Liu Zhengyou was indicted for fraud. CHRD speaks of "political "motivation, including the human rights commitment to poor farmers victims of forced expropriation. The police have denied permission to the family to see him. His home is searched and the documents on his computer copied.

Beijing (AsiaNews / CHRD) - Liu Zhengyou, a human rights activist from Sichuan, was arrested by Chinese police on charges of "fraud". Is reported by Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), explaining that the detention took place at around one o'clock on 11 November. The association adds that, in reality, political reasons are behind his arrest, including his commitment in favour of the poor farmers, victims of forced expropriations.

Yesterday, eight police officers raided the apartment of Liu, poking among the personal items and copying the documents stored in personal computers. His wife adds that agents of the Department for Public Safety Zigong (Sichuan), brought him to the Huidong police station for interrogation. When relatives reached the barracks, officers responded that Liu Zhengyou was already in a state of "legal detention" and "cannot receive visits."  

Renee Xia, international director of CHRD, explains that the "allegations of fraud brought against the activist are "completely unfounded ". "We are in front - he added – of another case where the police has invented accusations, to silence a person fighting for the rights of citizens." Liu Zhengyou (pictured) has supported numerous battles since '93, defending the farmers of Zigong, whose land has been expropriated. He also fought for freedom of expression and has testified in several cases of violations of human rights.

The police have yet to provide the family an official statement, which formalizes the reasons for his arrest and detention. The work of Liu in favour of human rights has been taken and published on many Chinese websites, including Boxun (www.boxun.com) and Canyu (www.canyu.org).  

The activist has been arrested several times in the past,. 2006 he was banned from leaving China to attend a UN human rights session in Geneva, because he was under investigation for his role as a leader in protests by farmers in Shandong, whose land had been forcibly expropriated without compensation. In the same year he was awarded a prize by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE).

• china
• human
• rights
• activist
• poor
• farmers
• arrest
• detention
• Liu
• Zhengyou