China’s Hu Jia is now out of prison and seems determined to continue the activities that got him there in the first place. Hu is one of China’s leading advocates in three areas that have made him very unpopular with the ruling government. He has advocated for greater democracy in his country. He has been a champion of environmental issues. He has also been an advocate for people with HIV/AIDS. These are three issues the Chinese government would prefer have no spokesperson at all, much less one who has been as forceful as Hu Jia has been.
Hu Jia is not even 40, but he has had a huge impact on the world’s most populous country.
Hu Jia to Remain Under Scrutiny by Chinese Government
Just because the Chinese government has let Hu Jia out of prison and back into society does not mean that they are planning to give him free reign. This is a person, however, who was willing to call attention to his country’s faults, just when that country was trying to present it best face to the world. Hu Jia was imprisoned just before the 2008 Olympics.
He was the imprisoned for three years. The government has put restrictions upon Hu ,Chinese Foreign Ministry Hong Lei , told the British newspaper, The Telegraph, that Hu , "cannot give interviews in the process and shall also be subject to supervision, administration and inspection from relevant departments in accordance with the law.”
Following his release, Hu Jia has allowed that he is concerned about the restrictions of his release and the impact it would have on his family.
What’s Next for Hu Jia?
Though he will face certain scrutiny from the Chinese government following his release, it is hard to imagine a man as recognized for his activism as Hu to remain silent for long. His was one of the voices raised to demand an official inquiry to the Chinese government’s response to the Tiananmen Square protests.
Both he, and another renowned activist, the Dalai Lama were both made honorary citizens of Paris in 2008.
The same year, the European Parliament awarded Hu its Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought. Then President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, said at the time the award was made, "By awarding the Sakharov Prize to Hu Jia, the European Parliament firmly and resolutely acknowledges the daily struggle for freedom of all Chinese human rights defenders." In awarding the prize to Hu, the European Parliament sent the message that they were watching what was going on in China.
Hu may watch his words for now, but it seems almost certain he will raise his voice in protest sometime again.
Sources:
- China confirms dissident faces media ban. (June 28, 2011). The Telegraph
- European Parliament (October 23, 2008). Sakharov Prize 2008 awarded to Hu Jia. European Parliament website.
Jon Pike - Pike is a Ph.D. in communication and writes about activism and popular culture topics for Suite101.
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