5 December 2005
Journalist does forced labour while Prime Minister Wen Jiabao
signs contracts in France
signs contracts in France
As Chinese Prime Minister Wen continued a four-day visit to
France that began yesterday, Reporters Without Borders today said it
has confirmed that journalist Shi Tao, who is serving a 10-year-prison
sentence, is having to do forced labour and he is suffering from
respiratory problems and a skin inflammation.
France that began yesterday, Reporters Without Borders today said it
has confirmed that journalist Shi Tao, who is serving a 10-year-prison
sentence, is having to do forced labour and he is suffering from
respiratory problems and a skin inflammation.
Shi, who was convicted of "illegally divulging state secrets
abroad" on the basis of information provided by Yahoo!, is being
forced to work without pay in a jewellery factory attached to Chishan
prison in Hunan province, to which he was transferred on 5 September
after being held for several months in Taiyuan, in Shanxi province,
south-west of Beijing.
abroad" on the basis of information provided by Yahoo!, is being
forced to work without pay in a jewellery factory attached to Chishan
prison in Hunan province, to which he was transferred on 5 September
after being held for several months in Taiyuan, in Shanxi province,
south-west of Beijing.
According to his family, many of the inmates have pneumonia or
other respiratory ailments because of the products used in the cutting
and polishing of the jewels and the dust created. The jewellery is
sold by the prison authorities. Shi’s mother is also worried about
this health because he has had ulcer and heart problems for several
years.
other respiratory ailments because of the products used in the cutting
and polishing of the jewels and the dust created. The jewellery is
sold by the prison authorities. Shi’s mother is also worried about
this health because he has had ulcer and heart problems for several
years.
The prison, located on an island in the middle of Lake Dongting,
near the town of Yuanjiang, is a top-security centre reserved for
convicts serving at sentences of at least 10 years. According Chinese
Rights Defenders Network, most of the inmates are organised crime
members, political prisoners and followers of the Falun Gong spiritual
movement.
near the town of Yuanjiang, is a top-security centre reserved for
convicts serving at sentences of at least 10 years. According Chinese
Rights Defenders Network, most of the inmates are organised crime
members, political prisoners and followers of the Falun Gong spiritual
movement.
Reporters Without Borders calls on the French authorities to
intercede on Shi’s behalf. "We must not let the economic and
scientific partnership between France and China hide Beijing’s
repressive policies towards free expression," the organisation said.
"We believe that France must place stress on the need to release
prisoners of conscience in the course of its talks with the Chinese
authorities."<!–
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intercede on Shi’s behalf. "We must not let the economic and
scientific partnership between France and China hide Beijing’s
repressive policies towards free expression," the organisation said.
"We believe that France must place stress on the need to release
prisoners of conscience in the course of its talks with the Chinese
authorities."<!–
D(["mb","
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At least 32 journalists and 62 cyberdissidents are currently in\r\nprison in China.
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CHINE – FRANCE
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Alors que Wen Jiabao signe des contrats en France, le\r\njournaliste Shi Tao est soumis au travail forcé
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Alors que le Premier ministre chinois Wen Jiabao est en visite en\r\nFrance du 4 au 7 décembre 2005, Reporters sans frontières a pu\r\nconfirmer que le journaliste emprisonné Shi Tao est contraint au\r\ntravail forcé. Condamné à dix ans de prison pour\r\n"divulgation illégale de secrets d\’Etat à l\’étranger"\r\nsur la base d\’informations transmises par Yahoo !, le journaliste\r\nsouffre de problèmes respiratoires et d\’irritation de la peau. Il\r\nest en effet contraint de travailler, sans aucune forme de\r\nrémunération, dans une fabrique de bijoux dépendante de la prison de\r\nChishan dans la province du Hunan (centre du pays). Il y a été\r\ntransféré le 5 septembre dernier après avoir été détenu\r\npendant plusieurs mois à Taiyuan (province du Shanxi, au sud-ouest\r\nde Pékin).
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Selon la famille de Shi Tao, de nombreux prisonniers sont\r\natteints de pneumonie et d\’autres maladies respiratoires en raison\r\ndes poussières dégagées et des produits utilisés pendant la\r\ncoupe et le polissage de ces bijoux ensuite commercialisés par les\r\nautorités pénitentiaires. Sa mère est également inquiète car\r\nle journaliste souffre depuis plusieurs années de crises\r\nd\’ulcère et d\’une fragilité cardiaque.
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Le centre de détention localisé sur une île au milieu du\r\nlac Dongting (près de la ville de Yuanjiang) est réservé aux\r\ndétenus condamnés à des peines supérieures à dix ans\r\nd\’incarcération. Selon le Chinese Rights Defenders Network, cette\r\nprison de haute sécurité accueille surtout des criminels, des\r\nchefs mafieux, des prisonniers politiques et des adeptes du mouvement\r\nspirituel Falungong.
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Reporters sans frontières demande aux autorités françaises\r\nd\’intervenir en faveur du journaliste Shi Tao. « Le partenariat\r\néconomique et scientifique entre la France et la Chine populaire ne\r\ndoit pas occulter la politique répressive du gouvernement de Pékin\r\nà l\’encontre de la liberté d\’expression. Nous estimons que la\r\nFrance doit, dans le cadre de son dialogue avec les autorités\r\nchinoises, porter l\’accent sur la libération des prisonniers\r\nd\’opinion», a affirmé l\’organisation.”,1]
);
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At least 32 journalists and 62 cyberdissidents are currently in
prison in China.
prison in China.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 