08/19/2009, 00.00
CHINA
Send to a friend

Well-known lawyer and activist Xu Zhiyong in prison for “tax evasion”

Xu is said to have failed to pay taxes owed by Gongmeng, a human rights organisation. In reality, experts suggest the authorities are demanding the payment of business taxes to silence dissent ahead of the celebrations to mark the 60 years of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – After spending three weeks in prison Xu Zhiyong, a well-known Chinese human rights lawyer, was formally charged with tax evasion. This confirms what many experts fear, namely that the government is cracking down on human rights activists ahead of 1 October, the day of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in order to prevent protests and dissent.

Mr Xu, who was seized from his home by security officials at dawn on 29 July, is the co-founder of Gongmeng, or Open Constitution Initiative, a free legal aid clinic for people who cannot pay for their legal defence.

The group has publicised, including on its website, a series of high-profile cases. It has provided legal aid to victims of baby milk formula tainted with melamine in which at least five children died and 300,000 got sick. It issued a report criticising the handling of unrest across the Tibetan plateau in March of last year. It has also come to the defence of petitioners detained in “black jails.”

For many years now, China’s Communist-controlled bar association has been “advising” its members not to take up controversial cases such as these, especially when they involve the state or public agencies. Many lawyers who disregarded this “advice” lost their licence to practice.

Since the authorities refused to register Gongmeng as a non-profit organisation, Xu had to register it as a business. For this reason the authorities now accuse him of tax evasion for failing to pay 1.42 million yuan (US$ 195,000) in taxes. If he is convicted Xu could get up to seven years of prison. Meanwhile Gongmeng's Beijing office and website have been shut down.

Mr Xu is well known for taking up in 2003 the cause of Sun Zhigang, a graphic designer who died after being beaten in a detention centre in Guangzhou. The case helped to bring about the abolition of the harsh detention centres used to hold and expel rural-urban migrants and vagrants accused of not having the right documents.

With Xu being formally charged, the case is closer to a possible trial. But whether it goes or not to trial, what is clear is that Beijing wants to silence any possible critical voice ahead of the People’s Republic’s 60th anniversary on 1 October, an important day for mainland authorities.

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Well-known human rights lawyer arrested
31/07/2009
Cardinal Zen calls on China to release imprisoned bishops on its 60th anniversary
24/09/2009
Chinese military to show off might at PRC’s 60th anniversary
24/09/2009
After 60 years in power, Communist regime still fears protesters
07/10/2009
Tighter police controls imposed as protests increase
08/09/2009


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”