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Journalist Case File: Li Changqing (李长青)
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posted Saturday, 28 January 2006
Name: Li Changqing (李长青)
Agency: Fuzhou Daily News,
Date Sentenced: January 2006
Charge: Fabricating and spreading false terroristic information
Sentence: 3 Years
A former member of the editorial staff at the Fuzhou Daily News, 李 (Li) was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment in January 2006, under the charge that he supplied 'fabricated terroristic information' when he published an article on a foreign website, and create public panic by spreading unfounded rumors about a Dengue outbreak in 福建 (Fujian) Province.
However, 李 (Li)'s sentencing comes despite it having been revealed that most of the elements of the article that were presented by authorities, as being evidence of his crimes, were not only true, but were in fact written by the website's own editorial team after they received an anonymous tipoff about the outbreak; leading to claims that 李 (Li)'s trial was politically motivated.
Boxun?
The charges against 李 (Li) relate to an article published on 博讯 (Boxun) - a website popular with Chinese dissidents - on 13 October 2005, which claimed that attempts by authorities in 福建 (Fujian) Province to cover up an outbreak of dengue fever in 福州市 (Fuzhou City) had lead to the disease spreading out of control, causing mass panic among local residents.
The Original 博讯 (Boxun) article can be found at http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2004/10/200410130012.shtml
According to 博讯 (Boxun), they were originally told, by an anonymous web user, that 20 people in the 福州 (Fuzhou) area had been infected with Dengue, but they then raised the number to 100 themselves after investigating the matter further.
Further more, a key phrase used again 李 (Li) in his trial, regarding the government causing panic by attempting to cover up the outbreak, was added by 博讯 (Boxun)'s editorial team and was not present in the initial submission.
Despite knowing that 博讯 (Boxun) had supplied the figure of 100 cases, and that it had added the section on mass panic, Chinese authorities still tried 李 (Li) on the grounds that he had supplied both pieces of information, and the premise that they were both fabricated.
In reality, 94 cases of Dengue were officially reported. Significantly greater than the original estimate of 20, and strikingly close to 博讯 (Boxun)'s estimate of 100. City authorities had also attempted to cover up the outbreak.
Ulterior Motives?
Despite being publicly linked to the 博讯 (Boxun) publications by Beijing, both 李 (Li) and his family maintain that his arrest and sentencing was motivated not by any information that he may have provided about attempts to cover up the 福州市 (Fuzhou City) Dengue outbreak, but rather by his support for 黄金高 (Huang Jingao), a party secretary from 連江 (Lianjiang) county who went public with accusations of official corruption in 2005, seeking to have the perpetrators censured by the courts, but who instead found himself imprisoned on corruption charges.
李 (Li)'s claims are leant considerable weight by the fact that he was detained on 3 February 2005 on the the accusation that he had attempted to 'subvert the state' by writing an article on official corruption on behalf of the jailed dissident, and by evidence that he was never questioned about the crimes that he was charged with, during his latest period of detention, but was instead extensively interrogated about articles that he wrote in support of Huang.
李 (Li) was never formally charged in relation to the Huang article, and denies writing it.
During his initial detention, 李 (Li) was denied access to council on the grounds that his 'crimes' related to 'state secrets'.
Translation Note
Dengue Fever - 登革热
Agency: Fuzhou Daily News,
Date Sentenced: January 2006
Charge: Fabricating and spreading false terroristic information
Sentence: 3 Years
A former member of the editorial staff at the Fuzhou Daily News, 李 (Li) was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment in January 2006, under the charge that he supplied 'fabricated terroristic information' when he published an article on a foreign website, and create public panic by spreading unfounded rumors about a Dengue outbreak in 福建 (Fujian) Province.
However, 李 (Li)'s sentencing comes despite it having been revealed that most of the elements of the article that were presented by authorities, as being evidence of his crimes, were not only true, but were in fact written by the website's own editorial team after they received an anonymous tipoff about the outbreak; leading to claims that 李 (Li)'s trial was politically motivated.
| “The verdict evaded key facts and was greatly influenced by factors outside the law” Mo Shaoping, Lawyer |
Boxun?
