Chinese authorities have released five women’s rights campaigners whose detentions for more than a month sparked an international outcry and underscored Beijing’s tight restrictions on independent social activism.
The women were freed on Monday under a form of conditional release that keeps the investigation open for another year and allows formal charges to be brought later, lawyer Liang Xiaojun (梁小軍) said.
The activists, aged from 25 to 32, were known for colorful protests that included “potty parity” sit-ins and street theater performances denouncing spousal abuse, and their detentions brought international calls for their release, including from the US, Britain and the EU.
Photo: AFP
US Secretary of State John Kerry said China should “support them, not silence them” in their fight against sexual harassment and other injustices toward women, and #FreeTheFive became popular on Twitter.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei (洪磊) yesterday confirmed that the activists were released on bail. He said the matter was dealt with in accordance with Chinese law.
“It is part of China’s sovereignty for the Chinese judicial authority to observe and enforce the law and to fight crime,” Hong said.
Under the conditions of their release, the five remain formally under investigation for the next year, and must report their movements to police and be available for interrogation at any time. They are also barred from discussing the case among themselves or gathering as a group, lawyer Wang Qiushi (王秋實) said.
The five women — Li Tingting (李婷婷), 25, Wei Tingting (韋婷婷), 26, Wang Man (王曼), 32, Zheng Churan (鄭楚然), 25, and Wu Rongrong (武嶸嶸), 30 — were detained last month as they prepared to distribute posters and stickers against domestic violence on International Women’s Day on March 8.
Human rights activists said the release was driven by Beijing’s desire to avoid further damage to its reputation on women’s rights.
Amnesty International regional director for East Asia Nicholas Bequelin said he had no doubt that the release resulted from a political and diplomatic decision at a senior level.
“It shows that China does have a bottom line when it comes to embarrassment on the world stage,” Bequelin told reporters.
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