Karina's story

Karina Moskalenko is a prominent lawyer in Russia. She is well known as a lawyer in human rights matters.

She is currently representing the family of murdered journalist, Anna Politkovskaya. The preliminary hearing for the case was initially fixed on 15th October 2008. But she missed that hearing. She did not make it. She was in hospital.

She fell ill after mercury was placed in her car in Strasbourg. She was treated for nausea and headaches. her family members were also taken ill.

Was this a failed attempt at murder - or an act of intimidation?

Source: BBC News Online here

Nay Phone Latt's story

Nay Phone Latt is a blogger in Burma. In the September 2007 uprising, his blog provided valuable information about the things happening in Burma.

Recently he posted a cartoon of Military Leader Than Shwe and he was arrested among other things for that. His mother was not allowed to attend his trial and he was not allowed to be represented by the counsel of his choice (who was imprisoned for contempt of court).

Yesterday, the court sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment which includes 15 years for offences under the Electronics Act, two years for "creating public alarm" and three and a half years for offences under the Video Act.

Source: BBC News Online here.

Ching Cheong's story

In April 2005, Ching Cheong was detained by the Chinese authorities. He was alleged to have been working as a spy for the Taiwanese government, that he was buying info and passing it to Taiwan. He apparently "confessed" his crimes.

After almost 3 years, he was surprisingly released and allowed to return home to Hong Kong to celebrate the Spring Festival.

His case is one of the many in China which reflects the country's "increasing repression of journalists".

Source: BBC News Online here.

Nie Shubin's story

"Mr and Mrs Nie... are a couple I met last month at their little brick house in a village three hours south of Beijing.

They perched on a couple of old stools in their tiny courtyard. Both are in their mid 50s, but Mr Nie looks much, much older.

He can barely hobble, with the aid of a stick, pain etched on his face with every step.

Ten years ago, Mr Nie drank pesticide to try to kill himself. He was driven by madness and depression brought on by the death of his only son Nie Shubin.

Nie Shubin was barely 20 when he was killed by an executioner's bullet to the back of his head. While in police custody, he had confessed to the murder of a young woman.

"They beat him," Mr Nie tells me, tears now glistening in her eyes. "They beat him until he confessed. They did not care about the truth. They say you are guilty, so you are guilty."

China carries out the death penalty on an industrial scale. As many as 8,000 to 10,000 people are executed here every year.

Mrs Nie got to see her son only once before he went to his death.

"I found out which day he would be in court and fought my way in," she told me.

"The police did not want to let me in, but I pushed and screamed until they let me through."

"Then I saw him. In shackles, he was being led away. 'Shubin,' I called. He turned and saw me. 'Ma,' he shouted, tears flooding down his cheeks."

Mrs Nie rushed towards her son, but the police held her back. There would be no last goodbye.

Ten years after Shubin was executed, another man came forward and admitted he had murdered the young woman. Mrs Nie has appealed to the police to review her son's case. They do not want to know.

The reason I tell you this story is that Mr and Mrs Nie are far from being alone. Across China there are tens, even hundreds of thousands of people with similar stories to tell - stories of brutality and injustice at the hands of those in power."

Reproduced from BBC News Online. You can read the entire article here

Zhisheng's story

Gao Zhisheng is a rare breed in China - he is a human rights lawyer.

This year, he organised a protest. The protest was allegedly against police brutality against certain activists.

According to BBC News online, Zhisheng has represented members of Falun Gong, members of an underground church and others who had complained that they lost land to the Chinese authorities.

In August this year, Zhisheng was detained in Beijing. On 21st September 2006, Zhisheng was formally arrested "on suspicion of inciting subversion of state power".

According to his lawyer, Mo, he had to go personally to the prosecutors to learn of the charges against Zhisheng. Mo had also told Reuters that the police investigation could take several months before a decision is made on whether to charge Zhisheng or not.

For now, Zhisheng is detained indefinitely and his family members are not allowed to see him.

Source: BBC News online

Guangcheng's story

Last year, Guangcheng made several accusations against the local health workers in Linyi. He alleged that they were coercing women to have late term abortions or sterilisation. This is in order to keep in line with the (IMHO ridiculous and a violation of human rights) one-child policy in China.

This year, Time Magazine named him as one of the 100 most inlfuential people in the world for exposing the problem.

It did not come without a price.

Guangcheng was detained in September 2005. He was subsequently charged for "damaging property and organising a mob to disturb traffic".

His trial, which was schedued last week brought concern to many who feared for him. Their fears were not unfounded.

Before the trial, Guangcheng's lawyers were arrested.

Guangcheng was subsequently represented by 2 state-appointed lawyers - against his will, of course.

The proceedings were held behind closed doors.

The trial took only 2 hours!

Guangcheng has been found guilty sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison.

Source: BBC News Online