The charges against 李 (Li) relate to an article published on 博讯 (Boxun) - a website popular with Chinese dissidents - on 13 October 2005, which claimed that attempts by authorities in 福建 (Fujian) Province to cover up an outbreak of dengue fever in 福州市 (Fuzhou City) had lead to the disease spreading out of control, causing mass panic among local residents.
| 福州市爆发 “登革热”，百余人染病 政府刻意隐瞒，引发民众恐慌 博闻社报道，从9月中旬福州市闽侯县确诊了一例从柬埔寨感染的“登革热”患者后，由于福州市政府刻意隐瞒，“登革热”已经在福州市成燎原之势，被确诊的患者已蹿升至百余人，当地民众已陷入极度恐慌之中。 当地的一位医生向记者透露，福州市的台江区、仓山区、静安区、鼓楼区都发现了“登革热”患者，具体患者人数只有福建省和福州市的少数领导知道，但据医疗界人士估计，总数应该不低于百人 10月9日，福州市通知全市灭蚊子，但没有说明原因。据那位医生透露，福州市政府刻意隐瞒“登革热”已在当地市大面积传播，是因为近期福州市要举办国际化纤会议，政府怕影响形象。 (记者 孙海） (博讯 boxun.com) Fuzhou City “Dengue Fever” outbreak, 100 people catch a disease that the government desires to cover up, leading to panic among the masses. 博闻社 reported that, between Mid September and October, Minhou County, Fuzhou City, diagnosed cases of Dengue fever after cases were reported in Cambodia, but attempts by Fuzhou City authorities to cover them up have inflamed the situation in Fuzhou City, leading the number of cases to rise to over 100, and causing panic among the masses. A local doctor disclosed to reporter that Fuzhou city's 台江, 仓山, 静安and 鼓楼areas had all reported cases of Dengue fever, and that only a few of Fuzhou's leader knew the specific number of patients but estimates, based on public medical figures, put the total not less than 100 people. 10 September, Fuzhou city announces that all mosquitoes in the area are to be culled, but gave no reason. According to the doctor who revealed the cover up by Fuzhou City authorities, Dengue fever has already spread to a wide area of the city, and is being concealed because Fuzhou City will soon host an international chemical fibre conference, and the government fears their image will be damaged. Reporter: 孙海, Boxun |
The Original 博讯 (Boxun) article can be found at http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2004/10/200410130012.shtml
According to 博讯 (Boxun), they were originally told, by an anonymous web user, that 20 people in the 福州 (Fuzhou) area had been infected with Dengue, but they then raised the number to 100 themselves after investigating the matter further.
Further more, a key phrase used again 李 (Li) in his trial, regarding the government causing panic by attempting to cover up the outbreak, was added by 博讯 (Boxun)'s editorial team and was not present in the initial submission.
Despite knowing that 博讯 (Boxun) had supplied the figure of 100 cases, and that it had added the section on mass panic, Chinese authorities still tried 李 (Li) on the grounds that he had supplied both pieces of information, and the premise that they were both fabricated.
In reality, 94 cases of Dengue were officially reported. Significantly greater than the original estimate of 20, and strikingly close to 博讯 (Boxun)'s estimate of 100. City authorities had also attempted to cover up the outbreak.
Ulterior Motives?
Despite being publicly linked to the 博讯 (Boxun) publications by Beijing, both 李 (Li) and his family maintain that his arrest and sentencing was motivated not by any information that he may have provided about attempts to cover up the 福州市 (Fuzhou City) Dengue outbreak, but rather by his support for 黄金高 (Huang Jingao), a party secretary from 連江 (Lianjiang) county who went public with accusations of official corruption in 2005, seeking to have the perpetrators censured by the courts, but who instead found himself imprisoned on corruption charges.
李 (Li)'s claims are leant considerable weight by the fact that he was detained on 3 February 2005 on the the accusation that he had attempted to 'subvert the state' by writing an article on official corruption on behalf of the jailed dissident, and by evidence that he was never questioned about the crimes that he was charged with, during his latest period of detention, but was instead extensively interrogated about articles that he wrote in support of Huang.
李 (Li) was never formally charged in relation to the Huang article, and denies writing it.
During his initial detention, 李 (Li) was denied access to council on the grounds that his 'crimes' related to 'state secrets'.
Translation Note
Dengue Fever - 登革热
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