Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng (Chinese陈光诚/陈光诚, Pinyin Chén Guangcheng, born November 12, 1971) is a blind since childhood Chinese dissident and human rights activist.

Commitment

Chen Guangcheng, the self-taught appropriated legal expertise, was primarily known for his commitment to the one-child policy of the People 's Republic of China. He advised his villagers Shandong Province juridical, who wanted to fight against forced sterilization and forced abortion. Time magazine in 2006 resulted in Chen on its list of the 100 most influential people under the category of " Heroes and Pioneers ". 2007 Chen was honored for his efforts with the Ramon Magsaysay Award -. His wife wanted to take the prize in the Philippines in reception, but was prevented at the Beijing airport by the police on their journey. For the fate of Chen Guangchengs both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International put an.

Detention and process

Since September 6, 2005 Chen Guangcheng under house arrest. He was together with his cousin Chen Guangyu and a neighbor arrested in March 2006 by the police and officially registered in June 2006 as arrested. On 18 August 2006 his case before the People's Court in Yinan was negotiated. Both his wife and his two lawyers were prevented from participating in the trial. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Although an appeal to the Court of Appeal in Linyi in October of the same year yielded a set aside the judgment on the basis of procedural errors. In the second, also unfair trial, again in Yinan, the same sentence was pronounced again. The Court of Appeal in Linyi then confirmed on 12 January 2007, the final judgment.

Chen's wife Yuan Weijing reported that her husband was allegedly beaten by fellow inmates in June 2007 because he refused to let himself head shaved bald. He then resigned in protest hunger strike.

A team of journalists ARD was threatened in January 2008 during a visit of Ms. Chen Guangchengs of civilian police and prevented from visiting Chen in prison.

Dismissal and house arrest

In September 2010, Chen was released after the expiry of his more than four years in prison. He returned to his village Dongshigu. Human rights groups reported that Chen was under close surveillance and virtual house arrest. At his home surveillance cameras have been installed. Chen was after imprisonment mentally in good shape, but physically weak. Since July 2008, he suffers from a chronic gastrointestinal inflammation, which has not been adequately treated medically in prison.

In early 2011 succeeded Chen, a video in which he documented with the help of his wife the terms of his house arrest and constant surveillance by the secret police, to play abroad, where it was released. In response, he was beaten up by employees of Chinese security services.

Flight and emigration to the United States

In April 2012, Chen Guangcheng managed to escape from house arrest. His family was mistreated during his house arrest. Conjectures, Chen fled to the U.S. Embassy, were initially not confirmed by U.S. diplomats. The Chinese civil rights activist Peirong He also announced that they 've helped bring Chen " in a relatively safe place " to. Later, she was even arrested, their blogs were erased. In early May it was announced that Chen had been in hiding in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

Because of its use against unwanted abortions in China Chen Guangcheng was stylized by conservative parts of the U.S. policy to Chris Smith an icon of their struggle against unwanted abortions. In this context, they put pressure on the U.S. foreign policy in order to obtain a support Chen's by the United States.

Chen left the U.S. Embassy after six days, according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua from " own free will " to be brought to a medical facility in the capital. After the guide had him released in Beijing to make an application for study abroad, gave the U.S. State Department announced that Chen had received a scholarship to an American university. This entitles the departure of his wife and children. Once Chen have received from the Chinese authorities a pass, it 'll be the U.S. Embassy " quickly " issue travel documents. After he had to leave permitted surprising the authorities, he and his family were able to leave on May 19, 2012 by Beijing from China and take a flight to New York.