More people are being interrogated and abused by police in China, for signing the manifesto "Charter 08". China Human Rights Defenders reported that at least 143 people have been interrogated so far by police on the matter.
More people are being interrogated and abused by police in China, for signing the manifesto "Charter 08". China Human Rights Defenders reported that at least 143 people have been interrogated so far by police on the matter.
Charter 08 was released on the Internet on 10 December 2008, which marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It calls for political reform in the country, such as the separation of powers, democracy, freedom of _expression and election of people's representatives.
The arrests, interrogations, and harassments continued shortly before January 2009. Liu Di, a prominent writer from Beijing and a signatory to the charter, was placed under house arrest. The police also arrested the writer Zhao Dagong, another signatory. Police interrogated many, including three lawyers in Beijing: Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian and Li Xiongbin.
University is not exception for this control by the Chinese government: Peking University banned students from expressing any support for the charter. One professor of Beijing University has been transferred to another school for signing it.
On 11 March, People in Need, a human rights organisation in Czech Republic, presented the Homo Homini Award to Liu Xiaobo and all the signatories to Charter 08. This award is to recognise persons with outstanding contribution in promoting human rights.
