TAIPEI - On January 2, Yan Jun, an independent writer from Xi'an, China, jumped out of a boat near the Erhtan islet of Kinmen, and was rescued by the Kinmen boarder patrol. He is now in custody with the Kinmen border patrol. Overseas pro-democracy members are highly concerned about Yan Jun’s situation. They have appealed to the Taiwan government, asking for Yan Jun’s transfer to a geographic location that supports basic human rights and freedoms. The request was made to protect Yan Jun from further persecution by the Chinese Communist Party.
The reporter sent a telegram this afternoon to Kinmen Boarder Patrol regarding this issue. The Kinmen Patrol Team did not comment on Yan Jun’s situation and are keeping news at a low key. Meanwhile, the Newsroom of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) indicated that this case has been taken over by the National Security Council and the CGA would not express their view.
It was reported that Yan Jun was rescued by the Kinmen border patrol after he jumped from a Chinese tourist boat at around 11 a.m. on January 2 during his sightseeing trip to Erhtan islet. He says that he has been persecuted by the CCP and is seeking political asylum from the Taiwan government. The Kinmen district prosecutor’s office has charged him under national security law, turning him over to the Kinmen border patrol and continues to investigate his identification.
Pro-democracy overseas want Yan Jun transferred to the U.S.
During the interview with the Epoch Times, Caoan Jushi, a famous political commentator that now lives in L.A., indicated that Yan Jun has been suppressed by the CCP because of his articles supporting the democracy movement in China. According to Caoan Jushi, the overseas pro-democracy members are all excited to learn that he has sought political asylum from Taiwan.
They are appealing to the Taiwan government to support human rights and not to return pro-democracy activists, including Yan Jun, back to China where their lives would be in danger.
Mr. Jushi indicated that the overseas pro-democracy members such as Wang Dan, the student leader of the Tienanmen Square movement, Wu Fan, one of the pro-democracy movement members, Liu Yinquan, president of the West Coast branch of the China Social Democratic Party, and Mo Fengjie, president of the West Coast chapter of the Chinese Political Refugee Association, would all present testimony that would assist Yan Jun in seeking political asylum in America.
Internet discussion leads to arrest
Yan Jun, a graduate of Shanxi Province Normal School, is 32 years old. He was sent to prison on December 8, 2003, and charged with the crime of “instigation and subversion of state power,” because he published articles on the internet that criticized China’s human rights, called for reevaluating the Tiananmen Massacre, releasing former Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang, and releasing media control and the ban for freedom of assembly and independent union. After he was released from jail on April 4, 2005, he was deprived of his citizen’s rights, could not longer work, and was deprived of the right to depart the country or obtain a passport.
CCP human rights violations against Jun left him no choice
Caoan Jushi pointed out that he has known Yan Jun for about six to seven years. About two months ago, he had tried to arrange a job for Yan Jun through the president of the French chamber of commerce in Shanghai, but was interrupted by China’s Ministry of State Security. Under the CCP’s suppression, Jun’s jump from the tourist boat to seek freedom from Taiwan has gained support from overseas democracy supporters.
Caoan emphasized that Yan Jun is a Christian and has publicly declared his support for the human rights issue regarding the persecution of Falun Gong in China. While he was in prison in China, the security guards beat him so violently that his facial features were ruined, his nose and skull was broken. Jun reportedly hopes that the Taiwan government will treat him well and assist his transfer to America as soon as possible.
