China slams jail door on Olympic dissent

BEIJING–In the darkest of ironies, as the Olympic torch was lit in Athens yesterday, a court in China sentenced a man to five years in prison after he dared to say the principle of human rights is more important than the Olympic Games.

Unemployed former factory worker, Yang Chunlin, 54, gathered more than 10,000 signatures on a petition last year, appealing against illegal seizures of land from poor farmers by powerful local officials in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang.

The petition letter began: "We want human rights, not the Olympics."

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The Olympic torch was lit in Athens yesterday, but at the same time, a court in China sentenced Yang Chunlin to five years in jail. The irony of the situation is that Chunlin was charged after he said that human rights were more important than the Olympics.

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China Activist Formally Arrested

A prominent Chinese activist has been formally arrested more
than a month after
being taken into custody.

Hu Jia, who publicises human rights abuses across China, has been accused of
inciting subversion of state power.

Campaigners say his arrest shows that China is not keeping its promise to
improve human rights ahead of this year's Beijing Olympic Games.

He had become a kind of one-man clearing house for information, passing it on
to journalists, organisations and foreign embassies.

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This article is one that is a cause for great discomfort. It clearly exemplifies the lack of progress in China in regards to human rights.

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Human rights questions remain for China

With a year to go before the 2008 Olympics get under way, questions linger over China's efforts to improve its human rights record.

Observers and pressure groups have criticized the efforts of the Chinese government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since Beijing won the bid in 2001, rejecting assertions by both that the Games will lead to lasting positive change in the world's most populous nation.

After praising Beijing's preparations as "excellent across the board," the IOC official charged with overseeing Beijing's preparations, Hein Verbruggen, sparked further anger from advocacy groups with his recent comments that, "...the way the Games are being used as a platform for groups with political and social agendas is often regrettable.''

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There was some talk by Chinese leaders in Bejing that the Olympics would be part of the process to help develop human rights. While some don't believe this, the article does say that the 2008 Olympics will be a good opportunity for China to "show the world China's great achievements in the economy and infrastructure and to demonstrate their diplomatic clout."

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