Thursday, February 09, 2006

2nd Victim

It was reported in Reuters today that Li Zhi, a Chinese writer and activist, was sentenced to 8 years in prison in China after Yahoo! revealed his identity to Chinese authorities.

Reporters Without Borders has called upon Yahoo! to reveal the names of all the cyberdissidents whose identities they have revealed to the Chinese Secret Police. "The firm says it simply responds to requests from the authorities for data without ever knowing what it will be used for. But this argument no longer holds water. Yahoo certainly knew it was helping to arrest political dissidents and journalists, not just ordinary criminals. The company must answer for what it is doing at the US congressional hearing set for February 15."

Li is a 35-year-old ex-civil servant, and was sentenced on December 10, 2003 to eight years in prison for "inciting subversion." He had been arrested the previous August after he used an online discussion group to criticize the corruption of local officials. According to one website, Mr. Li has Hepatitis B in jail, and his condition is worsening.

According to Reporters Without Borders, 49 cyberdissidents and 32 journalists are in prison in China for posting on the Internet articles and criticism of the authorities.

How many of these wrongfully imprisoned were rooted out with Yahoo!'s help?

Please, help us by boycotting Yahoo! This organization needs to change this despicable practice.

(Note: The picture I posted was of another man with a very similar name, who was alos a prisoner of conscience in China. If anyone can locate a picture of Mr. Li, I would appreciate it.)

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am sickened that YAHOO would assist the Chinese in suppressing dissidence. The Chinese authorities are known for torturing and executing those who voice criticism. The idea that business, American business, takes precedence over human rights in downright Hitlerian, and I hope, fervently, that the executives at YAHOO are held responsible for their human rights violations. Maybe the next President will have a conscience, and will insist that American companies DO NOT AID AND ASSIST IN THE TORTURE OF DISSIDENTS.

YAHOO, if I could, I would put put a curse on you...

Sorry, this behavior on the part of YAHOO is inexplicable to me.

They must have sociopaths in their executive suites, that can be the only explanation.

Anyway, please keep posting on this issue, and I will help anyway I can...

3:47 PM  

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