Breaking News: Chinese Dissident Du Daobin Once Again Silenced and Disappeared by Authorities
Chinese prominent dissident Du Daobin has once again been silenced by the authorities, cut off from his family with no contact. Du Daobin’s nephew, Le Zailin, who came to the United States last year, issued an open letter to the Chinese government, party leader Xi Jinping, and other relevant leaders on January 27, on the eve of the Chinese lunar New Year, urging to stop the persecution of Du Daobin and restore his rightful freedom of speech and personal liberty.
Le Zailin revealed during an interview with NTD Television on January 24 that he recently learned that his uncle, Du Daobin, was once again silenced and forcibly disappeared by the authorities. It is reported that Du Daobin is currently under bail pending trial, and authorities have brought new charges against him.
Du Daobin, 61, once worked for the local government in Hubei province and was once selected as a future cadre for his unit, receiving awards from provincial and municipal levels, as well as a Third-Class Merit. During the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, he sympathized with the students, opposed violence, and wrote numerous poems in support of the student movement.
In 2003, Du Daobin was detained by the Chinese Communist Party on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” later arrested and sentenced to three years in prison with a suspended sentence of four years and two years deprived of political rights. Despite his appeals of innocence being rejected, his suspended sentence was revoked, and he was sent to prison to serve his sentence.
In 2011, Du Daobin and a group of others sued the network company Cisco Systems in a Maryland court in the United States, accusing Cisco of actively assisting the Chinese government in harassing, arresting, and mistreating Chinese dissidents.
In early 2020, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, Du Daobin and other outspoken individuals voiced their support for Tsinghua University law professor Xu Zhangrun’s criticism of the authorities in articles, and in April of the same year, he called for the authorities to handle the epidemic openly and transparently, accepting criticism. Later, there were reports of him being beaten. The authorities even used iron bars to weld the windows of his home, placing him under soft detention.
Du Daobin is one of the earliest columnists for The Epoch Times and a member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center. He was awarded the “PEN/Novib Free-Expression Award” in 2004. In his award acceptance speech, he stated: “The power of truthful expression is just one of the constructive forces in a democratic system. Nevertheless, for an authoritarian government that can only maintain its privilege through constant lying, its power is enough to make dictators restless.”
Du Daobin’s 21-year ordeal has also left his nephew, Le Zailin, increasingly disillusioned with the Chinese authorities. He came to the United States last year and participated in many activities against the brutal rule of the CCP.
Le Zailin expressed his heartfelt wish to NTD Television, saying, “I earnestly hope that the Chinese people can soon enjoy freedom and break away from the control of this demonic regime.”
I am Le Zailin, the nephew of Mr. Du Daobin, currently residing in the United States. With deep pain and urgent appeal, I write this open letter, begging for the release of my uncle, an end to his persecution, and the restoration of his fundamental rights to freedom of speech and personal liberty as an ordinary citizen. Twenty-one years of oppression and suppression, twenty-one years of surveillance and imprisonment, the suffering he has endured is intolerable!
Mr. Du Daobin is a writer who speaks with reason and wisdom, a intellectual who upholds truth and justice. He has always expressed his views in a peaceful and rational manner, criticizing and offering suggestions on national and social issues. However, because of these expressions that should be respected, he has been convicted, detained, monitored multiple times. To this day, his life has been completely deprived of freedom, his spirit tortured by endless oppression, and his family persecuted and shattered. As his family member, I am not only deeply angry but also deeply appeal: let him regain a life of freedom, let his voice no longer be forcibly silenced!
A Brave Soul’s 21 Years of Suffering
My uncle, Mr. Du Daobin, has endured 21 years of injustice and oppression since his first arrest in 2003. He has never committed any illegal acts, he simply wrote about truths in his heart, yet he has been repeatedly treated as a “dangerous element” and cruelly suppressed.
1. First Arrest and Conviction in 2003
– Charge: Inciting Subversion of State Power
– Date of Detention: October 28, 2003
– Background: Accused of “subversion” for publishing critical articles on the internet, expressing opinions on social and national policies.
