LINYI, China, Nov. 12, 2011/Christian Newswire --
Women's Rights Without Frontiers has obtained a report from Chen Guangcheng's 2005 investigation into coercive family planning in Linyi County, Shandong Province. This report was drafted by human rights attorney, Teng Biao. Read the report here.
Since Chen's investigation exposed the fact that there were 130,000 forced abortions and sterilizations in Linyi in 2005, he was jailed for four years and three months. He remains under house arrest, where he has been tortured and denied medical treatment. His health is in jeopardy. Thousands will celebrate Chen's 40th birthday today, November 12.
Women's Rights Without Frontiers President, Reggie Littlejohn, stated, "It is an honor to release this report on the 40th birthday of Chen Guangcheng. For the first time, the world can read actual witness statements from cases that landed Chen in jail. The Chinese Communist Party has attempted to silence Chen, but they cannot silence the voices of millions in China crying for freedom."
In this report are accounts of a woman forcibly aborted and sterilized at seven months; villagers sleeping in fields to evade Family Planning Officials; Officials who broke three brooms over the head of an elderly man and forced a grandmother and her brother to beat each other. There is a detailed discussion of the practice of "implication" - the detention, fining and torture of the extended family of One Child Policy "violators."
"Chen is suffering for doing what we are doing: exposing the truth behind forced abortion and sterilization in China," Littlejohn said. "A report went out that Chen may have paid for this with his life, so we are even more determined to carry on this work in his name. We demand the immediate release and medical attention for Chen and his family."
Things may not have improved in Linyi since 2005. Earlier this year, Family Planning Officials stabbed a man to death. In addition, a woman who was six months pregnant recently died during a forced abortion in Lijing County, also in Shandong Province.
"The spirit of the Cultural Revolution lives on in China's Family Planning death machine. We have chosen to release the names of the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity, so that they can be held accountable before the world," said Littlejohn.
Littlejohn urges those who support Chen to join the Chen Sunglasses Freedom Campaign. "People everywhere are taking a picture of themselves wearing sunglasses in honor of Chen, and sending it to be posted on the WRWF website and Free Chen websites inside China, showing that they care about Chen and want him to be free."
Watch a 3 minute video about Chen and sign a petition to free him.
