.png)
Imprisoned Shandong human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, a nominee for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, was recently allowed a very brief visitation from his wife, Yuan Weijing.
Radio Free Asia reported that Mr. Chen was permitted a ten-minute visit at the Shangdong Linyi Jail by his wife last Thursday. She had not seen him for over a year. As they were allowed such a short time together, and because their conversation was monitored, they could only exchange basic greetings. According to Ms. Yuan, Mr. Chen had symptoms of diarrhea, and although he voiced no other health concerns, he seemed older and grayer.
The last time Ms. Yuan visited her husband was in December 2008. She said that every time she requested a visit, authorities would say they had to ask higher officials. Teng Biao, a Beijing lawyer who defended Mr. Chen, said that family members are legally entitled to visitation rights and that it was illegal to deny Chen’s wife’s visitation for over a year while most prisons allow a visitation every month.
In addition to denying Ms. Yuan’s visitation rights, authorities have also limited her freedom. She says that, since September 2005, she has been followed wherever she goes, and that her house is monitored around the clock.
Reports state that Chen Guangcheng, who had exposed the Shandong Linyi government for forced abortion as part of its birth control plan, was sentenced in 2007 to four years and three months for “disturbing social order.”
Ms. Yuan says that Mr. Chen has been experiencing symptoms of diarrhea since July 2008, but the family has been denied their plea for medical attention because Chen is blind and cannot labor as other prisoners do. A few days before the New Year, Ms. Yuan attempted to send her husband some provisions but prison authorities prevented it. “They didn’t even let me send food to him, much less health supplements. His health is in a critical condition. I wanted to send him some food for the New Year, but had no way of doing so.”
Yuan Weijing was very happy to learn that Mr. Chen, along with Gao Zhisheng, and Liu Xiaobo, had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by seven U.S. congressmen, and she hopes to let him know the next time she sees him.
Read the original Chinese article.
