Latest for @dw_chinese - Today marks the three years since #Taiwan citizen Lee Ming-Che was arrested by the #CCP. It was followed by a televised forced confession and a string of deprivation of basic rights in prison. Since #COVID19 outbreak,... dw.com/zh/%E6%9D%8E%E…
... his wife has been deprived of the rights to visit him and Lee was also banned from writing her letters or making phone calls to let her know his conditions in the prison. On the eve of the three-year anniversary, she called on #Beijing to let Lee call her.
"I beg the Chinese government to let Ming-Che take up the phone and tell me that 'I'm still alive.' I beg the powerful Chinese government to let me hear Ming-Che said this one sentence to me. I beg the strong Chinese government to show me this mercy," Lee's wife said.
NGO workers who have been working closely on the case told me that as there has not been any major development in Lee's case, Taiwan's civil society has gradually moved on from it.
"We still try to raise awareness around his case, and we hope Taiwanese people will keep paying attention to his conditions. However, since there is no new development, so it is hard to keep his case on the media's agenda," Yibee Huang told me.
@yujiechentw at University of Hong Kong's School of Law told me that #Beijing has unilaterally suspended the implementation of some cross-Strait agreements, as they want to use it to exert pressure on the Taiwanese government.
This includes the Cross-Strait Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance, which required one side to offer minimal protection for detained citizens from the other side.
"The Chinese government didn’t notify the Taiwan government of the detention or offer any assistance to facilitate family visits in accordance with that agreement. The notification requirement and facilitation of family visits, if implemented,...
... would allow the Taiwan government to intervene early and inquire about the treatment of the detainee and to allow the family to check in on the well-being of the person," Yu-Jie told me.
Yu-Jie pointed out that detained #Taiwanese are likely to subject to "residential surveillance at a designated location" (RSDL), and it can last up to six months. During this time, they can't see their lawyers and police can interrogate them at any time.
"This often produces coerced confessions, as we saw in the case of Lee Ming-che, who later also confessed during the well-rehearsed trial," Yu-Jie explained.
Following Lee Ming-Che's detention, at least three Taiwanese citizens also went missing in #China, and the Chinese government only confirmed the detention of two of them after arresting them for more than a year.
Yu-Jie told me that for these cases, there is very little that their family members can do. While they might be able to hire Chinese lawyers to assist with the case, in some cases, the Chinese government could deny detained Taiwanese nationals the right to hire their own lawyer.
"Lee Ming-che’s case demonstrates that there is likely no use in trying to hire a lawyer—the Chinese government, not allowing Lee to retain his own defense, appointed lawyers for Lee and his co-defendant," said Yu-Jie.
"Government-appointed lawyers usually do not challenge the government’s charges, nor do they likely conduct any investigation or present any defense witnesses."
Some antidotes suggest that while publicity can't secure early release for the detained Taiwanese nationals, it may improve their treatment in the prison, said Yu-Jie.
"Lee Ming-che’s wife Lee Ching-yu, a courageous activist herself, is an unusual example in mobilizing the Taiwan government and the international human rights community to care about Lee’s case," said Yu- Jie.
However, Lee's wife was later prevented from visiting Lee Ming-Che several times after she tried to raise awareness about her husband's case internationally.
"as China’s economic clout and political influence are growing, these economic-based pressures do not seem to be working any more. Based on my observation of “sensitive” cases involving rights activists and lawyers, there’s no possibility of early release at this time," she said.
Yu-Jie said some released activists even said political prisoners are treated worse than ordinary prisoners. "They are often punished, mentally tormented and deprived of family visits." All these conditions fit Lee Ming-Che's treatment in the prison.
Three years after his arrest, Huang Yibee wants Taiwanese people to realize that the reason why they can enjoy freedom and democracy is because of the sacrifice made by people like Lee Ming-Che.
"We need to remember the sacrifices that Lee has made and we should support him. We should all do something to defend human rights, instead of remaining quiet," Huang told me.
If you want to learn more about the details about Lee Ming-Che's disappearance and the efforts made by rights groups in #Taiwan and around the world to secure his release, you can refer to this episode on @ghostislandme, in which I interviewed @eeling.
