Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns China’s harsh sentencing of online journalist and activist Chen Wei, who was handed a nine-year prison term on Friday for “inciting subversion of state power.” Chen was detained onFebruary 20 as part of a broad crackdown … Continue reading →

Ah, the supreme irony of the universe. One of the world’s greatest democratic leaders and human rights advocates, former Czech President Václav Havel, and arguably the world’s worst dictator, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, died on the same weekend. … Continue reading →

“May truth and love triumph over lies and hatred.” – Václav Havel Human rights defenders around the world lost a giant today. Václav Havel, the voice of democracy and freedom in the former Czechoslovakia, died in his sleep this morning at age 75. … Continue reading →

Following Chinese state media reports that Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng violated probation and will be sent back to prison, Catherine Baber, Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International issued the following statement Friday: This is truly shocking news. We have not … Continue reading →

New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today welcomed the release of jailed Chinese journalist Huang Jinqiu. Mr. Huang was freed on October 20, but delayed the announcement until Tuesday, December 13 because authorities had told him not to seek publicity … Continue reading →

It’s International Human Rights Day. One year ago today, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in absentia “for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.” He remains in a Chinese prison. Also on this day … Continue reading →

The success of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Burma, which begins today, should be decided by whether the authorities respond immediately by undertaking bold and far-reaching human rights reforms, says human rights group Amnesty International. Secretary … Continue reading →