World

Chinese Woman Sentenced to 1 Year Hard Labor Over Tweet

BEIJING (AP) — China has sentenced a woman to a year in a labor camp for “disrupting social order” by retweeting a satirical message urging Chinese protesters to smash the Japan pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, an international rights group said.

Cheng Jianping, 46, re-posted a message from the social networking site Twitter last month hinting that Chinese protesters should smash the Japan pavilion at the Shanghai Expo and adding on the message “Angry youth, charge!” according to Amnesty International, which condemned the sentence in a statement late Thursday.

Chinese Woman Sentenced to 1 Year Hard Labor Over Tweet

Amnesty and Cheng’s husband said her retweet was meant as satire, mocking anti-Japanese protesters who had grown in number since tensions between the countries increased after a dispute erupted in September over islands claimed by both Japan and China.

“Sentencing someone to a year in a labor camp, without trial, for simply repeating another person‘s clearly satirical observation on Twitter demonstrates the level of China’s repression of online expression,” Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Director Sam Zarifi said in a statement.

Cheng’s husband, Hua Chunhui, said he thought the government reacted the way it did to the tweet was because he and his wife are activists.

“My personal opinion is that this sentencing wasn’t about this one statement. The government wants to make an example of us activists,” said Hua, who lives in Wuxi in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu. “The government doesn’t like what we do. We actively communicate with other Chinese activists and celebrated on Twitter Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel prize.”

Hua told The Associated Press that he posted the original tweet because he was mad at all the anti-Japanese protests.

“So I posted that message on Twitter, satirically saying that if they really want to do something big, they should just get on a plane and attack the Japan pavilion at the expo. Of course, that is not possible.”

The Shanghai Expo was a major event treated with great sensitivity by China and any threats against it would have been taken seriously by the government. Authorities pulled out all the stops to make sure it was a success and imposed heavy security to ensure there were no disruptions. More than 70 million people visited it before it closed at the end of October after its six-month run.

Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Twitter is blocked in China, but some human rights activists use it by bypassing government controls.

Hua said his wife arrived at a labor re-education center in central China’s Henan Province on Wednesday evening. He said he is not allowed to visit her.

Cheng‘s sentencing comes as China is under fire for its hardline reaction to the Liu’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize. A Nobel official said Thursday that the award and prize may not be able to be handed out this year because China is not likely to let anyone from Liu’s family attend the ceremony.

Outraged by the award, Beijing has reportedly clamped down on Liu’s relatives and pressured other countries not to send representatives to the Dec. 10 award ceremony in Oslo.

The prestigious 10 million kronor ($1.4 million) award can only be collected by the laureate or close family members.

Liu, a Chinese dissident, is serving an 11-year sentence for subversion after co-authoring an appeal calling for reforms to China’s one-party political system. His wife, Liu Xia, has been under house arrest and subject to police escort since the award was announced last month.

Comments (61)

1 2
  • Gozer the Carpathian
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 3:25pm

    I feel sorry for my distant relatives. Most of my family escaped China way back around WWII. We’ve pulled as many as we can out of there but I know there are still some distant cousins and such still there. (Though in a sense I’m related to them all.)

    It is hard for those of us who have grown up being able to say and do whatever we want whenever we want to imagine a life where you have to watch what you say and when you say it. You can’t write certain things or even listen to certain music without someone watching out for you. Hell you can’t miss a period in China without government officialls inspecting you! O.O!

    Report Post » Gozer the Carpathian  
  • sodun
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 2:24pm

    And…um who exactly are the ones in our gov‘t who say china’s government is SO MUCH BETTER than ours?
    .
    I can see 2012 from my house!

    Report Post » sodun  
  • Constitutional
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 2:01pm

    A glimps of Obama & Sorros’s Utopia if ever allowed to materialize.
    God help us all.

    Report Post » Constitutional  
  • Freedom1984
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 1:37pm

    @ Obama_2012
    The problem with you is that you are TOO young to even know what we are talking about. You are so brainwashed by the schooling you get today, that you can’t even understand what the rest of us are talking about. Most people today actually worry that someday “the youth” ie: YOU, will be running the country. And you are too ignorant to know what it is you should be fighting for.

