Name: Liu
Shaokun
Age:
54
Duration of
Incarceration: Started a one year sentence on June 25.
Crime: After China's
devastating earthquake in May, Liu, a teacher, posted online
photographs of collapsed schools in the city of Deyang. Although the
government promised to investigate the circumstances surrounding the schools'
poor construction, it instead cracked down on groups calling for reform. And, in
that spirit, the government's public security bureau in Deyang has accused Liu
of "deliberately inciting families of victims to petition and disseminating
anti-government rumours."
Factoid: Families
of victims who died in the schools are being pressured to accept
financial compensation from the government in exchange for promising not to
protest against the government or initiate legal action.
More info: www.hrichina.org.
--Eric Zimmermann