Celebration dinner for Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, Chongqing human rights activist Chen Mingyu sentenced

Last Wednesday, March 26, in Chongqing, human rights activist Chen Mingyu was sentenced to two years and six months in prison by the Yubei District Court of Chongqing on charges of “provocation and troublemaking.” Chen Mingyu has appealed the decision, and her family and supporters are urging the international community to continue paying attention to her case.

Upon the announcement of the court verdict, Chen Mingyu expressed shock and anger, insisting on her innocence and immediately filing an appeal. She argued that her activities were in line with the rights granted by the constitution and that the accusations by the authorities were the real violation of the law.

The incident originated on May 20 last year, the day of the presidential inauguration of the Republic of China, when Chen Mingyu and over twenty other human rights activists gathered for a meal in Chongqing to celebrate. Subsequently, they were summoned by the authorities, with many being detained, and Chen Mingyu was arrested on July 4 of the same year.

After being arrested, Chen Mingyu went through procedures such as criminal detention, arrest, and prosecution. Her case ultimately went to trial at the Yubei District Court where the verdict was delivered.

A friend of Chen Mingyu, Mr. Song, stated on April 2 that her sentencing indicates a continuous escalation of suppression against human rights activists by the authorities. He said, “I know Chen Mingyu, she is from Yubei District. In mainland China, everything is at the mercy of the authorities. You know, the space for free speech is getting tighter, we all live in the mainland, once you say something, it will be troublesome. Now they are arbitrarily arresting people without following the law, as long as they want to arrest someone, they just do it.”

On the day of the trial, Chen Mingyu’s son, Yuan Chang, was also present. He became emotional upon learning of his mother’s two-and-a-half-year sentence, believing that he had been deceived and threatened by the police before and had not promptly disclosed his mother’s detention to the outside world, indirectly leading to this outcome.

Mr. Zhou from Chongqing stated that the local government is becoming increasingly sensitive to public gatherings out of fear that attendees might criticize the government.

Chen Mingyu has been actively involved in human rights actions and has faced repression repeatedly. Several media outlets reported that on August 1, 2020, Chen Mingyu was forcibly taken away by three to four unidentified individuals in Huashi Village, Yubei District, Chongqing. At that time, her son tried to intervene but was attacked and injured. The police, upon receiving reports, made excuses and did not respond promptly.

On October 20, 2019, she was also kidnapped by unidentified individuals at the waiting pavilion of Chongqing North Station. She was on her way to register a case at the Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court but was taken to the Shuanglong Lake Subdistrict Office, where her ID was confiscated.

Chen Mingyu’s human rights activism stems from the injustices her family has faced. Over twenty years ago, her brother, Chen Minghua, was shot dead by the police in a land dispute, his body forcibly cremated, and his ashes still confiscated. In 2014, the local government forcibly demolished her family’s house, leading Chen Mingyu to petition extensively, continuously exposing government corruption, and facing numerous instances of suppression.

The verdict in Chen Mingyu’s case has once again drawn international attention to the human rights situation in China.