was one of the founders of the NGO Open Constitution Initiative and an active rights lawyer in China who helped those underprivileged....
- Golden Shield ProjectGolden Shield ProjectThe Golden Shield Project , colloquially referred to as the Great Firewall of China is a censorship and surveillance project operated by the Ministry of Public Security division of the government of the People's Republic of China...