Yang Jianli
Encyclopedia
Yang Jianli is a Chinese dissident
with United States residency
.
Yang, a Tiananmen Square activist
in 1989, came to the United States, earned two Ph.D.s (Ph.D., Political Economy
, Harvard University
and Ph.D. Mathematics
, University of California, Berkeley
), and then founded the Foundation for China in the 21st Century. Given his political activism, he was blacklisted by the government of the People's Republic of China
, who also refused to renew his passport.
typically would not take up an illegal entry
case, since his initial detention, Yang has been held incommunicado by the Chinese in violation of their own and international law
. His wife and children as well as his extended family were denied access to Yang and were justifiably concerned for his health and safety while he languished in prison.
On May 28, 2003, United Nations
working group on arbitrary detention ruled that Yang Jianli has been held by the Chinese government in violation of international law. Same year June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.Res.199 by 412-0 and the U.S. Senate introduced S.Res.184.
On August 4, 2003, the United States called on China to free Yang. "We've raised the case repeatedly with senior Chinese officials, and we urge that Dr Yang be released and allowed to return to his family here in the United States," US State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.
On December 8, 2003, A letter from Harvard University Law School with 29 faculty signatures were sent to Wen Jiabao
via Chinese Embassy via FedEx. Two days later, Another letter from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government
and Medical School
with 78 faculty signatures were sent to Wen Jiabao via Chinese Embassy via FedEx.
On April 26, 2004, Members of Congress held Press Conference to commenmorte the second year anniversary of Yang's detention. 67 legislators issued the warning in a letter to Hu
as they marked the second year in detention of Yang Jianli. The US embassy in Beijing meanwhile has spoken directly with the Chinese government about Yang's case, Republican Party
lawmaker Christopher Cox said, citing Vice President Dick Cheney.
On May 13, 2004, the People's Republic of China announced a guilty verdict and sentenced Yang to five years in prison for espionage
and illegal entry
.
Same year on October 6, 21 U.S. Senators and 85 U.S. House of Representatives wrote a petition to Hu Jintao
to grant Yang parole.
On June 15, 2005, a bipartisan group of 40 U.S. Senators (including Jon Kyl
, Barbara Mikulski
, Hillary Rodham Clinton
, John McCain
, Ted Kennedy
, and Bob Dole
) sent a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao urging Yang's release.
On April 10, 2006, 119 US lawmakers urge Bush to raise Yang Jianli's case. Same year September 3, Yang Jianli was released on condition that he must leave from China immediately. But he insisted that he return to his hometown to sweep his father's tomb first. As a result, he was sent back to jail from the airport.
On April 27, 2007, Yang was released from Chinese prison, but was not allowed to leave China. On August 19, 2007, he was finally allowed to return to the United States.
Reminded of his experience with the June 4, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
for freedom of speech
and democracy, Yang's recent article in the Washington Post shortly after his return to United States
reflects his vivid observation of the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests
, spiritually coined as Saffron Revolution, including China's 'parasitic relationship with Burma' and the genuine will of freedom loving intellectuals around the world condemning the current brutal oppressions in Burma.
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
with United States residency
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
.
Yang, a Tiananmen Square activist
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
in 1989, came to the United States, earned two Ph.D.s (Ph.D., Political Economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Ph.D. Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
), and then founded the Foundation for China in the 21st Century. Given his political activism, he was blacklisted by the government of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, who also refused to renew his passport.
Before and during Yang's imprisonment
Yang returned to China in April 2002 on a friend's passport to view labor unrest in northeast China. He was detained when trying to board a domestic flight. Although Freedom NowFreedom Now
Freedom Now is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to facilitate representation for arbitrarily detained individuals who have neither used nor advocated violence and whose detention violates fundamental principles of international law.Its approach is to use...
typically would not take up an illegal entry
Illegal entry
Illegal entry is the act of foreign nationals arriving in or crossing the borders into a country in violation of its immigration law.Migrants from nations that do not have automatic visa agreements, or who would not otherwise qualify for a visa, often cross the borders illegally in some areas like...
case, since his initial detention, Yang has been held incommunicado by the Chinese in violation of their own and international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. His wife and children as well as his extended family were denied access to Yang and were justifiably concerned for his health and safety while he languished in prison.
On May 28, 2003, United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
working group on arbitrary detention ruled that Yang Jianli has been held by the Chinese government in violation of international law. Same year June 25, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.Res.199 by 412-0 and the U.S. Senate introduced S.Res.184.
On August 4, 2003, the United States called on China to free Yang. "We've raised the case repeatedly with senior Chinese officials, and we urge that Dr Yang be released and allowed to return to his family here in the United States," US State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.
On December 8, 2003, A letter from Harvard University Law School with 29 faculty signatures were sent to Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy...
via Chinese Embassy via FedEx. Two days later, Another letter from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
and Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
with 78 faculty signatures were sent to Wen Jiabao via Chinese Embassy via FedEx.
On April 26, 2004, Members of Congress held Press Conference to commenmorte the second year anniversary of Yang's detention. 67 legislators issued the warning in a letter to Hu
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
as they marked the second year in detention of Yang Jianli. The US embassy in Beijing meanwhile has spoken directly with the Chinese government about Yang's case, Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
lawmaker Christopher Cox said, citing Vice President Dick Cheney.
On May 13, 2004, the People's Republic of China announced a guilty verdict and sentenced Yang to five years in prison for espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
and illegal entry
Illegal entry
Illegal entry is the act of foreign nationals arriving in or crossing the borders into a country in violation of its immigration law.Migrants from nations that do not have automatic visa agreements, or who would not otherwise qualify for a visa, often cross the borders illegally in some areas like...
.
Same year on October 6, 21 U.S. Senators and 85 U.S. House of Representatives wrote a petition to Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
to grant Yang parole.
On June 15, 2005, a bipartisan group of 40 U.S. Senators (including Jon Kyl
Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son...
, Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
, Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
, and Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
) sent a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao urging Yang's release.
On April 10, 2006, 119 US lawmakers urge Bush to raise Yang Jianli's case. Same year September 3, Yang Jianli was released on condition that he must leave from China immediately. But he insisted that he return to his hometown to sweep his father's tomb first. As a result, he was sent back to jail from the airport.
On April 27, 2007, Yang was released from Chinese prison, but was not allowed to leave China. On August 19, 2007, he was finally allowed to return to the United States.
Reminded of his experience with the June 4, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
for freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
and democracy, Yang's recent article in the Washington Post shortly after his return to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reflects his vivid observation of the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests
2007 Burmese anti-government protests
The 2007 Burmese anti-government protests were a series of anti-government protests that started in Burma on 15 August 2007...
, spiritually coined as Saffron Revolution, including China's 'parasitic relationship with Burma' and the genuine will of freedom loving intellectuals around the world condemning the current brutal oppressions in Burma.
See also
- Chinese democracy movementChinese democracy movementThe Chinese democracy movement refers to a series of loosely organized political movements in the People's Republic of China against the continued one-party rule by the Communist Party. One such movement began during the Beijing Spring in 1978 and was taken up again in the Tiananmen Square...
- List of Chinese dissidents
- Tiananmen Square protests of 1989Tiananmen Square protests of 1989The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
- China's Century of Humiliation - Documentary Film features Yang Jianli
External links
- Yang Jianli Website
- Freedom-Now
- Foundation for China in the 21st Century
- IFEX
- China-theDocumentary.com features a short video of Yang Jianli