    Report Post » Freedom1984  
    • Obama_2012
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 2:26pm

      Freedom1984

      If TheBlaze had forums, I’d be happy to debate you on anything you guys are talking about. If you want, set up an account at debate.org and we can go toe to toe on whatever you like. Just know, if you step in the ring with a heavyweight, you better bring your A-game.

      Report Post » Obama_2012  
    • constitutionparty
      Posted on November 20, 2010 at 11:39am

      Don’t worry about obama 2012. He is obviously just a child that does not know how the world works. All these same things were said in the 60′s with the youth but when they grew up, got jobs and started paying bills and taxes it all changed and they became the Conservatives of today. I am not even that old to know this first hand but I read history. He thinks everyone here is old but everyone under 21 thinks that way. I am sure he is between 18 and 21, in college, parents pay his tuition and thinks he knows everything because he believes everything his professor tells him but never looks up the facts himself. He will eventually grow up and be a Conservative. He certainly is entitled to his opinion but he does not want to listen to anyone else. Hey nobama 2102… did I miss anything?

      Report Post »  
  • jidawei
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 12:09pm

    everyone just needs to realize the reason communist China is so heavy handed with it’s citizens-they are scared and petrified to lose power. Their long history is full of dynasties being overthrown by the people when the citizens become dissatisfied. China has been suffering from riots for some years now, and these rarely get reported. The communist party is frightened that their citizens will overthrow them as well and the rest of the world can hope that this will be the case

    Report Post »  
  • amerbur
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:13am

    I cannot take it any more. The fact that communist professors are educating our young adults in college is our crime. I am guilty. I allowed both of my children to be brainwashed by these monsters. I recommend that Americans refuse to send their children to colleges that spread this crap. Professors that do not allow free discussion of all points of view should be fired. Expose these creeps now. Film, them, expose them and fire them if they are trying to enslave our childrens minds.

    Report Post »  
  • nephewofdboone
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:10am

    China:
    This is shameful. Is the big, scary Chinese machine afraid of a little girl? You have three million men in your army, you’ve frightened your citizens into submission, and yet you still use these tactics to deal with a little girl?

    Report Post » nephewofdboone  
  • nephewofdboone
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:08am

    China:
    这是可耻的。是大的，可怕的中国小女孩的机器害怕吗？你有你的三百万军人，你害怕你们的公民就范，但你仍然可以使用这些策略来对付一个小女孩？

    Report Post » nephewofdboone  
  • Lessa Stone
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:57am

    OK people let’s borrow more and more money from China so we can become just like them.

    Report Post »  
  • bookofwisdom
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:45am

    China owns the United States. What our government has done is to sell us down the river. What are you going to do when China demands their money back? They have already told us that everything we buy from them is about to go up in price 30%. We no longer manufacture goods here, so they can up their prices as high as they want and we cannot do anything about it. America has cut it‘s nose off to spite it’s face (as my mother would have said). We The People have to stay vigilant; make our law makers toe the line and make better decisions. Let your voices be heard (but no profanity please). God will help us if we ask Him. Get on your knees America and pray that God will stand with us against our oppressors. May God Bless.

    Report Post » bookofwisdom  
    • free2bme1961
      Posted on November 20, 2010 at 3:03am

      So true! I saw a map that told of each location per state, where the fema camps are located….the one in Alaska is said to hold 500,000 people!….Yikes!!….let‘s just pray that tweeting isn’t considered a crime over here for quite awhile.

      Report Post » free2bme1961  
  • powhatan
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:42am

    Sososism……evil incarnate…..we humas just will not stop destroying ourselves

    Report Post » powhatan  
  • LIBERTYWORKS
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:30am

    Tryranny and hypocrisy at it’s finest. I keep telling my wife that this could always happen here in America. History keeps repeating itself. It’s just so absurd for a freaking tweet or post.

    Report Post »  
  • Ronko
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:18am

    Damn Commies, China says that they are a democratic state but thats a lie once a commie always a commie its like Russia they are waiting for the perfect time to strike like they did in Georgia 2 yrs ago.

    Report Post »  
  • missionarydad
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:03am

    How is that anywhere near a crime? this is sick. I will say one thing ironically this lady is lucky she isn’t in a Muslim country there you get death for speaking freely. Hard to believe but China which has a horrific human rights record is actually more humane than what we see in the first story. It really shows the importance of our mission to keep America from its slide.

