Religious Leaders Detained, tourists under surveillance, elderly women sentenced and five americans arrested

Update 21-08: The latetst news about freedom of speech in China happened yesterday when five Americans started a non applied protest outside the official protest zones. Guess what? They where arrested. Three others were detained. IOC isn't happy about this.

Update 20-08: It is hard to demonstrate in China, we know, but now it's getting stranger and stranger. Two elderly women in the age of 77 and 79 are sentenced to a year re-education after they applied for an official protest in the official protest zones.

Chinese authorities have sentenced two women in their 70s to a year's "re-education through labour" after they applied to protest during the Olympic games, a relative said today. This week, officials said they had not approved a single permit for a demonstration, despite designating three parks as protest zones. (see below). The International Olympic Committee's communications director said she would look at the women's case, but stressed that the games were "not a panacea for all ills". Source Guardian

Update 20-08: Now the churches are under fire in China. See videos.

Some Beijing churches held mass on Sunday. But some human rights groups say the games have only made things worse for religious believers and activists. Specially designated churches in Beijing held mass in an attempt to show religious openness to tourists, dignitaries, and media during the games yesterday. Experts say China has about 40 million active Christians. But half of them belong to underground churches that are banned by the Chinese regime. The other half belong to state-run churches that are registered with, and monitored by, the State Administration for Religious Affairs.Source

And there is another report about freedom of travelling in China, see video.

Over a month after China lifted a ban on foreigners visiting Tibet, tourists are slowly making their way back to the region. Authorities strictly control the comings and goings, while granting only a handful of visas. Source

Update: Great work of the Chinese. All applications for official demonstrations is someting wrong with. Smart work, so the officila protestzones stay empty. Very convienent.

Beijing authorities have received 77 applications for demonstrations since August 1, a spokesperson with the municipal public security bureau said in Beijing on Monday.

These applications involved 149 people, including three persons from overseas.

Most of the applicants applied to protest in public for issues like labor disputes, medical disputes or inadequate welfares, the spokesperson said.

Seventy-four applications have been withdrawn so far, because the problems those applicants contended for were properly addressed by relevant authorities or departments through consultations, added the spokesperson.

Two other applications have been suspended because their procedures were incomplete, the spokesperson said. In one of such cases, for example, the applicant applied to take children to the demonstration, which is against China's law.

According to China's law on demonstrations and protests, children are not eligible to take part in any demonstrations because they do not have independent will, nor can they be liable for their behaviors.

"The applicants (whose applications have been suspended) have been told to provide information of the eligible participants, and provide the adequate papers as required," the spokesperson said. "It doesn't mean their applications have been rejected."

The Chinese law requires demonstrators submit their requests at least five days in advance and detail the intention and topic of the protest, as well as the basic information of the participants.

The one remaining application has been vetoed by the public security authority, as it is in violation of China's law on demonstrations and protests, the spokesperson said without elaboration.

The public security bureau also received 22 inquiries on the application procedures -- 13 from domestic residents and nine from overseas personnel.

China announced last month it would set up zones in three Beijing parks where demonstrators could legally stage protests during the Olympic Games. They are Zizhuyuan Park in the city's northwest, Ritan Park in the east and World Park in the southwest.

"The move to set aside protest areas is in line with Beijing's promises to the International Olympic Committee to adhere to the Olympic traditions, such as free expression outside the sporting venues. It offers a new channel for the protestors to better express their opinions by attracting the eyes of tourists, reporters and officials during the Games," said Mo Yuchuan, director of the Research Center for Constitutional and Administrative Law of the Beijing-based Renmin University of China.

"The measure is also expected to help reduce the risk that unexpected demonstrations of large scale would harm the public interests," he said.

Source:

Update: But outside the official protestzones, protests are going on. Recently model Christina Chan Hau-man (Her boyfriend is Nick Brazel) was arrested for the second time. Not too long ago she was arrested when the Olympic Torch came to HongKong. Now she is arrested again for protesting at an Olympic Venue when she unfolded a pro-Tibet banner. See the pictures

Update: Great idea those official protest zones. So far nobody used the three specially aranged parks in Beijing. Ok, when you want to protest in China that needs an official approve. So some groups applied to protest in line with the regulations on that in China. Guess what? All were rejected by the Chinese.

See these lines from the Australian:

In announcing the protest pens, the authorities said that applications must be made five days ahead of the planned protest, including the identities and contact details of the protesters, and the slogans that would be used.

Among those who have applied to protest are members of the Patriots' League who wished to speak out against the arrival for the Olympics of Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, in a Japanese military plane. This was rejected. Source

Update: all four British have to leave China. It took the police more than one hour to remove the signs.

Update: That was a nice idea to set up official protest zones, but you know what it is with people that want to protest. The like to do that on place where it is not allowed. So the first four British activists are arrested. I'm afraid this will be the beginning of a long summer with a lot of violation of human rights.

Four British nationals, three men and one woman, were taken away by Beijing police on Wednesday morning for displaying "Free Tibet" banners, the police authority said.  The four gathered at around 5:47 in the morning at the Beichen Overpass near the National Stadium, or Bird's Nest. Two men climbed up two electricity poles to display the banners, said the police. One banner was written with large black letters "One World One Dream Free Tibet" and another banner read "Tibet will be free".  The police rushed to the scene 12 minutes later and took them away for investigation. The four, identified as British citizens, have entered China on tourist visas, police said. Source: Xinhua

Not much information to find on this. Who nows more??

Update: Today organazing committee BOCOG announced: People wanting to protest during the Beijing Games must seek police permission five days ahead of their actions. This sounds really idiot. Five days ahead.

This is really unespected news from China. You know the political leaders in the country are not very happy with protests. Look what happened in Tibet recently. So it is really surprisingly that the government decided to create three official protest zones.

In three Beijing parks they government created dedicated places for demonstrations. Of course the protesters have to be a little bit respectful for Chinese laws. The Chinese law protects the legal right of people to hold lawful demonstrations and marches.

So protesters in Beijing still have to be careful. As ou may know the International Olympic Committee charter prohibits demonstrations or political, religious or racial propaganda at Olympic venues or sites.