Wang Sen and Hu Mingjun, both leaders of the Sichuan provincial branch of the banned China Democratic Party (CDP), were detained by police in 2001 after they communicated with striking workers at the Dazhou Steel Mill. On 18 December 2000, about 1000 workers at the factory had organised a public demonstration demanding payment of overdue wages, and Hu and Wang subsequently made contact with the demonstrating workers. Wang, a resident of Dazhou, was arrested on 30 April 2001 and Hu, a resident of Chengdu, was arrested on 30 May. The two men were initially charged with “incitement to subvert state power” but the charges were subsequently increased to actual “subversion”. On May 2002, at the Dazhou Intermediate People’s Court, Hu was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment and Wang received a 10-year sentence.
June 2005
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