Pékin2008

In China, independent trade unionism is forbidden.

In June 1989, Liu Zhihua, who was about 18 years old, was working in an electrical plant in Xiangtan, in Hunan Province (South East China).

Hunan province had actively supported the Beijing students' demonstrations. On May 20, 1989, Hunan workers had even retorted the martial law by the creation of their own independent trade unions.

On June 9 1989, a few days after the Tiananmen massacre, some workers of the electrical plant in Xiangtan entered a house belonging to the factory security officer, who wanted to prevent them from going on strike. They stole and set fire to some of his belongings. A few days later, Liu Zhihua, and about ten other trade unionists were arrested. However, no evidence of an active participation of Liu Zhihua in these incidents was ever produced.

After a particularly hasty and unfair trial held in October 1989, Liu was sentenced to life imprisonment with life deprivation of his political rights for "hooliganism" and "serious breach to public order". Two other workers also received heavy sentences: Chen Gang convicted to death penalty and Peng Shi to life imprisonment. But both were released in late 2004.

In September 1993, Liu's sentence was reduced to fifteen years' imprisonment and his deprivation of political rights reduced to five years. In 1997, he received an additional sentence of five years for "intentional wounding" allegedly committed inside the prison. No information had been reported about this wounding, whether it was an attempt to commit suicide or a self-mutilation. In June 2001, his sentence was again reduced by two years.

Liu Zhihua should leave n°6 Hunan prison (Longxi), in Shaoyang, in January 2011. By then, he will have spent 22 years in prison.

The China 2008 Olympics Collective calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Liu Zhihua.