[governance] Statement by IGC on Huan Qi's sentencing

[ian.peter at ianpeter.com]

I am not happy with the tone of this.

If you actually want something to happen and for China to listen, I 
would suggest removing phrases such as "Huang Qi's persecution and 
imprisonment reflects China’s continued repression of free speech."  
That will achieve nothing towards securing a release.

I think earlier on Chaitanya was alluding to the need for a more 
diplomatic post, when he suggested (along with a third suggestion which 
everyone rejected)

- Huang Qi has greatly strengthened China as a country by bringing to 
the foreground these issues (corruption & human rights issues).
- It is our (my) view that he should be honoured as a strong contributor 
to society.

I can see the logic in including such phrases and in phrasing a letter 
so that it is not so much an attack on a country who we are asking to 
take a specific action to free someone who we believe has been 
wrongfully imprisoned.



Ian


----- Original Message ------
From: "Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro" <governance at lists.riseup.net>
To: "Marie Georges" <ma.georges at orange.fr>
Cc: "Norbert Bollow" <nb at bollow.ch>; "governance" 
<governance at lists.riseup.net>
Sent: 3/08/2019 2:45:52 AM
Subject: Re: [governance] Statement by IGC on Huan Qi's sentencing

>Dear All,
>
>Please suggest revisions. When there is consensus and we finalise, we 
>can release the statement to China's ambassador to Geneva who is on the 
>MAG.
>
>Proposed Draft
>The Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus is deeply concerned by the 
>sentencing of online activist Huang Qi to 12 years in prison.  Huang 
>has been honored multiple times by Reporters Without Borders for his 
>courage in exposing corruption and human rights violations in China 
>through his website, 64 Tianwang.
>
>Huang Qi's persecution and imprisonment reflects China’s continued 
>repression of free speech.  We urge the Chinese government to uphold 
>its international commitments related to fair trial guarantees and the 
>rule of law.  We call on China to immediately release Mr. Huang, and to 
>allow him access to his family, medical care, and legal counsel as soon 
>as possible.  We also call on China to end undue restrictions on the 
>freedom of movement of his family and those who assisted him.
>
>We note that China is a member of the United Nations Human Rights 
>Council this year. The Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus calls 
>on China to aspire to subscribe to the Charter of the Internet Rights 
>and Principles which was developed by the Dynamic Coalition on Internet 
>Rights and Principles within the Internet Governance Forum and is 
>available on the OHCHR website.
>
>
>On Fri, 2 Aug 2019, 5:48 pm Marie Georges, <ma.georges at orange.fr> 
>wrote:
>>Complete agreement with you Norbert.
>>Marie
>>
>>Envoyé de mon iPhone
>>
>> > Le 2 août 2019 à 10:24, Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch> a écrit :
>> >
>> > On Fri, 2 Aug 2019 03:38:08 +0530
>> > "Chaitanya Dhareshwar" (via governance Mailing List)
>> > <governance at lists.riseup.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >> - A reasonable middle ground between sentencing (law) and honouring
>> >> commitment to free speech would be to give a Community Service
>> >> sentence
>> >
>> > I would strongly object to anything that calls anything a 
>>"reasonable
>> > middle ground" which is not fully in alignment with all human rights
>> > including the right to free speech.
>> >
>> > Greetings,
>> > Norbert
>> > ---
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