Mainland pro-democracy activist swims to Taiwan for political asylum
He decided to seek asylum on the island because of the political persecution and years in prison. He jumps overboard from a tour boat sailing near the Taiwanese-held island of Quemoy.
Taipei (AsiaNews/SCMP) - A mainland pro-democracy activist has sought political asylum in Taiwan after jumping overboard from a tour boat sailing near the Taiwanese-held island of Quemoy.
Yan Jun, 32, from Xian , jumped into the sea when the tour boat, on a sightseeing trip, sailed by Quemoy. Coastguard officials said they originally thought it was an accident but mr Yan presented them a written statement and his identity card after he was plucked from the sea, and said he wanted to seek asylum in Taiwan.
He was taken to the Quemoy Prosecutors Office yesterday for questioning and told Taiwanese prosecutors yesterday he decided to seek asylum on the island because of the political persecution he had suffered since openly supporting pro-democracy students in 1996.
Initial investigations showed that Mr Yan was jailed for two years in 2003 for attacking the government and demanding that mainland authorities rehabilitate students purged after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. He was released in April last year. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said it was still examining the case.
Taipei-based cable news channel TVBS reported that Mr Yan had called another mainland pro-democracy activist, Yan Peng , in Taiwan, asking him how he came to the island.
"[Yan Jun] asked me how to come to Taiwan. I told him I hired a tour boat and when it sailed near Tadan islet, I jumped into the sea," Yan Peng, who is waiting to be sent to a third country from Taiwan for asylum, told TVBS.
Yan Peng arrived in Taiwan in June 2003, but his request for asylum was refused by Taipei, which only agreed to help him seek asylum in a third country. He led about 300 textiles workers on strike after the Tiananmen crackdown. He said he had no idea when he would be able to obtain asylum in a third country.
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08/09/2020 10:20
18/02/2020 10:04
