bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Lawrence Chung

Mainland Chinese authorities are expected to release Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che who has been serving a five-year jail term for subversion on the Chinese mainland.
Lee, who worked for a non-governmental organisation, was charged in 2017 with subverting state power.
It was the first such prosecution since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organisations.
He pleaded guilty in September that year and was later sent to a prison in Hunan province where he was to serve a five-year sentence.
China’s activist’s girlfriend charged with inciting subversion
Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the Chinese State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said that Lee had served his sentence and the “relevant sectors will arrange for Lee Ming-che to return to Taiwan in the coming days”.
Ma said Lee’s health condition has “remained stable” telling a news conference that: “Since serving his jail term, the prison authorities have strictly followed the law and regulations to ensure his personal health and his rights of communication.”
Lee’s wife, Lee Ching-yu, has repeatedly complained that she had been barred from visiting her husband and was totally in the dark about what had happened to him since he had been detained.
She also insisted that her husband was forced to plead guilty to the crime and had sought help from Amnesty International and other rights groups in the world to exert pressure on the mainland to free Lee.


According to Taiwanese rights groups, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mainland has turned down 16 requests by family members to visit him, and even phone calls have not been possible.
Ma said the prison authorities had to follow pandemic prevention requirements to temporarily stop inmate visits by their relatives.
He said since Lee had already completed his prison term he would be freed in accordance with the law.
Taiwanese rights groups said Lee’s wife had never received a copy of the verdict from the Hunan court where he was tried and therefore had no idea of when exactly Lee would be released.
Wife of missing Chinese activist dies in US after reunion appeal fails
They estimated that the end of Lee’s prison term should be Thursday as Lee has spent close to 2,000 days in prison so far.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said on Wednesday that it had already informed Lee’s wife and family of his planned release.
“[We] have coordinated with relevant units to make preparations to assist Lee Ming-che to return to Taiwan safely and smoothly in the shortest time,” it said.
The council also said it would do all it could to help other Taiwanese detained on the mainland.
It called on the mainland to respect the rights of Taiwanese people during their stay there.
The council had described Lee’s sentence as “unacceptable” and demanded his release as soon as possible. Amnesty International and other rights groups have also called for his release.
Lee, 47, had conducted online lectures on Taiwan’s democratisation and managed a fund for the families of political prisoners on the mainland.
He cleared immigration in Macau on March 19, 2017, and entered Zhuhai on the mainland but did not show up for a planned meeting with a friend later that day.
Taiwan sends self-proclaimed activist back to mainland for illegal entry
His whereabouts remained unknown until the announcement that he had been detained in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province.
Lee was the first person from Taiwan to be convicted of subverting state power under the new law that says foreign NGOs must not endanger China’s national security and ethnic unity, and subjects non-profit groups to close police supervision. The law is seen as an attempt to clamp down on perceived threats to the Communist Party’s control.


Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue over blocked views

Bid to change Taiwan law that prompted Beijing to warn of war risk falls at first hurdle

China bans exports of military-related goods to Japan as dispute intensifies

US’ Asian allies reluctant to slam Trump over Venezuela despite his ‘cowboy tactics’

Taiwan

Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che expected to be released from mainland Chinese jail after five years

Lee Ming-che was jailed for subversion on the mainland. Photo: AFP

News

China

Politics


The non-governmental organisation worker was detained in 2017 after going missing on arrival after entering the mainland from Macau
Beijing says it preparing to return Lee – the first person jailed for subversion after the law on NGOs was tightened – to Taiwan after he finished his sentence



The non-governmental organisation worker was detained in 2017 after going missing after entering the mainland from Macau and was later jailed for subversion.


Tsai Ing-wen