International Solidarity (ITUC, Union Statements)

ITUC Letter to the Chinese authorities condemning the recent sentencing of brewery worker Zhou Yuanwu

President Hu Jintao
Zhongnanhai, Xichengqu,
Beijing
People's Republic of China

By fax: +86.10.647.298.63 or:
By email: minister@legalinfo.gov.cn

02 August 2007

Imprisonment of Zhou Yuanwu

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to express our condemnation of the harsh prison sentence imposed on Jinchu Brewery worker Zhou Yuanwu. We believe that Zhou Yuanwu was detained, charged and convicted solely for his attempts to peacefully exercise the right to freedom of association and expression and we urge you to quash Zhou Yuanwu’s conviction and order his immediate and unconditional release.

Zhou Yuanwu had been acting as a workers representative for brewery workers who had been laid off without compensation from the state-owned Jinchu Brewery in February 2002. He had been assisting the workers in their attempts to gain the medical and pension benefits they were entitled to and had visited officials at the local, provincial and central level in an effort to gain redress. We understand that, as a result of Zhou’s courage, some laid-of workers have now been given pension benefits but many other workers are still waiting for assistance.

Zhou, however, was convicted on criminal charges of "obstructing public officers in the execution of their duties". On 18 August 2006, Zhou was asked to go to Jingzhou District Police Station; however he was not given an arrest warrant. After Zhou refused to go to the station, he was severely beaten, arrested, tried and finally, on 15 May 2007, sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment by the Jingzhou District Court. Although Zhough tried to appeal the sentence, he was reportedly refused legal defence during the appeal and on 29 June 2007 the original sentence was upheld.

Mr. President, we urge you to ensure that a thorough investigation be made into the violent treatment of Zhou at the hands of the police, that Zhou Yuanwu be freed and protected from future persecution related to his involvement in the workers’ peaceful struggle for their rights. We also urge you to ensure that the workers in Jinchu brewery be given their legally entitled compensations and benefits, and that the ongoing repression of Chinese workers wishing to form and join independent trade unions is put to an end once and for all.

Yours sincerely,

General Secretary

Cc:       Jingzhou District Government    (fax + 86 0716-8445100)
Jingzhou City Government                     (fax + 86 0716-8254881)

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