CNHRA EVENT RECORD · CNHRA-E-136508
Liu Xiaobo's 1996–1999 Re-education Through Labor
Date
1996-10-08 — 1999-10-08
Location
China
Event Type
Detention
Human Rights Issues
Freedom of Expression · Arbitrary Detention
Record ID
CNHRA-E-136508
Summary
In October 1996, Liu Xiaobo was detained by police in Beijing and assigned three years of re-education through labor. Contemporary Human Rights Watch reporting linked the punishment to an open letter he co-authored with Wang Xizhe and related public expression. The re-education-through-labor decision was imposed without a criminal trial. According to testimony submitted by Perry Link in 2011, Liu returned from the re-education camp on October 8, 1999.[1][2][3][4]
Description
On September 30, 1996, Liu Xiaobo and Wang Xizhe issued an open letter addressing political reform, freedom of expression, political pluralism, Taiwan, and dialogue with the Dalai Lama. [1][4]
A 1997 Human Rights Watch report stated that Liu was detained at his Beijing home on October 7, 1996, and assigned three years of re-education through labor the next day. A separate 1996 report from the organization, however, recorded his detention on October 8 and the decision on the following day. Other Human Rights Watch materials also identify October 8 as the date of the re-education decision. The sources therefore differ by one day on the initial detention date. [1][4][2]
Re-education through labor was an administrative detention system under which confinement could be imposed without a criminal trial. [2]
Perry Link's 2011 testimony states that Liu returned from the re-education camp on October 8, 1999.[3]
Developments
Assigned Three Years of Re-education Through Labor
According to a 1997 Human Rights Watch report, Liu Xiaobo was assigned three years of re-education through labor on October 8, 1996. The administrative decision was imposed without a criminal trial.
A separate 1996 Human Rights Watch report instead described the decision as occurring the day after an October 8 detention, implying October 9; the historical accounts differ.[1][2][4]
Marriage to Liu Xia Registered, According to Testimony
During Liu Xiaobo's re-education-through-labor term, he and Liu Xia formalized their marriage through paperwork. Perry Link stated in 2011 testimony before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China that their marriage became official on April 8, 1998. Other published accounts give a different date for their marriage.[3]
Completion of Re-education Through Labor Term
In testimony before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in 2011, Perry Link stated that Liu Xiaobo returned from the re-education camp on October 8, 1999.[3]
Related People
Organizations
No organizations have been added.
Documents
No documents have been added to this record yet.
Sources
- [1]
CNHRA-S-809000Human Rights Watch
Evidence location: 页首November 1996及卷期；II. BACKGROUND TO THE CASE中以On October 8, 1996开头的刘晓波案例及随后一段。
- [2]
CNHRA-S-977658Human Rights Watch
Evidence location: Reeducation Through Labor in China标题；开头对劳教与劳改的区分；以The recipient of a reeducation through labor sentence开头、包含Liu Xiaobo的案例段。
- [3]
CNHRA-S-406674Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Evidence location: GovInfo CHRG-112jhrg73764附录Prepared Statement of Perry Link（目录列印刷页42起）；以On October 8, 1999开头的段落；前文October 8, 1996拘押段；合集封面2012印行信息。
- [4]
CNHRA-S-783418Human Rights in China and Human Rights Watch/Asia
Evidence location: Organizations, April 1997 and volume/issue at the top; Liu Xiaobo entry in APPENDIX A: RECENT CASES OF POLITICAL IMPRISONMENT.