A once-outspoken Chinese lawyer convicted on subversion charges said he was subjected to harsh treatment by authorities and confessed in order to protect his family, according to recently released letters and a taped telephone conversation.
The letters and recording of Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), released by a fellow activist, offer the most detailed account of his treatment since the fiery critic of the Communist government was arrested in August last year, convicted and held in a type of house arrest.
In one letter, Gao says he was once forced to sit in an iron chair for 109 hours straight. At other times during his five-month detention, he said he was handcuffed or forced to sit cross-legged for hundreds of hours and had strong lights shone on him.
In another letter and in the phone conversation, Gao described the harassment his wife and two children received from security agents and the mental anguish that caused him. He wrote that his family was being deprived of proper lives.
"Their spirits are being broken," he said.
He also said he agreed to a public confession in exchange for 5,000 yuan (US$650) to give to his family for living expenses.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Gao's descriptions of mistreatment are consistent with those of criminal suspects and other political dissidents.
Gao could not be reached for comment. His telephone numbers have been disconnected.
Hu Jia (胡佳), the activist who released to journalists Gao's letters and the recorded telephone conversation, said Gao was coming to terms with having confessed to subversion.
"He compromised himself to save his wife, son, daughter and other family members who were being constantly harassed or threatened by security agents," Hu said in a telephone interview yesterday.
"One person who saw him immediately after he was released from prison saw bruises covering Gao's legs from the beatings he received," he said.
Gao became a prominent critic of the government's civil rights lapses between 2002 and last year, taking on cases involving property-rights violations and religious persecution. He was detained last August during a crackdown on activist Chinese lawyers.
He was convicted in December in a one-day trial based on nine articles posted on Web sites abroad, the official Xinhua news agency reported at that time.
In the first accounting of the charges against Gao, Xinhua said the articles "defamed and made rumors about China's current government and social system, conspiring to topple the regime."
Gao was sentenced to three years in prison but the sentence was suspended. Under the terms of his release, he was allowed to go home but could be returned to prison if he breaks the law during the next five years.
Earlier this month, Hu said he taped a conversation with Gao, who used a temporary mobile phone and number to contact him.
In the recording, which Hu released to journalists, Gao said there were at least 100 plainclothes agents surrounding his home and that his telephone had been cut off.
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
MAKING PROGRESS: Officials and industry leaders who participated in a defense forum last month agreed that Taiwan has the capabilities to work with the US, the report said Taiwan’s high-tech defense industry is to enhance collaboration with the US to produce weapons needed for self-defense, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the Legislative Yuan. Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) discussed building regional and global industry alliances with US partners at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Philadelphia held from Sept. 22 to Tuesday last week, the ministry said in the declassified portion of the report. The visit contributed to maintaining bilateral ties, facilitated Taiwan’s efforts to acquire weapons and equipment, and strengthened the resilience of the two nation’s defense industries, it said. Taiwan-US ties
CONCERNS: Allowing the government, political parties or the military to own up to 10 percent of a large media firm is a risk Taiwan cannot afford to take, a lawyer said A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator has proposed amendments to allow the government, political parties and the military to indirectly invest in broadcast media, prompting concerns of potential political interference. Under Article 1 of the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the government and political parties — as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them — cannot directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. A similar regulation is in the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法). “The purpose of banning the government, political parties and the military from investing in the media is to prevent them from interfering
RSS