Chinese grandmas earn 're-education' for protesting
Updated
Two Chinese women in their 70s have caused a storm in China by applying to protest during the Olympics.
They've embarrassed the Beijing authorities and earnt themselves a one-year sentence to re-education through labour for disturbing the public order. Their case has led to criticism that the so-called Olympic protest parks were never intended to allow people to actually demonstrate during the Games. The International Olympic Committee is desperately trying to distance itself from the matter.
Presenter: Stephen McDonell
Speakers: Wu Dianyuan, 79-year-old grandmother; Wang Xiuying, 77-year-old grandmother; Li Xuehui, Wu Dianyuan's son; Giselle Davies, International Olympic Committee
(Women speaking together.)
STEPHEN MCDONELL: Seventy-nine-year-old Wu Dianyuan and 77-year-old Wang Xiuying are not your average trouble makers. It's just that they like the neighbourhood they used to live in.
It was a place they grew up in from a young age and were forced to move out of to make way for a housing development.
When they heard about some official Olympic protest parks they applied to demonstrate about it. Wu Dianyuan was surprised by the reaction she and her friend received from the authorities.
WU DIANYUAN (translated): I didn't worry about getting into trouble. When I heard we could protest, I was very happy.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: They tried five times to get a permit to protest. The women were not only refused, they received a one-year sentence to "re-education through labour" for disturbing the public order.
WU DIANYUAN (translated): When they gave us this re-education sentence, I couldn't understand it. Grandma Wang can't understand either. Look, we haven't even protested yet and we've received one-year's punishment.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: Wu's son Li Xuehui says the re-education order enables officials to block their applications.
LI XUEHUI (translated): A police officer came and said since these two grannies are in the re-education through labour program they don't have the right for protest. It's stated in China's demonstration and protest law.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: In China, re-education punishments are handed out without trial. In this case the women won't be sent to a re-education camp but can serve the sentence in home detention. They must report to police regularly and can't leave their suburb without permission.
WU DIANYUAN (translated): They are afraid that the two of us will go and protest. That's why they gave us one year's re-education through labour.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: If these women who are almost 80 get into any more trouble they've been told they'll be sent off to a labour camp.
