Huang Qi gravely ill, in prison because he sought the truth about the collapsed schools in Sichuan
Beijing (AsiaNews / Chrd) - Huang Qi, a human rights activist held without trial since June 10th 2008, is ill, but is denied necessary medical care, reports Chinese Human Rights Defenders, which states that since May they have been asking for his release on bail for medical reasons, without receiving a reply.
His lawyer Mo Shaping, who visited him last May, reports that since March 4 the activist has been complaining that 4 lumps have developed in his abdomen and the left side of the chest and he has been suffering from frequent migraines and insomnia, but has still not received visits or specific medical treatment. No-one has been allowed to see him for the past two months and it is unknown if his conditions have worsened.
Huang has not even been allowed see his family since his detention.
Huang was charged with "illegal possession of state secrets" and risks a sentence of up to 3 years in prison without recourse to defence, because the concept of what is "secret" is very flexible and, once affirmed by authorities, is not subjected to the verification of judges and lawyers.
The CHRD reports that, in fact, the activist had offered legal aid to parents of thousands of schoolchildren who died in the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008 under the collapsed schools. The relatives reported that schools were poorly constructed and came down like "tofu puddings”, while surrounding buildings remained standing. But the authorities, having promised prompt investigations, have responded that the schools collapsed due to the violence of the earthquake and have refused any further investigation or technical inquiry.
On his website 64tianwang.com Huang posted appeals for investigations and compensation to the parents of 5 children killed in the Dongqi Middle School in Hanwang, reported news and spoke with foreign journalists.
The activist, founder of the Tianwang Center for Human Rights and a website that defends them, had already been in prison from 2003 to 2005 for "incitement to subversion against the power of the state”.
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