Compensation for illegally held petitioner
Source: Xinhua |
February 9, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHEN Qingxia, a petitioner under house arrest for three years in northeast China, is entitled to state compensation after investigators ruled law enforcement officials had made "mistakes."
Zheng Chun, deputy chief of the political and legal affairs committee in Yichun, Heilongjiang Province, said Chen will be compensated in line with the State Compensation Law. Those who offended Chen and her family would be dealt with and subject to the criminal law, Zheng said.
Three police officers and the head of a complaint letter handling office in the city's Dailing District have been sacked.
The 44-year-old had been held in an abandoned morgue for three years from 2009 after she was sentenced to 18 months' re-education through labor for complaining about her husband's detention in a similar labor camp.
Investigators found Dailing officials sought to punish her for petitioning in Beijing, where she had traveled to seek justice for her husband. Song Lisheng had been sent to a labor camp for 19 months for attempting to escape quarantine during a SARS epidemic.
A court in Yichun revoked the sentence in November 2003 after his wife petitioned the city government. However, his "re-education" continued and Song was found to have suffered bruising during his detention. His mental health also deteriorated.
Chen decided to petition higher authorities and went to Beijing in 2007 with her 12-year-old son. There, she was intercepted by security staff who put her in a cab and sent her back to Yichun. Her son went missing.
In addition to compensation, investigators said Chen can expect the couple's medical bills as well as their living expenses to be covered by the government. The district government will give them an apartment, and continue efforts to trace their son.
Chen's case is the second in a week where authorities have taken action over illegally detained petitioners. A court in Beijing sentenced 10 people to up to two years in jail for illegally detaining petitioners from Henan Province.
Petitioners often try to take local disputes to higher authorities in Beijing, though only small numbers are ever able to get a resolution. In many instances, they are rounded up by men hired by provincial authorities to prevent the central government from learning of problems in outlying regions.
Zheng Chun, deputy chief of the political and legal affairs committee in Yichun, Heilongjiang Province, said Chen will be compensated in line with the State Compensation Law. Those who offended Chen and her family would be dealt with and subject to the criminal law, Zheng said.
Three police officers and the head of a complaint letter handling office in the city's Dailing District have been sacked.
The 44-year-old had been held in an abandoned morgue for three years from 2009 after she was sentenced to 18 months' re-education through labor for complaining about her husband's detention in a similar labor camp.
Investigators found Dailing officials sought to punish her for petitioning in Beijing, where she had traveled to seek justice for her husband. Song Lisheng had been sent to a labor camp for 19 months for attempting to escape quarantine during a SARS epidemic.
A court in Yichun revoked the sentence in November 2003 after his wife petitioned the city government. However, his "re-education" continued and Song was found to have suffered bruising during his detention. His mental health also deteriorated.
Chen decided to petition higher authorities and went to Beijing in 2007 with her 12-year-old son. There, she was intercepted by security staff who put her in a cab and sent her back to Yichun. Her son went missing.
In addition to compensation, investigators said Chen can expect the couple's medical bills as well as their living expenses to be covered by the government. The district government will give them an apartment, and continue efforts to trace their son.
Chen's case is the second in a week where authorities have taken action over illegally detained petitioners. A court in Beijing sentenced 10 people to up to two years in jail for illegally detaining petitioners from Henan Province.
Petitioners often try to take local disputes to higher authorities in Beijing, though only small numbers are ever able to get a resolution. In many instances, they are rounded up by men hired by provincial authorities to prevent the central government from learning of problems in outlying regions.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
