Another dissident released on eve of NPC
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) Wang Youcai, a Chinese dissident and leader imprisoned since 1998, was released this morning from the Hangzhou No. 1 prison in Zhejiang. The official reason given was medical parole in order to receive treatment for his myocarditis, an inflammation or degeneration of the heart's muscle tissue. Wang Youcai will receive medical care for his heart condition in the United States.
The news of his release was reported by the Duihua Foundation, a San Francisco-based NGO operating in defense of human rights through "duihua" (Chinese for "dialog") between the US and China.
As Wang left prison, he waved to family members and then boarded a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco while accompanied by an American official.
Wang Youcai, 37, earned a physics degree from Beijing University (Beijing Daxue). At the time of the Tiananmen Square incident he was considered one of the "most wanted" students in the country and was later jailed for having participated in the protests.
In 1998 he was sent back to prison along with some other 30 people for having founded the China Democracy Party, the first attempt at creating a legal opposition to the Chinese Communist Party. Their party was then outlawed by the government. Wang was charged with "subverting state power", organizing political gatherings, emailing information against the state and accepting foreign donations.
His release from prison comes the day before the National People's Congress (NPC) gets underway. A constitutional amendment is expected to be passed at the parliamentary assembly, declaring that "the state will respect and protect human rights."
The conditions for his parole were already approved last October during the 16th meeting of the Congress and by last December by the NPC's standing committee. At any rate, Beijing's release of the dissident follows suit with the government's desire to save face and not be embarrassed, particularly by a person considered to be a troublemaker for the regime.
Last week Chinese authorities released a Tibetan nun, Phuntsog Nyidrol, and reduced the prison term of an Uighur businesswoman, Rabiya Kadeer, who was charged with separatist activities. (MR)
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02/06/2005
