Wu Zeheng

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CSW News Article Online

 

On March 22,  2012, as part of its Cry for Freedom Campaign, CSW * posted an article to help bring Wu Zeheng’s case to the attention of the international community, raising awareness with the Chinese authorities and reminding them of their obligations to respect human rights under international and Chinese law.

 

Wu Zeheng, a Buddhist patriarch, suffers ongoing harassment after serving eleven years in prison 22/03/2012  A victim of Chinese government’s intolerance of dissent

Mr Wu Zeheng, born 1967, (Zen Master Shi Xingwu), is a prominent Buddhist leader with millions of followers in China, Taiwan and around the world. Since 1998, when he wrote a letter to the Chinese authorities warning that the image of the Chinese Communist Party was “marred greatly”, he has been a victim of the Chinese government’s intolerance of political dissent, freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Mr Wu was then placed under surveillance and subsequently sentenced to eleven years in prison for “economic crimes”, largely thought to be a cover for his political activism. He suffered torture, beatings and pressure to renounce his Buddhist beliefs.

 

Arrests and harassment compromise religious freedom

Since his release from prison in February 2010, Mr Wu continues to be closely monitored. He has been arrested on two occasions and several of his students have been harassed for associating with him. His freedom of movement has been severely restricted and he has not received a passport, which he applied for in July 2010.

 

Cry Freedom Campaign – Help bring Wu Zeheng’s case to the attention of MEPs

CSW recommends that the international community raise Mr Wu’s case with the Chinese authorities, reminding them of their obligations to respect human rights under international law and under the Chinese constitution.

 

He is one of many Chinese religious leaders, lawyers and political activists who have been victims of the recent crackdown on dissent.

 

This year, China’s Communist Party will undergo a leadership change. And as we lead up to it, the situation for those who are seen to oppose the Communist government is becoming increasingly precarious.

 

So far MEPs in the UK have received over 1,800 messages urging them to use their influence with China to raise human rights concerns.

 

( news links: http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=news&id=1175 )

 

 

 

 

* Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) :

 

CSW is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice. The primary work of CSW is advocacy, which they use to influence the legislation, policies, attitudes and behaviors which reinforce religious discrimination and persecution. Through this, its aim to bring about lasting cultural, social and political change. CSW's evidence-based reports are widely used and cited by the Foreign Office, US State Department, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, UN and others on a regular basis. It regularly brief officials from the European Council, the European Commission, current and future EU presidencies, MEPs, and NGOs on the situations in all their key countries of focus.