From Sound of Hope  18/08/09

China’s democracy activist Guo Quan was tried at Suqian Court in Jiangsu Province on August 7, 2009, on the charge of “subverting state power.” Guo is a former associate professor at the Chinese Language and Culture School, Nanjing Normal University. His mother, Ms. Gu Xiao, a renowned writer, attended the hearing. Ms. Gu did not understand Guo Quan’s conduct before the court session; however, she felt the court hearing was like an introductory class to democracy. She shouted loudly before leaving the court: “You are great, my child! I feel proud of you.”

Guo Quan

Ms. Gu told the Sound of Hope reporter, although she is approaching 70, this was the first time she ever attended a court hearing in her lifetime, not to mention the person being tried was her son. She felt relieved after she saw Guo Quan. Guo’s face was pale and he looked skinny, like a scholar. Nonetheless, Guo and his attorneys did an excellent job defending Guo Quan.

 Ms. Gu said, “I did not have time to feel sad, and I forgot the rules in the court. I was afraid that my son may not be able to see me, so I stood up. I said, ‘my son, mom is here.’ When my son defended himself, I noticed that he was calm and composed, as if he was professor Guo, giving a lecture to his students. His statement of defense was too remarkable. When addressing those accusers that were too absurd to mention, my son refuted them with perfect logic. I feel that my son’s statement of defense, and that of the two attorneys I hired for him, was not at the same level at all. It was like a dialogue between a Ph.D. student and an elementary school pupil.”

As a Communist Party member and a journalist who had served the communist regime, Ms. Gu said she had experienced the Cultural Revolution and is thus fully aware of the cruelty of CCP politics. She never thought that her son would become a victim of the CCP. As a mother, she never expected her son to be extraordinary; she simply hoped he would be able to enjoy a peaceful life. However, the court hearing completely changed her mind.

 Ms. Gu said, “I had never tried to understand what he is thinking. However, since yesterday, at the CCP court hearing, it was like an introductory class. The so-called criminal charge, from my son’s statement of defense, and the two attorneys’ statement of defense, helped me understand my son is not guilty at all; instead, he is a man of great merit for our country, for our nation. Now I came to understand all this, I really admire this child of mine. In addition, I found that his mind is firm and steadfast. He will not change his mind.”

According to Ms. Gu, the security check at the court was more strict than those at the airport, even her watch had to be left outside. When she called her son’s name in the court, the police shouted at her and pushed her harshly. She could not control herself as the judge and policemen repeatedly treated her like a criminal.

Ms. Gu said, “The attitude of that judge, the plain-cloth policemen and armed police being all over the place, the armed police imposing a curfew, you know, it was like a powerful enemy was approaching. They confiscated my watch. Why were all the other attendees allowed to wear their watches? Cheating us, and treating me like a criminal, I could hardly control myself in the court. I started to yell out and scold them. When I was yelling and scolding, they did not dare to beat me.”

During the adjournment at noon time, Ms. Gu appealed to the judge to take a glance at Guo Quan, face to face, but her request was rejected.

Ms. Gu said, “I hoped to look at my son, look at his face and look into his eyes, to say a couple of words to him. I asked (the judge), “Can you give us ten minutes?” The answer was “No!” I asked again, “How about five minutes?” “No!” I then said, “Just two minutes, and just one sentence.” He replied: “No!” Not only did he turn down my request, he also verbally abused me. I started to yell out. I said this is not an open court session at all. It is a secretive trial. I said what’s the fault of my son? Come here and arrest me right now!

Ms. Gu said she had hoped to attend the hearing peacefully; she never thought she would yell out in public. It was beyond her imagination that the communist regime is so cruel when harming people. The regime simply has no humanity, not to mention human rights. Even when the court authorities noticed she kept taking “heart saver pills,” no one showed any concern about her.

Ms Gu said, “It is not that I felt sad because my son was wearing a prisoner’s uniform and handcuffs. It is because I did not know the communist regime could tell lies to such an extent, could be so cruel to people. I indeed feel … I didn’t want to behave this way; I was really outraged. It was until that time did I know what one would feel when he or she is extremely irritated. I did not plan to go back to Nanjing at all; I wished to ram into the judge to have both of us die together. I yelled, it is you who want to subvert the state power! Come here and arrest me!”

Ms. Gu’s body was swollen in the afternoon, and she was in a bad mood. She had to leave before the court session was over. She felt very sad as she did not have a chance to see her son from the front. She was choked by sobs during the interview.

Ms. Gu said, “At five o’clock, I could not bear the sight of the court session any more. I gestured to the attorneys and I stood up. My child, mom will have to go back to Nanjing now, I said, I did not understand you before and I even scolded you. I will scold you no more. My child, what you are doing is correct. You are great, my child! I am proud of you!”

At the end of the interview, Ms. Gu became very emotional. “I feel so sad. (I wanted to tell my son) your mother is 70 years old. You are not afraid to die, what am I afraid of? My son cannot hear these words now. He is again imprisoned (after the court hearing). Please pass this message to all who are concerned about Guo Quan and me. We want to thank them!”

Mr. Guo Quan wrote an open letter to Chinese communist leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao at the end of 2007, appealing to them to carry out a constitutional reform. In 2008, Guo Quan initiated and established the China New Democracy Party. After the Sichuan Earthquake, he wrote articles criticizing the poor construction quality of school buildings in Sichuan (Chinese people have a special term for it – Tofu-like construction). In November 2008, the Chinese authority arrested him on the charge of suspicion of “subverting state power.”