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One Billion Rising activists from all over the world condemn the detaining of our five young activist feminist sisters from China, who were arrested right before the International Women’s Day 2015. The women were planning actions for their campaign to end sexual harassment on buses.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action – a declaration that was hoped to advance women’s rights all over the world. It was held in Beijing in 1995 – and the outcome of the gathering included a framework for action that included women’s political rights and human rights, among many other critical areas of concern. It is shocking that twenty years later, women around the world – as what we see happening today to our feminist activist sisters in China, are still suffering grave political oppression and violence for their right to express and demand their sexual and human rights.
We demand the release of the five young feminist activists – Tingting LI, Man WANG, Tingting WEI, Rongrong WU and Churan Zheng. These young women are devoting their lives to fight for equality and to create awareness on violence against women issues. They should be supported instead of locked up and silenced for the work they do for women and girls in China.
One Billion Rising activists around the world demand from the Chinese government, the unconditional release of the women, and demand justice for what it is being done to them.
We Rise against the prosecution of women’s rights defenders because of their political actions and beliefs.
We Rise against the treatment of women’s rights defenders as criminals for fighting for what they feel is just for women in society.
We Rise for every woman’s right to safety.
We Rise to support and protect women activists worldwide in their defence and of women’s rights.
Free our sisters in China!
Their struggle is all of ours. We firmly stand alongside them in global solidarity. And we will continue to Rise for them until they receive justice.
Please sign and circulate this petition of support to urge the Chinese government to immediately release them.
If you would like to offer help and support, contact [email protected]
Signed:
Fartuun Adan (Somalia)
Tanya Anastasiadis (United Kingdom/ Canada/ Greece)
Abha Bhaiya (India)
Kamla Bhasin (India)
Nicoletta Billi (Italy)
Rada Boric (Croatia)
Anne-Christine D’adesky (Haiti/ United States)
Nico Corradini (Italy)
Eve Ensler (United States)
Lynne Franks (United Kingdom)
Nyasha Gloria Sengayi (Zimbabwe)
Colani Hlatjwako (Swaziland)
Hao-Mei Wu (Taiwan)
Hui-Jung Chi (Taiwan)
Khushi Kabir (Bangladesh)
Cecile Lipworth (United States)
Marsha Pamela Lopez Calderon (Guatemala)
Dianne Madray-Yussuff (Guyana/ United States)
Marya Meyer (United States)
Jessica Eva Montoya (United States)
Andrés Naime (Mexico)
Amy Oyekunle (Nigeria)
Christine Schüler Deschryver (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Aimee Sissoho (The Gambia)
Susan Celia Swan (United States)
Mily Trevino-Saucedo (United States)
Dr. Isatou Touray (The Gambia)
Monique Wilson (Philippines)
