Beijing bars visits to jailed recipient of EU rights award

CHINA HAS criticised the European Parliament for awarding its prestigious Sakharov human rights prize to jailed dissident Hu …

CHINA HAS criticised the European Parliament for awarding its prestigious Sakharov human rights prize to jailed dissident Hu Jia.

Hu’s wife Zeng Jinyan said yesterday she had been informed by Chinese authorities that he would not be allowed family visits this month. This, she said, was punishment for being honoured by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

At a briefing yesterday Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao described as “wrong” the decision to award the human rights prize to Hu.

“No matter what is the European Parliament’s intention, China will continue the socialism with Chinese characteristics and adhere to the principle of law,” Liu said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

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“Such a wrong act will not change China’s resolution to go its own way. We have explained our position many times, and I believe that the European Parliament is very clear about China’s stance,” Liu added.

China had warned that giving the Sakharov prize to Hu could damage Sino-European ties.

When Hu was announced as this year’s winner in October, Beijing decried the move as “a gross interference in China’s domestic affairs”. Relations between the EU and China have since deteriorated further.

A recent EU-China summit was cancelled over French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to meet the Dalai Lama. The meeting went ahead despite Beijing’s disapproval.

In a video message broadcast to MEPs during the formal awards ceremony on Wednesday, Zeng told the parliament that more dissidents had been arrested since her husband’s detention.

“The situation of freedom of opinion is still absolutely appalling and there is no reason for optimism,” she said in a speech that drew a standing ovation in the Strasbourg chamber.

Zeng told the parliament she planned to use the €50,000 prize money to establish a foundation to support families of dissidents.

Earlier this year her husband was jailed for more than three years on a charge of inciting subversion. He was initially arrested after giving testimony to the parliament’s human rights subcommittee by video-conference.

Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering hailed Hu’s decision to testify to the parliament as one of “enormous courage”. Mr Pöttering said that while Europe wanted good relations with China, it could not ignore human rights.

Amnesty International welcomed the award for Hu, calling it a significant acknowledgement of his work and that of all activists in China who speak out against human rights abuses.