On January 9, after 37 days of detention, Guangzhou labour activists Peng Jiayong and Deng Xiaoming were released and escorted back to their home towns. However, lawyers of fellow activists Zeng Feiyang, Meng Han, and Zhu Xiaomei confirmed that their arrests were approved with charges of “gathering a crowd to disturb social order” on the same day.

On January 9, after 37 days of detention, Guangzhou labour activists Peng Jiayong and Deng Xiaoming were released and escorted back to their home towns.  However, lawyers of fellow activists Zeng Feiyang, Meng Han, and Zhu Xiaomei confirmed that their arrests were approved with charges of “gathering a crowd to disturb social order” on the same day.  They are believed to be detained in the No.1 Detention Centre of Guangzhou and are still denied the rights to meet with their lawyers.

Meanwhile, He Xiaobo’s arrests was approved and his notice of arrest was delivered to his wife, Yang Min (杨梅) on the morning of January 8.  The notice affirms that He Xiaobo was arrested under charges of “embezzlement”. He is still being held at the Foshan Nanhai District Detention Center.  Although He Xiaobo’s wife, Yang Min, has hired Guangdong lawyer, Ge Yongxi (葛永喜) as He’s attorney upon his arrest, she later received a verbal notification from the Foshan Procuratorate claiming that He has already signed an “Undertaking Not To Hire Lawyer”.  But both Yang Min and Ge Yongxi doubted the authenticity of such an undertaking.  Another labour activist Tang Jian is still out of contact and his whereabouts is still unknown.

 

For the petition to support the activists and the latest news, click here.