    Report Post »  
  • joseph Fawcett
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:47am

    Hummmm, this is the model goverment that the world should look at to shape their future??? I am not impressed and I can see our present repersentives such as our President seem to be tring to create this form of goverment here. Is this really our Future??? Could be, if we don’t do something about it.

    http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist

    Report Post » joseph Fawcett  
  • Mikee T
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:45am

    Let’s be clear ONCE AGAIN…. We are a sovereign nation (or used to be)…..WE, the people, have our own constitution and way of life…….. We, don‘t need any other nation’s approval or any representatives thereof…..especially people like Soros……….who gives a #@uk what he thinks or wants…….. He can take himself, the AFL-CIO, the SEIU and the rest of the marxists to whatever country he wants to hang out in……….the message ? Get the @#ck out of Americans’s lives !!!!

    Report Post »  
    • Obama_2012
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:44am

      It must be hard knowing all the people that think like you are geriatrics who can’t fight. The only youth you could POSSIBLY attract would be libertarians, and they don’t want in because you have backwards idiots like Huckabee that think abortion should be a national issue. And on top of that, you teapeople run around in costumes from 300 years ago! HAHAHAHAHA! Who is EVER going to take you seriously? It‘s a good thing you guys don’t actually read what Beck writes or you’d know to show up to Washington in SUITS, WITHOUT SIGNS. I mean, you might actually hire a lobbying group or something.

      I’m going to clue you in on a secret. My side doesn’t have to fight. You know why? We’re young. We don’t depend on Social Security and Medicare to stay alive. If the world collapses like you pray for every day, we‘ll take your land and gold when you can’t make it and start over THE RIGHT WAY.

      Report Post » Obama_2012  
    • ArmyWifeNiz
      Posted on November 20, 2010 at 12:01am

      Wow…taking our land (which we worked long and hard for) our gold (which we worked long and hard for) by force…yep, you are a communist.

      Report Post » ArmyWifeNiz  
  • teddrunk
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:19am

    Remember, Soros said this was a better form of government that what’s in America.

    Report Post »  
  • printdesignchicago.com
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:19am

    isn’t communism wonderful and observant of human rights?

    Report Post » printdesignchicago.com  
  • oldasdirt
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:17am

    If George Orwell was alive today,he would be saying”See,I told ya so”.

    Report Post » oldasdirt  
  • M31Sailor
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:17am

    How much prison time would Chris “another friend of Angelo” Dodd get for that concise tweet he gave yesterday ? Our reeducation camp seems to be located on the banks of the Potomac River

    Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • TheBees
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:15am

    Yep, we’ll see it here soon enough! But as I always say, if you come to take me away just because of my political stance, bring one thing. LOT’S OF BODY BAGS!

    Report Post »  
  • starman70
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:15am

    A view into the future if the far left has its way in America? You bet! The Washington Commies are proposing the very same censorship ideas used in China.

    Report Post »  
  • Goohuman
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:12am

    The Chinese prove once again that their system is too fragile to survive any type of dissent.

    Report Post » Goohuman  
    • john seven eighteen
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:17am

      But it would be the perfect place for Sean Penn, would it not? After all, he wants to imprison those of us who call Chavez a dictator.

      Report Post » john seven eighteen  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:10am

    Jay Rockefeller would feel right at home in China. He would love to sentence Roger Ailes to hard labor.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • halfbrain
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:28am

      They call it re-education camps…sound so nice you can almost picture her roasting marshmallows and singing songs to honor Mao.

      Report Post »  
  • booger71
    Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:07am

    Coming to America soon.

    “Hua said his wife arrived at a labor re-education center in central China’s Henan Province on Wednesday evening. He said he is not allowed to visit her.”

    Report Post » booger71  
    • john seven eighteen
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:16am

      Baby steps. It all starts with baby steps.

      Report Post » john seven eighteen  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:17am

      Coming to America very soon at the rate we are going.

      People, please I ask of you to join the Prayer Crusade, just join in prayer with one other person each day who believes in the power of prayer and seek the intervention of God for protection and guidance of our families, communities, and the nation. One person can make a difference, and many of us in union making the stand with Him from above can make our land greater than before.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • halfbrain
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:20am

      gotta love the commies…other than the whole re-education camp thing, this story reminds me of NPR’s treatment of Juan Williams.

