China Puts Environmentalist on Trial
Wednesday May 17, 2006
A Chinese environmental activist went on trial in China this week for allegedly stealing state secrets, but his real crime appears to be attempting to register an independent environmental group.
Tan Kai, a computer technician, has been in police custody since Oct. 19, 2005 after he opened a bank account as part of his attempt to register “Green Watch,” which he and five other activists launched informally last year. The six were inspired to start Green Watch after a violent protest shut down chemical plants after pollution from the plants had led to crop failures and birth defects.
Green Watch was later banned by Chinese officials. All six Green Watch activists were summoned and questioned by police, but only Tan was arrested and charged.
Tan’s trial is being held in the Xihu District People's Court in the city of Hangzhou in eastern China. He pleaded innocent at a hearing on Monday.
According to Human Rights in China, a nonprofit organization based in New York, the charges against Tan are based on some repairs he made to a computer that belonged to a Communist Party official. In the course of that work, Tan made a routine backup of files on the computer hard drive, which enabled police to charge him with illegally obtaining state secrets.
China’s rapid industrial and economic growth have led to a wide range of environmental problems—from air pollution to contaminated drinking water—and Chinese officials have called for urgent action to address those issues. At the same time, the Chinese government is suspicious of environmentalists and allows only a small number of environmental groups to operate.
More information: China begins trial of environmentalist (MSNBC/Associated Press)
China environmentalist goes on trial over state secrets (Yahoo News)
Tan Kai, a computer technician, has been in police custody since Oct. 19, 2005 after he opened a bank account as part of his attempt to register “Green Watch,” which he and five other activists launched informally last year. The six were inspired to start Green Watch after a violent protest shut down chemical plants after pollution from the plants had led to crop failures and birth defects.
Green Watch was later banned by Chinese officials. All six Green Watch activists were summoned and questioned by police, but only Tan was arrested and charged.
Tan’s trial is being held in the Xihu District People's Court in the city of Hangzhou in eastern China. He pleaded innocent at a hearing on Monday.
According to Human Rights in China, a nonprofit organization based in New York, the charges against Tan are based on some repairs he made to a computer that belonged to a Communist Party official. In the course of that work, Tan made a routine backup of files on the computer hard drive, which enabled police to charge him with illegally obtaining state secrets.
China’s rapid industrial and economic growth have led to a wide range of environmental problems—from air pollution to contaminated drinking water—and Chinese officials have called for urgent action to address those issues. At the same time, the Chinese government is suspicious of environmentalists and allows only a small number of environmental groups to operate.
More information: China begins trial of environmentalist (MSNBC/Associated Press)
China environmentalist goes on trial over state secrets (Yahoo News)
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