Beijing residents Dong Shengkun and Zhang Maosheng, who had been imprisoned for participating in the June 4, 1989 democracy movement on Tiananmen Square, recently served their terms and were released on September 5 and 13, respectively.
Dong, a 46-year-old former employee of a Beijing printing company, and Zhang, a 38-year-old former employee of a Beijing machine company, were both accused of arson and sentenced to death with a two-year postponement following the Tiananmen demonstration in 1989.
Dong and Zhang had experienced numerous hardships and torment during their 17 years in prison and will be stripped of their political rights for the next eight and five years following their release. They currently live on their parents’ limited retirement pensions.
Sources indicate that there are still ten Beijing residents held in Beijing No. Two Prison for participating in the June 4 democracy movement. Among them are Zhu Gensheng, Li Yujun (eight years remaining), Li Zhixin (four years remaining), and Gao Hongwei (to be released next year), etc.
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