Taiwan rights activists show concern over trial

The Taiwanese Association for Human Rights (TAHR) yesterday urged China to fairly judge democracy activist Yang Jianli (楊建利).

"We have formed an observation group made up of several lawyers to keep an eye on this case," said Wu Chia-chen (吳家臻), the association's office director.

"We urge the PRC government to give Yang a fair trial and release him," Wu said.

Yang, a US resident since 1989, was detained by Chinese police in April last year after he entered the country on a friend's passport in a bid to observe labor unrest. He was charged with spying for the KMT.

"The revised version of China's Code of Criminal Process stipulates a transparent process," said Chou Tsang-hsien (周滄賢), an attorney and member of TAHR.

"However, the Chinese court carried out a secret trial. This is unacceptable in any democratic country," he said.

"We can't go to China to observe the trial," Chou said, "but we will keep an eye on this [case] through other channels."

"They [Chinese authorities] say one thing in the law, but do another in reality," the rights group said.

The Chinese government always says that it will never stop trying to persuade the Taiwanese people to accept the idea of unification, said Chien Hsi-chieh (簡錫土皆), executive director of the Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan.

"How can people here be persuaded of that given the way they deal with Yang?" Chien said.