A week ago, when President Trump announced the withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal, some angry Americans condemned the President and openly apologized on Facebook and social media to their Iranian “friends” who are de facto enemies of the United States. In China, such behavior – openly criticizing the government or the leadership of the Communist Party – has legal consequences beyond can be imagined in the West. The person would be charged with a crime called “speech endangering national security.”
According to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, an Australia-based Chinese organization, Hunan authorities recently notified Attorney at Law Yang Jinzhu that his law license will be revoked due to his speech “endangering national security.” As a defense attorney, Mr. Yang represented many cases, most of which were the weak, the poor and, in general, people bullied by government officials. He had the most absurd experience in his professional career, namely, the Chinese government forces lawyers to say what the government asks them to say, and instead of representing the voice of the defendants, lawyers are required to parrot the voice of the government.
Many Chinese risk their lives when sending information out of China. They are bravely defending human rights in China. We should never forget them.)
The letter of admonition from the Hunan Justice Department claimed that they had investigated Mr. Yang’s behavior and found that since January 7, 2018, Mr. Yang had published a series of blogs and online videos expressing his strong criticism of the Chinese judicial system and condemned the obstructive acts of the government as well as the wrongdoings of the justice department. Mr. Yang was legitimately angry, because under a dictatorship, lawyers are deprived of their rights as professionals.
Mr. Yang did not do anything wrong. The only “wrongdoing” was that he wanted to defend the oppressed and insure that justice be done.
Chinese Criminal Law includes many articles about crimes of endangering national security. The law about endangering national security is often written vaguely and the Communist Party interprets the law based on their own interest. Many a time, the Chinese government abuses laws against political dissidents. For instance, Article 102 stipulates that “Whoever colludes with a foreign State to endanger the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the People’s Republic of China shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years.” Thus, for instance, openly expressing support for the Dalai Lama is a crime “endangering national security.” Openly expressing support for Falungong believers could land an individual in prison for a decade.
In the Internet era, the law against freedom of speech targets free expressions in social media, such as online chatting and blogs. In China, Google, Facebook and Twitter are banned, because these information and communication technologies “endanger” national security. Article 105 in Chinese Criminal Law says, “Whoever incites others by spreading rumors or slanders or any other means to subvert the State power or overthrow the socialist system shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years,” and “Whoever commits the crime as prescribed in Article … 105 of this Chapter in collusion with any organ, organization or individual outside the territory of China shall be given a heavier punishment.” The big issue is that the government makes the laws and also defines what constitutes “rumors,” “slanders,” or “incitement to subvert the State power,” which makes it then -the government- prosecutor, judge and jury at the same time. Under these circumstances, when we, Chinese, are interviewed by the foreign media, for instance, we are not supposed to say anything negative about socialism or communism, and of course, never mock or criticize the President, like any U.S. citizen can. Otherwise, we can simply be sentenced to years of imprisonment.
The absurd law concerning “endangering national security” has become increasingly instrumental for the Chinese government to persecute and prosecute human rights lawyers and activists.
Mr. Yang’s righteous anger is understandable and even appreciated. His confrontation with the Chinese government is like lightening in the darkest sky. I encourage you to join me in praying for Mr. Yang and all human rights lawyers in China.
Matthew 21:12 – 13
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’