Human Rights in China

Human Rights in China has learned that rights activist Huang Qi (黄琦) has been denied access to legal counsel after more than 2 weeks in detention. Huang, who travelled to the Sichuan earthquake zone and published news about the plight of parents who lost children in the disaster, was detained by authorities on June 10, 2008.

On June 23, Huang Qi's lawyer Ding Xikui (丁锡奎) filed an application with the Chengdu public security authorities requesting permission to meet with his client. On June 24, when Huang's wife Zeng Li (曾丽) and lawyer Ding went to the Chengdu public security authorities to follow up on the application, they were handed a decision dated June 23, which stated: "because this case involves state secrets [国家秘密] and Huang Qi illegally holding state secrets, in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China [中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法], Article 96, para. 2, the application of Ding Xikui to meet with criminal suspect Huang Qi is denied."

Human Rights in China and OLYMPIC WATCH and BBC