Hefei Province “Public Disturbance” Case Begins

Source: Women’s Rights in China volunteer                     Translated by: Qing Zhang               Aug 8,2014

Last February, officials escorted Chinese dissident Lin Zhang’s daughter, Anni, away from her elementary school and detained her for several hours. When three activists, Huapin Li, Cheng Yao and Weilin Zhou held a rally for Anni’s right to return to school, they were arrested for creating a public disturbance. Today at 9 am at Shushan’s district court, the three activists’ hearing began. The local prosecutor’s office has charged them with planning and organizing dissident activity. Both Yao and Zhou have pleaded not guilty. The hearing adjourned at one o’clock without a clear sentence.

During last year’s rally to support Xiao Anni Zhang’s right to return to school, the Ministry of Public Security detained Yao and Zhou on two separate occasions. But in the middle of last July, Yao secretly brought Anni and her older sister, Ruli, to the US Consulate in Shanghai to seek asylum. The two girls were granted visas and boarded a plane to the States, where they were invited to stay in the home of Reggie Littlejohn, the founder and president of the NGO Woman’s Rights Without Borders. The rescue operation was carried out by Littlejohn, Woman’s Rights in China founder, Jing Zhang, and Anne Noonan, the executive director of the Committee for US International broadcasting. Yao was arrested soon after, and as of now is still in custody.

Currently, Lin Zhang’s case has been postponed twice, and is set to reconvene on August 19th receive sentencing. Huapin Li’s case has also been postponed.

This photo is of Cheng Yao  and Anni Zhang, a month before  the latter was safely brought to  the States. (Photo credit Cheng  Yao of Woman Rights in China)