CNHRA PERSON RECORD · CNHRA-P-285811
Li Wangyang
Biography
Li Wangyang was a labor activist in Shaoyang, Hunan. He helped establish an autonomous workers’ federation there in 1989 and subsequently received a thirteen-year sentence. Amnesty International reported serious health problems during his imprisonment.[1]
Li was a factory worker in Shaoyang. Amnesty International’s 1997 profile records his leadership of the local Workers Autonomous Federation and his organization of strikes, demonstrations and speeches in 1989.[6]
During his first prison term, Li was released on medical grounds in 1996 but returned to prison while still receiving treatment. After another medical release in June 2000, he sought compensation for mistreatment in prison to pay for medical care. In February 2001 he undertook a twenty-two-day hunger strike over those demands.[5]
Li was detained again in May 2001 and subsequently sentenced to ten years. He completed the sentence in May 2011.[1]
He was found dead in a Shaoyang hospital on June 6, 2012. Authorities described the death as suicide, which family and friends disputed. An autopsy and cremation followed. Amnesty International called for an independent investigation and issued an urgent action concerning relatives who had disappeared from contact.[1][3][4]
Case Summary
Li received thirteen years following his 1989 activities and was released early on health grounds in June 2000. Detained again in 2001, he received ten years and was released in May 2011. He was found dead in a Shaoyang hospital on June 6, 2012.[1]
Authorities described the death as suicide; family and friends disputed it. Amnesty reported an autopsy on June 8 without family or lawyers present, cremation the next day and publication on July 12 of findings supporting the official account. It continued to seek a transparent investigation and raised relatives’ disappearance from contact.[3][4][2]
Timeline
1989
Involvement in workers’ organization
Amnesty reports involvement in establishing the Shaoyang Workers’ Autonomous Federation.[1]
1996
First release on medical grounds
The 2002 urgent action records his return to prison while still receiving treatment.[5]
2000-06
Released early on health grounds
Amnesty records early release in June followed by efforts to obtain medical-expense compensation.[1]
2001-02
Hunger strike over compensation and medical costs
He undertook a twenty-two-day hunger strike seeking compensation for prison mistreatment to fund medical care.
Amnesty’s urgent action connects the hunger strike with severe health problems after prolonged imprisonment. Following medical release in June 2000, he sought compensation to pay for treatment and fasted for twenty-two days. Renewed detention in May and a ten-year sentence in September followed, making medical care and compensation part of the background to the second prosecution.[5]
2001-05
Detained again
After seeking compensation for medical expenses and undertaking a hunger strike, Li was detained again and subsequently sentenced to ten years.[1]
2001-09
Second sentence: ten years
Amnesty’s 2002 urgent action records a ten-year sentence for inciting subversion after Li sought compensation for prison mistreatment and was detained again.[5]
2012-06-06
Found dead in hospital
Li was found dead in a Shaoyang hospital. Officials described the death as suicide; relatives and friends questioned that account.
He had completed his second term in May 2011 with serious health problems. Authorities advanced a suicide explanation, while relatives and friends questioned his physical condition and the scene; Amnesty called for an independent and transparent investigation. Recording those positions is not a finding of suicide or homicide. Complete investigative, autopsy and related judicial records remain unavailable to the archive.[1][2]
2012-06-08
Autopsy reportedly conducted without family or counsel
Amnesty’s July 11 urgent action reports an autopsy without family or counsel present and cremation the following day.[3]
2012-06-09
Body cremated
Amnesty’s urgent action records cremation the day after the June 8 autopsy.[3]
2012-06-12
Open letter seeking independent investigation
ASA 17/015/2012 seeks investigation of the June 6 death and protection of relatives and friends; it is an advocacy letter, not an autopsy or judgment.[2]
2012-07-12
Autopsy findings reportedly published
Amnesty’s statement the next day reports findings supporting the official suicide account and continues to call for a transparent investigation.
An autopsy was reportedly conducted without relatives or lawyers on June 8, followed by cremation the next day. The findings announced in July supported the official suicide explanation, but Amnesty continued to question transparency and seek independent investigation. The announcement coexisted with family objections and organizational criticism; it did not resolve the dispute for this archive.[4][3][2]
Related Events
Documents
Sources
- [1]
CNHRA-S-241025Amnesty International
Evidence location: Body paragraphs: 1989 labor organizing, the second sentence, 2011 release and June 2012 death and dispute.
- [2]
CNHRA-S-392973Amnesty International
Evidence location: ASA 17/015/2012; letter dated 12 June 2012, opening account and requests for investigation and protection. June 12, 2012 open letter, Background: birth year and June 6 death.
- [3]
CNHRA-S-849792Amnesty International
Evidence location: ASA 17/021/2012, page 2: autopsy, cremation and earlier imprisonment; page 1: relatives out of contact.
- [4]
CNHRA-S-897841Amnesty International USA
Evidence location: Body: autopsy conclusion released the previous day, relatives’ situation and demand for transparent investigation.
- [5]
CNHRA-S-851918Amnesty International
Evidence location: ASA 17/027/2002, body paragraphs 2–4: 1996 medical release, 2001 hunger strike and sentence.
- [6]
CNHRA-S-920974Amnesty International
Evidence location: ASA 17/20/97, printed p. 10 (combined PDF p. 14), Li Wangyang section.