      Report Post »  
    • HKS
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:59am

      Yep, Communism still works. Like it always has.

      Report Post » HKS  
    • Major Infidel
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:17am

      Not as long as I’m still breathing, Booger. John Wayne called and said enough is enough, it’s time to get your hands dirty America, before you lose her.

      Report Post » Major Infidel  
    • Obama_2012
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:39am

      booger71

      Coming soon when your crowd takes office. Does George Bush’s(and Glenn Beck approved) PATRIOT Act ring a bell? Funny how you guys want to restore liberty, but your mind-conditioners are completely silent on the most egregious abuse of liberty since Lincoln. Maybe they’re not really on your side. Maybe they’re just riling you up so they can make a move on the Presidency in 2012 to install another Bush. No, they wouldn’t be USING YOU. Naaaahhhhh

      Obama_2012  
    • A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:24am

      This is what will happen here in America if Net Neutrality, government back door access to secure systems, or the position of a Cyber Security Czar, etc., gets passed.

      Report Post »  
    • Soldier4Christ
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:33am

      Hey Osama_2012, how about we NOT enact the Patriot Act and instead allow terrorists to infiltrate our country? You and your president would like that wouldnt you? If not, then you dummies would realize that the law was limited to avoiding another terrorist attack. It did its job just fine and not one non-terrorist felt its affects.

      Report Post » Soldier4Christ  
    • Obama_2012
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:56am

      Soldier4Christ

      Congratulations, I’ve never seen so much ignorance condensed into so small a space. And the wit of changing my name to “Osama”? I mean, the originality and cleverness there is ASTOUNDING.

      Where to start? How about your name “Murderer in the name of Christ”? How many “soldiers” do you think Jesus would have approved of during the Crusades? Or are we not allowed to talk about your slaughtering past because only brown people are so barbaric?

      “the law was limited to avoiding another terrorist attack”
      And just how do warantless searches, in violation of the Constitution, the highest law in the land, accomplish that? You either believe in the Constitution and defend it, or you don’t right? Show me the enumerated power for the FBI to collect library records, and then explain how it is used to combat terrorism? You can’t. Explain how eavesdropping on voice and digital communications is part of the Founders’ philosophy. You can’t. Here’s an easy one, show me where in the Constitution warantless searches are permitted PERIOD.

      “not one non-terrorist felt its affects”
      No? What about Yasir Afifi, who found an FBI tracking device on his car? No warrant, no reason. But hey, it‘s okay because he’s one of the mosselmen huh? They don’t have rights in “your America”. Go back to your cave you uninformed, one-sided thinking tool.

      Obama_2012  
    • Resolved
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 1:25pm

      Obama2012, I’m pretty sure the Sedition Act of 1918, (passed by Progressive Beloved Woodrow Wilson), is still the most egregious abuse of liberty EVER in the United States. I seem to recall Nancy Pelosi calling immigration officials “Un-American” and used the same word to describe people who didn’t believe in President Obama. The Patriot Act wasn’t my favorite piece of legislation, but I understand why it was implemented (doesn’t mean I necessary agree with it). That said, George Bush never once said that disagreeing with him was “Un-American”, nor did he ever jail people for speaking out against his administration or policies. The Liberal Community still holds the exclusive rights to those crimes, so don’t pretend you somehow have the moral high ground here.

      Report Post » Resolved  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 2:00pm

      Just wait til the FCC passes the new internet rules.

      Report Post »  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 2:16pm

      If I remember it correctly OBAMA also EXTENDED it.. RING A BELL??

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • Beckofile
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 3:55pm

      Could we just implement these sorta tactics against our illegal aliens? Why do we let foreign countries talk down to us for trying to deal with our problem when this is how they deal with theirs? No credibility, just like any progressive regime.

      Report Post » Beckofile  
    • chazman
      Posted on November 19, 2010 at 4:00pm

      I guess you will do prison time for being too much of a LOUSY COMMIE in China! Well, that’s what the Chinese get for being commies: prison time. I mean, no one likes commies here at the Blaze, do they? Honestly, commies suck beyond all description, don’t ya think? In China, if you are not a LOUSY COMMIE yer a slave, and they have approximately 800 million slaves in COMMUNIST CHINA!!. COMMUNISM SUCKS, don’t ya think?

      Report Post »  
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