We are grievously shocked and disturbed by the death of activist Cao Shunli in a Beijing hospital on March 14, 2014. We strongly condemn the ruling Communist regime in China for their inhumanity towards Ms. Shunli, and offer our deepest condolences to Ms. Shunli’s family. Chinese authorities had unjustifiably detained Ms. Shunli for six months, repeatedly refusing Ms. Shunli medical treatment as her health condition deteriorated. Ms. Shunli’s death is another tragic result of the relentless indifference to human rights and contempt for human life by the Chinese regime. We call for unity among Chinese citizens, from all walks of life, in investigating the case of Cao Shunli and seeking justice for her.
Cao Shunli was a human rights pioneer in China, continually pressing the Chinese government for humane treatment of its citizens. She had lawfully utilized her knowledge to defend individual rights petitioners and other law defense advocacies. Her leadership of Chinese citizens in participating in United Nations’ human rights reviews of China helped successfully pressure the Chinese government to promulgate plans of specific actions to improve human rights. Her great contribution and efforts to promote human rights in China, including her own detailed grassroots reports of petitioners’ situations, earned her affirmation among domestic and international human rights groups and individuals and the deep respect and love of ordinary people in China.
Ms. Shunli pursued guaranteeing of human rights through reporting, recording the facts and realities of Chinese society, with the most basic citizen conscience. She repeatedly called for her government to respect its own laws and their commitment to international rights treaties and proclamations. For these acts on behalf of Chinese citizens, Ms. Cao Shunli endured extraordinary oppression from the regime’s authorities. From September 2013, when the regime took her into custody and denied her travel to the UN Human Rights Council, Ms. Cao Shunli’s health condition deteriorated under illness and horrendous prison conditions. Her repeated requests for necessary medical treatment were denied until February 20, 2014, when Ms. Shunli’s health was too fragile to recover. Cao Shunli’s death is the direct result of Chinese authorities’ oppression, and the longstanding cruelty, mercilessness, and immorality of the regime. The case reveals the true threat to life, safety, and dignity to all Chinese citizens. We are horrified, saddened, and angry.
Further revealed is the false legitimacy of a regime that rules China through hypocrisy and cruelty. This regime claims in writing and propaganda to follow the rule of law, but in reality does all in its disposal to oppress ordinary citizens and cause the death of those who promote and champion human rights and law. Ms. Cao Shunli’s case proves again that the Chinese regime’s use of “rule of law”, “order”, and “harmony” are only to hide its shameless and merciless cruelty against its own citizens. The regime’s actions in the name of maintaining stability and keeping harmony are performed to maintain its grasp on power regardless of any actual laws, rules, and harmony in Chinese society.
History tells us that authoritarian regimes violating its own laws to inflict cruelty and protect its own special interests will inevitably lead to its own catastrophic collapse. The special forces hired by a regime often lead to the regime’s own demise when it abuses its power, oppresses its citizens and corrupts every corner of its society. The Chinese communist regime has escaped such a fate so far with fortune and luck, but cannot avoid this destiny in the end.
Citizen Power for China (CPFC, aka Initiatives for China) hereby calls on all Chinese citizens to mobilize to loudly and clearly seek truth and stand against oppression. We urge the Chinese justice authorities to investigate Cao Shunli’s death, including the following nine items: the decision-making process denying Ms. Cao Shunli’s travel overseas to attend UNHRC, records regarding custody procedure, treatment of Ms. Cao Shunli’s illness under custody, Ms. Cao Shunli’s health checkups, decision-making and implementation of her requests for medical treatment outside of the prison system, emergency reports during Ms. Cao Shunli’s custody, and the enforced medical treatment and records outside of jail during her last moments in the hospital.
Contact:
Jianli Yang
857-472-9039
yangjianli001@gmail.com
Lianchao Han
703-851-8334
lianchao@gmail.com
Jianying Wang
202-677-0209
josephdcwang@gmail.com