detention of artist Ai Weiwei

[squid]

I was surprised that there were no posts regarding the detention of Ai Weiwei.



The law in China: A spear not a shield | The Economist

EU joins calls for Ai's release

The European Union's ambassador to China has expressed concern about the "increasing use of arbitrary detention" against activists, after artist Ai Weiwei disappeared into police custody.
"Our attention has been brought lately to the case of Ai Weiwei, a well-known artist who reportedly went missing at the weekend after attempting to board a plane to Hong Kong," Markus Ederer said in a statement. "We call on the Chinese authorities to refrain from using arbitrary detention under any circumstances."

A growing number of world powers and rights groups have expressed concern over the fate of Mr Ai - an outspoken social critic - who was detained on Sunday at Beijing's airport.

The United States, France, Germany and Britain have joined Amnesty International and other groups in calling for the release of the 53-year-old, whose work is currently on display at London's Tate Modern gallery. His wife and lawyer say they have still had no news about the whereabouts or situation of the artist, whose criticism of the Communist Party has landed him in trouble in the past.

Beijing police and China's foreign ministry have so far refused to comment on Mr Ai's disappearance.

[MovingIn07]

If he had the rights to leave the country, why didn't he leave long ago? Sounds like a risky life staying as a critic in China.

[Freetrader]

I was also surprised by the lack of comment. Have we grown so cynical that we now take the attitude, "serves him right for criticising the government. He should know better" ?

Slate has a nice appreciation of him, here:

Ai Weiwei: Is China scared of one of its most fearless artists? - By Alex Pasternack - Slate Magazine

Let's hope his bravery continues to embarrass the PRC government until they realize it is costing them more to shut him up than it would to reform.

[Football16]

While I don't agree with jailing dissidents I don't get this statement from this story. The Sichuan earthquake cover up. The President and Premier did a number of trips there with media entourages. Not sure how it is a cover up.

"And then there is the earthquake. Counting, naming and honoring the thousands of schoolchildren who died in Sichuan in May 2008 became an obsession for Weiwei and his Factory-like studio—especially since the government, fearful of local unrest and anger, wanted to make the whole episode go away. That impulse to cover up, obfuscate and crush dissent steeled Weiwei's anger: "

There is a lot of very slanted western journalists that make it look like China is scary.




Premier Wen Jiaobao was there a number of times IIRC.

President Hu Jin Tao visits also:

http://wn.com/%5Bchinatoday%5D_Presi...ke_Hit_regions

Now this is all in English but cover up? He was there 5 days!

In 2009 the PRC gov't -

"The government will release its first white paper on disaster prevention and reduction on May 12, declared the country's first national disaster prevention day."

"The China Meteorological Administration will train 1 million people in rural areas to ensure every village has the information needed to combat weather-related disasters, center vice-director Xu Xiaofeng said."

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_7761197.htm

[jaykay]

I think you'll find the cover up did not refer to the Sichuan earthquake but the answers that were being sought on the construction of so called "Tofu buildings" of which numerous were schools and collapsed right beside government buildings that continued standing.

Those who asked questions on both the shabby buildings and the direction of funds that allowed these to be built were warned and hushed and many parents detained. Most lawyers representing those parents were also detained, some imprisoned.

So yes a huge cover up, including the tents and supplies sent but never received.

[Gatts]

"The China Meteorological Administration will train 1 million people in rural areas to ensure every village has the information needed to combat weather-related disasters, center vice-director Xu Xiaofeng said."

Public must be 'ready against disasters'

I don't think quoting China Daily holds much credibility.

[virago]

If there is no comment from the PRC Police then they must have him!

For someone as famous as he is and disappears then there would be a manhunt to find him. Doesn't look like it has happened.

[Freetrader]

If there is no comment from the PRC Police then they must have him!

For someone as famous as he is and disappears then there would be a manhunt to find him. Doesn't look like it has happened.

Um, Virago, he didn't 'disappear' - he was detained when he was trying to get on an airplane in Beijing. He didn't spontaneously combust, he was arrested. Keeping him incommunicado is the standard PRC way of dealing with people they want to shut up. He may be set free in a couple of months - or never. The fear that the arbitrary police state engenders by its very arbitrariness is intended to compel silence.

[Freetrader]

There is a lot of very slanted western journalists that make it look like China is scary.

Football, choreographed visits by "Uncle Wei" and his fellow cronies are simply photo ops. The government swooped into Sichuan, told everyone about how great the PLA was for helping out (and they did do a great jobin the recovery) and then told everyone to shut the hell up about the corruption that led to schools collapsing and burying children alive after what was, after all, only a moderate earthquake (about 1/10,000th the strength of the recent Japanese quake). Everyone who continued to ask questions was locked up, and at least one atty recently received an eight year sentence - serveral others are incommunicado like our old friend Ai Weiwei.

If you don't think its scary that the government has locked up the laywers who broke the story of the Sichaun construction corruption under the usual charge ("libeling the government") it must be because you are a privilged Westerner who lives in Hong Kong and possesses a Canadian passport.

[virago]

Um, Virago, he didn't 'disappear' - he was detained when he was trying to get on an airplane in Beijing. He didn't spontaneously combust, he was arrested. Keeping him incommunicado is the standard PRC way of dealing with people they want to shut up. He may be set free in a couple of months - or never. The fear that the arbitrary police state engenders by its very arbitrariness is intended to compel silence.

His wife hasn't heard from him, none of his friends have heard from him, the police have refused to comment.

Though this refusal to comment pretty much says he is most likely detained especially when the police picked up all his close friends and relatives for questioning.