Authorities Accuse Rights Defender Guo Feixiong of Illegally Operating a Business

October 3, 2006

Guangzhou police have accused rights defender Yang Maodong (who uses the pen name Guo Feixiong) of posing as a publisher, misappropriating the book numbers of various publications, and illegally publishing, printing, and issuing over 20,000 publications, according to a September 15 Guangzhou Daily report (in Chinese, via the Guangdong provincial government Web site). The report characterized Guo's alleged wrongdoing as "illegal operation of a business," a crime punishable under Article 225 of the Criminal Law.

Guangzhou police have accused rights defender Yang Maodong (who uses the pen name Guo Feixiong) of posing as a publisher, misappropriating the book numbers of various publications, and illegally publishing, printing, and issuing over 20,000 publications, according to a September 15 Guangzhou Daily report (in Chinese, via the Guangdong provincial government Web site). The report characterized Guo's alleged wrongdoing as "illegal operation of a business," a crime punishable under Article 225 of the Criminal Law. The Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) have both reported that police took Guo from his home during the early morning of September 14, and that they are currently holding him at the Guangzhou No. 1 Detention Center. According to a September 15 RFA report, police delivered a search warrant to Zhang Qing, Guo’s wife, to search the couple's home and also gave her a notice stating that they had placed Guo in criminal detention. An RFA report (in Chinese) on the same day noted that Guo was previously a book dealer, but that he has dedicated himself to rights advocacy in 2006 and currently earns no income.

Guo served in 2005 as an advisor to the law firm of Beijing lawyer Gao Zhisheng, and took part in an early 2006 hunger strike relay that Gao initiated to protest government abuses. Hong Kong news media have recognized both men as lawyers who have been subject to Chinese government repression as a result of their criminal and civil rights defense work. Beijing authorities shut down Gao's law firm in late 2005 and have held him incommunicado since August 15, 2006, for alleged criminal activity. A September 15 VOA report (in Chinese) quotes rights defender Hu Jia as saying that Guo's detention may be part of an effort to threaten those who are rallying to provide assistance in Gao's case.

Guo's current detention comes one year after police initially held him incommunicado in connection with a recall campaign by villagers in Taishi, Guangdong province. Authorities held Guo incommunicado from September 13, 2005, until October 4, when they charged him with the crime of "gathering people to disturb public order." On December 27, they released Guo and dismissed all criminal charges against him. After Guo's release, the Guangdong Public Security Bureau circulated a report that blamed a succession of mass protests in 2005 on "disputes over so-called rights defense," and indicated that public security officials would concentrate in 2006 on striking against "hostile forces" who attempt to politicize or write about sensitive issues that may threaten social stability in Guangdong. About one month before Guangzhou police detained Guo on September 14, 2006, they took into custody Feng Qiusheng, one of the leaders of the Taishi recall campaign, according to an August 5 South China Morning Post report. No update on Feng's case was available as of the date of Guo's detention.

For additional information about Guo, see his record of detention, searchable through the CECC's Political Prisoner Database. For additional information about the government's repression of rights defenders, including lawyers, or about the Taishi recall campaign, see the CECC's 2006 Annual Report. The Report's Recommendations note that "China's leaders say they are committed to building a fair and just society based on the rule of law, and, in an effort to control social unrest, have moved toward strengthening government institutions that assist citizens with legal claims." The Recommendations urge that a full commitment to the rule of law will "require the Chinese government to cease its harassment, surveillance, and abuse of citizens such as [legal advocate Guo Feixiong], and to allow courageous lawyers such as Gao Zhisheng … to resume their important legal advocacy."