Daughter of Chinese Activist Barred from Traveling to Accept Award

Dong Xuan, the daughter of Ni Yulan, was detained at the Beijing Capital Airport when trying to fly to the Netherlands to accept an award on behalf of her mother. (Sound of Hope Radio)

Dong Xuan, the daughter of a wheelchair-bound Chinese activist who was crippled by torture in custody, was prevented from leaving China recently to accept an award on behalf of her mother.

Ni Yulan, the Chinese human rights lawyer, was the winner of the 2011 Human Rights Defenders Tulip award from the Dutch government; she was not allowed to leave China to accept the award, which was granted on Dec. 22.

Her daughter faced the same restriction, according to messages shared by other human rights activists in China. 

Human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong first publicized the news, with a post to his microblog on Jan. 25 saying: “Now Bei Bei, daughter of lawyer Ni Yulan, is being illegally detained at the Beijing Capital Airport. Those involved in the illegal act are police from the Changqiao Police Station and police from the Airport Police Station.” He listed the serial numbers of the police. 

“From my cell phone conversation with Bei Bei, sharp scolding sounds from the police could be heard. Please express your concern over it!” The original post was deleted, though the message reposted elsewhere by netizens.

Ni Yulan, a lawyer who defended victims of forced evictions, was permanently disabled as a result of torture while in police custody. Her plight was documented in detail by The New York Times. She is now detained and facing trial.

The Tulip award has been presented by the Dutch government since 2008, to individuals defending the rights of their fellow citizens. 

Cisca Dresselhuys, chair of the independent judging committee in charge of the selection of the Human Rights Defenders Tulip award winner, said that the ceremony would be held as scheduled, even if it meant presenting a gift to an empty chair. “If you don’t do it this way, you are in fact doing what the Chinese government hopes you to do: to keep silent toward dissidents,” Dresselhuys said.