– Sentence: On June 11, 2004, the Xiaogan Intermediate People’s Court in Hubei sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended for four years, and deprived of political rights for two years.
– Consequence: Although released, his life has been severely monitored and his freedom of speech and action has been completely deprived.
2. Continued Soft Detention and Surveillance for 13 Years (2011-2024)
– Routine Soft Detention: Since his release in 2011, he has lost personal freedom during each year’s “Two Sessions” period and around the June Fourth anniversary. Sometimes lasting a week, sometimes over two months, with the longest lasting until June 6.
– Repeated Soft Detention and Illegal Detention from 2018 to 2022: Confined 6 times in five years, including being forcibly held at home for two months four times. In 2018, he was abducted at a restaurant, forcibly taken by four stability maintenance personnel to an abandoned chicken farm, detained for 36 days, and faced death threats.
3. Persecuted Despite Illness
– Illegally Detained after Cancer: In 2021, after undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy and severely weakened, he was detained three more times. This action not only violated human dignity but also trampled upon life!
4. Latest Crackdown in 2024
– Incident Date: December 20, 2024
– Background: For posting two critical remarks on WeChat, he was taken by public security for interrogation for a day and placed under bail awaiting trial. During this period, public security imposed several harsh restrictions on him:
– Prohibited from using WeChat
– Not allowed to accept interviews from foreign media
– Not allowed to meet with “sensitive individuals”
– Required to report to public security in advance if leaving his residence
5. Shattered Family and Psychological Torment
– Divorce of Former Wife: His wife chose to divorce due to unbearable surveillance and harassment.
– Son’s Relocation: His son (my cousin) was forced to move to another province to escape continuous monitoring, forcibly separating father and son.
– Life under Total Surveillance: Du Daobin’s residence is filled with continuous surveillance systems from the community entrance to his own door, with staff monitoring 24 hours a day. His communication is completely monitored; he cannot use WeChat and has no freedom to contact the outside world. This surveillance has been ongoing since 2003, spanning twenty-one years!
As his relative, I am in agonizing pain and profound respect
As the nephew of Mr. Du Daobin, I am in profound anguish at his plight. I have witnessed his noble character firsthand and been deeply inspired by his courage. He has shown me through his actions that even in the face of oppression, one must defend truth, and even in despair, one must maintain hope.
However, I cannot accept, nor understand: why must a person of such justice and truth endure such prolonged suffering? Isn’t his twenty-one years of unfreedom a profound torture to a nation that supposedly respects human rights and the rule of law?
He is not only my uncle but also my guide in life. I have felt the brilliance of wisdom and the charm of character from him many times. He has influenced my life and shaped my values. Now, seeing him continue to live under the shadow of surveillance and persecution, I feel an anger and sorrow that is suffocating. This endless oppression must stop!
Urgent Appeal: China Needs to Respect Freedom and Rule of Law
With the deepest hope, I appeal to you:
1. Immediately cease the surveillance, crackdown, and persecution of Mr. Du Daobin!
– Stop communication monitoring and physical surveillance, lift all restrictions on his actions and social interactions.
2. Restore Mr. Du Daobin’s basic rights as an ordinary citizen!
– Remove all restrictions on him, returning his fundamental rights to freedom of speech and personal liberty.
3. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate respect for the Constitution and rule of law!
– Let the whole world see that China is a country that respects diverse viewpoints, protects citizens’ freedoms, and does not imprison independent thinkers.
Twenty-one years of suffering have been far too long; what my uncle has endured is unbearable! Please show compassion and wisdom, allow him to regain freedom, reunite with his family, and no longer be filled with pain and oppression in his later years.
As his family member, I earnestly implore you to hear my voice. Mr. Du Daobin’s story not only concerns his fate but also speaks to the conscience and hope of China’s future.
With Respect!
Le Zailin
Date: January 27, 2025