Lü Gengsong, Freelance
Medium:Internet
Charge:Anti-state
Imprisoned:July 7, 2014

Lü, a freelance writer, was detained on July 7, 2014, and his home was raided by security officers in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province. He was charged with subversion of state power on August 13, according to Human Rights in China. Two fellow activists told Radio Free Asia that his detention was most likely linked to writing he had published online in previous days about corruption and petitioners.

Lü lost his teaching position at Zhejiang Higher Professional School of Public Security in 1993 over his support of the pro-democracy movement. In 2000 his book, Corruption in the Communist Party of China, was published by Hong Kong Culture and Arts Studio. In March 2007 his article "China's Biggest Spy Organization: The Political and Legal Affairs Commission" appeared in Beijing Spring, an overseas democracy magazine. On February 5, 2008, the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court sentenced him to four years in prison and one year's deprivation of political rights on a charge of inciting subversion of state power. A lower court found him guilty of publishing "subversive essays" on foreign websites, according to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

After his release on August 23, 2011, Lü wrote a series of articles on corruption, organized crime, and other topics. Lü has also reported on the sentencing of rights activists, and frequently voiced support for the protection of basic rights. In October 2013, Lü and others wrote an open letter and petition against China's presence on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

A Hangzhou court tried Lü on September 29, 2015. As the journalist was making a statement during the trial, the presiding judge interrupted and prohibited Lü from speaking, claiming the content of the statement endangered state security, according to Radio Free Asia. A verdict had not been issued as of late 2015.

Lü is being held at Hangzhou Detention Center. He has high blood pressure and diabetes, according to Radio Free Asia. Lü's wife told Radio Free Asia she was not sure whether the medicine the detention center provided to Lü was sufficient.

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