Human Rights Watch on Sept. 23 urged [7] Chinese authorities to release activist Zhang Yadi (张雅笛), also known as Tara, after she was arrested for creating a digital platform advocating for Tibetan rights in the Chinese language. Zhang, 22, is a member of the activist group Chinese Youth for Tibet [8], which aims "to foster a deeper understanding of Tibetan culture within Chinese-speaking communities, challenge and deconstruct Han chauvinism, and address ethnic conflicts and prejudice." She maintained the group's website from France, where she was studying. She was arrested on July 31 in Shangri-La, Yunnan province, after returning to China to visit family.
Zhang is accused of violating Article 103 [10] of China's criminal code, which states:
For organizing, plotting, or carrying out any activity to split the country and undermine national unity, the ringleaders or those whose crimes are grave shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years; active participants shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 3 years but not more than 10 years; and other participants shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 3 years, short-term custody, non-custodial correction, or deprivation of political rights.
It is yet to be determined if she will be deemed a "ringleader," wihch could mean life imprisonment.
Jiang Tianyong [11], a Chinese human rights lawyer who has aided Zhang, was detained on Sept. 16 while traveling to provide legal assistance in the case.
From JURIST [12], Sept. 23. Used with permission.
See our last reports on the crackdown on dissent [13] in China, and efforts at Han-Tibetan solidarity [14].
