China

Beijing Police Release Crusading Lawyer

By Austin Ramzy | @austinramzy | August 24, 2009 | +

This weekend authorities released Xu Zhiyong, the lawyer who was arrested last month in an investigation into the taxes of the legal research group he heads. Zhuang Lu, an assistant, was also let out of jail, as was a Uighur economist who was arrested after deadly rioting in western Xinjiang region, AP reported.

Xu’s group, the Open Constitution Initiative (or Gongmeng in Chinese), is known for representing clients like the families of children sickened by tainted milk powder, or a woman who was accused of killing a government official in apparent self defense. He represents a moderate line of political reformers in China whose goal is not to overthrow the system but to make it live up to its promise of rule of law.

While Xu and Zhuang may still face charges in the tax case, their release on bail signals a slight relaxation of the pressure against the group. Gongmeng had had difficulties contesting or repaying the $200,000 in tax penalties it was said to owe because Xu was unable to sign documents or appear at hearings for much of his detention.

Related Topics: China

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  • doris333

    I wonder why there is only a China Blog. Where is the Iraqi Blog, Afgan Blog, Palestian Blog, the Gaza Blog??????

  • chinatsunami

    There are Iraqi Blog, Afgan Blog, Gaza Blog, Moscow Blog…. Mind you, they are all anti-Bush, US imperilism Bashing, anti war, anti-unethical commercial conducts, anti-piracy,….. and anti-Obama.

    Obviously You have been brain-washed to believe in such an equation:

    反党 = 反革命 = 反华

    You must be one of the recent export from China. If you stay in the west long enough to know who is Doris Day, then you will be less frustrated.

  • doris333

    I am not a export from China and I do know Doris Day and you must be a Bush Brain. How is that all these blogs are not singled out like the China Blog Bush Brain

  • johnsmith9876

    doris333: You are not Chinese ? That’s a surprise, because you assume your ignorance about existing of things means it is somebody else’s fault, a necessary and sufficient character to make you a Chinese.

    1. How did not know these blogs don’t exist any where ?
    2. If you think you need these blogs, why didn’t you write them. You are not shy or anything.

  • sing666

    Xu Zhiyong today admitted that he failed to pay tax on thousands of dollars of donation from oversea. He was released on bail posted by another company on his behalf. Being activists can be a very lucrative business provided that you understand all donations are taxable.
    The Uighur economist, who was allegedly jailed after the riot, said today he was only under investigation and have never been arrested or jailed.
    Are you guys reporting news or making it up as you go.

  • chinatsunami

    Hear what my Chinese friend, who is left-wing leaning, Bolshevik worshiper, a true proletarian journalist, had written in his column today.

    Doris生生生, What a chic western + Chinese auspicious name! The world is under threat with this type of human tsunami.

    Make your own judgement if this Chinese writer is China bashing, or simply bashing modern day fake CCP gonns & thugs.

    _______________________________________

    笑罵由我：「十一」前釋許志永

    維權律師許志永被北京政府扣留，在海內外引起強烈反應。許志永立志做政府與民間弱勢群體之間的橋樑，為社會和諧奔走，政府居然也容不得他，政府是不是嫌自己的敵人太少了？

    原以為許志永此去凶多吉少，誰知又突然保釋外出，連新疆暴亂期間被扣留的維族學者也放出來了。新聞指當局鑑於輿論壓力和法律界人士出面營救，筆者倒認為這次突然寬鬆是為中共建政六十周年的祥和氣氛而來。

    對於社會不穩定因素，政府中會有兩種不同的判斷，一種是加強鎮壓可以減少社會動亂，一種是推動和解可以改善官民關係，兩種傾向都存在，問題是，在甚麼時候何種傾向佔上風。

    理論上，把所有具反對情緒的人都抓到牢裏去，社會當然就很平靜了，但政府有沒有那麼多的監獄來關犯人，那是一個問題。理論上說，把官民關係都理順了，民間沒有怨言，又何愁社會不穩？問題是如何才能理順官民關係。

    當下「十一」將臨，到處「鶯歌燕舞」，把幾個不該抓的人抓進去，又煽起更多人對政府的火氣。北京首善之區，萬一大慶當時有人幹一些不顧後果的事出來，那對大局的影響才叫嚴重。

    許志永暫獲自由，表現低調，一直釋出善意，他應該知道政府最喜歡玩「捉放曹」。身為律師本不應有稅務問題，要幫別人先要保護好自己，以後凡事千萬小心。

    黎民觀

    _________________________________________

  • conscienceinchina

    While the “333″ singing, the “666″ joined in. What a “harmonious” fourth! I wonder if this waistcoat was worn by the former “gas-bag head” now.

  • conscienceinchina

    See how these Chinese stars, who have defected to capitalist countries but still swarmed into China to show their patriotism, “bash China” and “bash” some’s gas-bag head:

    “十国联军”共祝党国60大寿
    http://www.renminbao.com/rmb/articles/2009/8/18/50994.html

    在中国明星改国籍的背后
    http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/9/8/25/n2635171.htm

    Attached:

    6356 6356 635635 “666″!(numbered musical notation)—a song sung by a coquettish but patriotic female star. As rumor says, she has ever been cared for by a former top toad, so, she love China and Party-mom deeply!

  • bylooker

    It is ironic someone who admitted to fail to pay tax on thousands of dollars of donation from oversea is recognized as some political reformer in China whose goal is not to overthrow the system but to make it live up to its promise of rule of law.

    Anyone fails to pay tax to IRS or HMRC here?

  • http://underthejacaranda.wordpress.com C.A. Yeung

    bylooker, it seems the China Blog is not alone in describing Xu Zhiyong as a pioneer in legal reforms in China. Mass media in China says so too. May be that’s the reason why he is now released on bail. Xu’s arrest highlights a loophole in China’s legal system (particularly that which governs NGOs) rather than Xu’s crime or wrongdoing. And your comment reflects your ignorance of ongoing debates with regard to Xu’s case. Check out this eeo.com.cn report if you don’t believe me:

    http://www.eeo.com.cn/observer/shijiao/2008/11/12/120096.shtml

  • bylooker

    “a pioneer in legal reforms in China” are allowed to “fail to pay tax”?
    Am I ignorant or you are an idiot?

  • conscienceinchina

    The wumao’s f*cking logic is: An innocent people in China is allowed to against the law enacted by the CCP authority? They ought to be arrested, persecuted, excruciated and killed because what they have done is illegal in China.

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