Family Says Charges Against Ai Weiwei Illegal
Family Says Charges AgBeijing finally laid charges against prominent Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei on May 20, accusing him of tax evasion over a month after his abduction from the Beijing International Airport. Ais family responded that the charges are arbitrary and illegal.
The Communist Party mouthpiece Xinhua published a brief report on Friday, saying that Preliminary investigation shows, Beijing Fa-Ke Cultural Development Ltd, controlled by Ai is involved in evading huge amounts of taxes and destroying accounting records.
Ais family said that police had never informed them about the charges before the Xinhua report. Ais sister, Gao Ge, said, Fa-Ke Cultural is not Ai Weiweis company, and the police have not met with the companys legal representative. According to Hong Kong media Apple Daily, the company is registered and belongs to Ais wife, Lu Qing.
Referring to her brothers abduction, Gao asked, How could an illegal starting point lead to a legal conclusion?
The Xinhua report also emphasized that Ai is currently under residential monitoring, and that the recent, strictly controlled meeting with family members showed that Ai's right to meet with people who live with him is guaranteed under Chinese law.
It was the first time that the state confirmed that the treatment for Ai Weiwei was not defined as official detention, but rather, residential monitoring. Experts on Chinese law explained that under this explanation, police are able to evade the requirement to provide an arrest warrant within a certain period of time.
Lu Qing, Ais wife, told several foreign media the purpose of the meeting was to show the outside world that Ai was healthy. The meeting was set up in an undisclosed location; the family does not know where Ai is being held, and nor is it known whether he was subject to torture while in custody.
The Communist Party mouthpiece Xinhua published a brief report on Friday, saying that Preliminary investigation shows, Beijing Fa-Ke Cultural Development Ltd, controlled by Ai is involved in evading huge amounts of taxes and destroying accounting records.
Ais family said that police had never informed them about the charges before the Xinhua report. Ais sister, Gao Ge, said, Fa-Ke Cultural is not Ai Weiweis company, and the police have not met with the companys legal representative. According to Hong Kong media Apple Daily, the company is registered and belongs to Ais wife, Lu Qing.
Referring to her brothers abduction, Gao asked, How could an illegal starting point lead to a legal conclusion?
The Xinhua report also emphasized that Ai is currently under residential monitoring, and that the recent, strictly controlled meeting with family members showed that Ai's right to meet with people who live with him is guaranteed under Chinese law.
It was the first time that the state confirmed that the treatment for Ai Weiwei was not defined as official detention, but rather, residential monitoring. Experts on Chinese law explained that under this explanation, police are able to evade the requirement to provide an arrest warrant within a certain period of time.
Lu Qing, Ais wife, told several foreign media the purpose of the meeting was to show the outside world that Ai was healthy. The meeting was set up in an undisclosed location; the family does not know where Ai is being held, and nor is it known whether he was subject to torture while in custody.
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Lu voiced her concern that during her last meeting with Ai she found the police had changed his high blood pressure medicine. She requested clarification but did not receive a response, according to Radio Free Asia.
Ais arrest has drawn international concern and widespread media attention, while art and cultural groups around the world have held exhibitions to draw attention to his case.
New Yorks Central Park hosted the first stop in a worldwide tour of Ais artwork Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, consisting of twelve bronze heads, each depicting an animal from the Chinese zodiac.
Exhibitions of Ais work have also been scheduled in Hong Kong during the end of May, and hundreds of civil society groups plan to participate.
Read the original Chinese article.
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