INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE
REGARDING HU JIA’S DISAPPEARANCE

21 March 2006

 

PROFILE OF HU JIA

 

Hu Jia was born in Beijing on 25 July 1973. His registered name on Hukou is 胡嘉, although the alias 胡佳 is more commonly used. His family originated from Wuhu, Anhui Province, and was labeled as “rightist” in Mao’s era. Both his parents are 70.

 

As a devout Buddhist, Hu Jia has been a vegetarian since 1989.

 

Hu Jia is became an environmental activist in 1996, first participating in the anti-desertification campaigns in Engebei Dessert (Inner Mongolia). He then worked as a coordinator for University Green Camps to advocate public awareness of environmental protection and established websites dedicated to the cause. He had traveled to the Tibetan Plateau in an effort to protect Tibetan antelopes. A seasoned member of Friends of Nature, the largest environmental organization in China, Hu Jia had also stationed as representative for Friend of the Earth (HK) in Beijing.

 

Hu Jia has been an AIDS activist since 2001. He is co-founder of Beijing Aizhixing Institute of Health Education and Loving Source, a grassroots organization dedicated to help children from AIDS families. He traveled extensively in AIDS-stricken villages and campaigned for better protection of the rights of people with HIV/AIDS.

 

For the last three years, his attention focuses on socially under-privileged groups who suffer injustice and ill treatment. He never hesitates in helping those in need of it and he dares to speak out the truth.

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HU JIA’S DISAPPEARANCE

 

Since 2004, Hu Jia has been routinely subject to arbitrary detention by the State Security Police (SSP) of Chaoyang and Tongzhou Districts. Full details are not presented here for lack of complete records. Below are the cases of abuse of basic human rights against Hu Jia in 2006, as documented by his wife:

 

1) 9 – 22 January 2006: Tongzhou District SSP put Hu Jia under house arrest and surveillance without producing any legal warrant. Hu Jia was not allowed to leave home. To travel for emergent reasons, he must obtain permission from and be accompanied by SSP agents.

 

2) 9 February 2006: Tongzhou District SSP put Hu Jia under house arrest without producing any legal warrant. He was not allowed to leave home.

 

3) 11 – 16 February 2006: Tongzhou District SSP put Hu Jia under house arrest and surveillance without producing any legal warrant. Hu Jia was not allowed to leave home. To travel for emergent reasons, he must obtain permission from and be accompanied by SSP agents.

 

4) Since 16 February 2006: Hu Jia disappeared while under tight residential surveillance by the Tongzhou District SSP. His whereabouts are unclear and his family received no legal warrant or unofficial notification from the authorities.

 

9 A.M. 16 February 2006: Upon leaving for work, Hu Jia’s wife was greeted by SSP agent Yang Chuntao, who was in charge of the surveillance. He claimed that if his superiors granted permission, he would travel with Hu Jia to an AIDS meeting, to be held near the West 4th-Ring Road. Without such permission, Hu Jia must be subject to house arrest and stay at home.

 

9:10 A.M. Hu Jia and his mother had a brief telephone conversation.

 

9:46 A.M. Hu Jia’s wife failed to get in touch with him on the telephone. Subsequent contacts with his neighbours, landlord and the AIDS organization revealed no clue of his whereabouts. Hu Jia’s wife inquired with the SSP over the telephone but both agent Yang Chuntao and chief agent Xu denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. The SSP team (6-10 of them) outside their apartment left without notice.

 

There was no sign of fighting when Hu Jia went missing. He left without taking his daily necessities, medication or clothing.

...

  

THE MISSING FILMMAKER

 

A few weeks ago I received an unsolicited email inquiring whether I had any clue of the whereabouts of the author of Beijing or Bust, who had reportedly gone missing for three days. The email was sent to me because I had left a comment in his blog after being interviewed by NBC. Unfortunately, I didn't even know the blogger's name. In a subsequent email I was told not to publicise the news while "back-channels are being pursued".

 

Apparently their efforts have failed. Today the blogger is identified as Hao WU, a scientist-turned filmmaker, who had worked on sensitive topics such as underground Churches and the "Defending Rights" movement. He is now confirmed to have been detained by the Chinese authorities for nearly a month without a charge. An international campaign for his release has been lauched.

 

Link 1 --> Free Hao Wu (A mirror site, the original is unaccessible in China)

Link 2 --> Glutter's transcipt of the BBC discussion shortly before Hao Wu's disappearance

Link 3 --> Rebecca McKinnon reports the case in detail

 

 

 

Hao Wu ended one of his last blog entries with the following words: "I don't want to live in a society that doesn't allow me to express myself freely! But wait, would that land me in prison?" Who would have expected that such a seemingly innocent statement is so accurately prophetic!

 

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