Imprisoned China blogger, human rights activist Hu Jia receives Sakharov Prize

Posted by Xeni Jardin, November 19, 2008 7:17 PM |

The imprisoned Chinese blogger and human rights activist Hu Jia today received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Europe’s most prestigious human rights prize. Snip from NYT article:

The award was a pointed rebuke of China’s ruling Communist Party that came as European leaders were arriving in Beijing for a weekend summit meeting. Mr. Hu, 35, was given the prize by the European Parliament despite warnings from Beijing that his selection would harm relations with the European Union.

Last year, Mr. Hu testified via video link before a hearing of the European Parliament about China’s human rights situation. Weeks later, he was jailed and later sentenced to three and a half years in prison for subversion based on his writings criticizing Communist Party rule.

Mr. Hu has been one of China’s leading figures on a range of human rights issues, while also speaking out on behalf of AIDS patients and for environmental protection. He had been considered a front-runner for the Nobel Peace Prize, but lost to the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari. “Hu Jia is one of the real defenders of human rights in the People’s Republic of China,” said the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering. “The European Parliament is sending out a signal of clear support to all those who support human rights in China.

Chinese Activist Wins Rights Prize (NYT). Embedded video above: Prisoners in Freedom City, an autobiographical internet video documentary about his case, available in multiple parts on YouTube (links to single-file editions there). Hu Jia's case is documented and updated regularly on Twitter. His wife and supporters are very concerned about his health in prison; he has symptoms of liver disease, and information about his whereabouts, condition, and treatment in prison is unavailable. See also this related Los Angeles Times editorial: China should free dissident Hu Jia. Here is Amnesty International's statement.
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Discussion

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#1 posted by Trnck , November 19, 2008 9:13 PM

If this ever, I mean EVER get into Chinese people's eyes, still no one will believe that this is damn real. He will only be recognized as someone participating in terrorism or something like that...

The Chinese government is good at propaganda against human activists and democracy, if you don't know...

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#2 posted by Takuan , November 19, 2008 9:19 PM

they are rioting in the streets already. Maybe not about rights (now it's money and a living), but it is coming.

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#3 posted by duncan , November 19, 2008 9:39 PM

HA! In your face Communist Party of China!!

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#4 posted by Takuan , November 19, 2008 9:51 PM

I don't think the party even really exists any more.

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#6 posted by evolucien , November 20, 2008 12:09 PM

What an indication of the bad things China does to its own people! This is just the fingernail of many of the atrocities, I'm sure.

Every country, however, has its shamefulness and wrong doings. What scares me are the things governments do that go unreported.

Though branded as a criminal often, I feel a real patriot is someone who stands up and reveals the ugliness of a government.

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