China: Politburo member and Beijing Olympic Chief Linked to Torture

by peter.reardon | July 8, 2008 at 04:59 pm
287 views | 17 Recommendations | 8 comments

Liu [Qi] was promoted in 2002 to Beijing Communist Party secretary and given a seat on the country’s 25-member Politburo, China’s top decision-making body. Last May, Liu made Time magazine’s “Time 100,” a list of "100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world." wrote Shahien Nasiripour,  who first published the article  in Truth dig, April  24, 2008. Read here

President Sarkozy of France, and current President of the European Union, might want to change his travel plans to attend the Beijing opening ceremonies and have a word with Liu about certain criminal charges brought against him in America in 2004:

[I]n an extensive legal opinion, the U.S. District Court in San Francisco determined that Liu was responsible for the illegal detention and torture of two Chinese nationals and a sexual assault against a French woman in China. Source: See above

What effect will this matter have on the status of Liu and his position as head of the Beijing games? None I suspect. However, it is gratifying to read that  Anita L. DeFrantz  was quite relaxed about Liu's private life, when informed of the criminal charges brought against him: indeed, she is quoted as saying:

“What difference does it make?” asked Anita L. DeFrantz, the senior U.S. member of the International Olympic Committee, when informed of the judgment against Liu. “I care very deeply about human rights,” DeFrantz said. “[But] this doesn’t tarnish the Games.” Source: see above

But there was no need to worry about the Games, the champion of democracy in the Free World George Bush entered the fray, urging the court to dismiss the case.

"We would respectfully urge the Court to fashion its final orders in a manner that would minimize the potential injury to the foreign relations of the United States," the State Department said". Source: see above

What about the injury sustained by three women? And how many others women and men have seen justice perverted in support of corporate interest over human rights in Beijin since Liu has been responsible for the management of the Beijin Olympic Games?

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julianw

Thanks for this important news. In the future, could you please use NowPublic's highlight tool to more clearly distinguish your work from work you have taken from other sources?

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peter.reardon

Thank you for your  observation/comment

Peter

p.s. Just downloaded the highlighter you mentioned... mm?


futureprogress
futureprogress
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 02:22 on July 9th, 2008

“What difference does it make?”

Sadly, that pretty much sums it up, no?

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René

Something else for Olympic attendees to worry about.

dunkelberg
dunkelberg
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:37 on July 11th, 2008

Heckuva job, Liu!

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 Peter Reardon

dunkelberg:

Thanks for reading, and the rating: much appreciated

Peter

Jordan Yerman
Jordan Yerman
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:48 on July 13th, 2008

peter.reardon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

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peter.reardon

Thanks Jordan.

Peter


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