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SILENT VIGIL 7/18 FOR CUBA

On Sunday, July 18, @ 3p.m.Visual Artists Guild will join Cuban Heritage L.A. for a Silent Vigil at Westwood Federal Building.
Please join us to show your support:

Visual Artists Guild's Statement on Cuba's Cry for Freedom

For over six decades the people of Cuba have suffered under a repressive tyranny. Today our brave brothers and sisters have gone into the streets to pacifically demand freedom and basic human rights. Once again the dictatorship has shown its intolerant and violent character sending its repressive forces against unarmed protestors. The Visual Artists Guild board is asking the international community support the Cuban people to send a strong message to President Díaz Canel of Cuba and his thugs: a blood bath will not be tolerated.Those responsible for violence against the people will be held responsible. Today is the day when we must unite and support the Cuban people We stand on solidarity with Cuba's cry for freedom.

Contact: Fernando Marquet, Member of the Board, Visual Artist Guild 310-918-4283

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On the Sixth Anniversary of "709 Crackdown"
Six years ago, on July 9, 2015, the CCP under President Xi Jinping started a nationwide crackdown against China’s human rights lawyers and activists. Lawyers were summoned, arrested, and criminally detained in each of China’s 23 provinces. Since then, the Chinese Communist Party has been continually harassing, arresting, and even torturing China’s human rights lawyers and activists. This foretells Xi’s intent to eliminate any dissent that challenges his power.
The Visual Artists Guild has monitored this aggression and suppression. Various activists have been honored at our annual Tiananmen Commemoration.
During Visual Artists Guild’s 2017 Tiananmen Commemoration, we recognized five human rights lawyers:
       Jiang Tianyong(江天勇), Tang Jingling(唐荆陵), Xie Yang(谢阳), Li Heping(李和平) and Wang Quanzhang(王全璋). The wives of 3 of these honorees, Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jingling and Xie Yang, were able to attend the event and receive the award for their husbands. Xie Yang's wife, Chen Guiqiu, and her two daughters have been subjected to stalking and harassment in China. Jiang Tianyong’s wife, Jin Bianling, now living in the U.S., testified how her husband was tortured in a Chinese prison.
In 2018 Visual Artists Guild honored Li Wenz(李文足), the Wife of Wang Quanzhang. Li has been a dedicated champion for her husband's rights. She started a 100 km walk from Beijing, to bring attention to her husband's plight but was forcibly returned to Beijing by the authorities.
Today the oppression is far from over. Even after many human rights lawyers and activist were released from detention in recent years, their lives and work have been seriously affected. The cause of human rights in China is struggling and pessimism is widespread.
On May 8, 2021, Li Heping, signed a "Notice of Release from Correction" in Beijing, signifying the end of his four-year community "rehabilitation".
Xie Yang had his lawyer’s license revoked in August of 2020.
Wang Quanzhang was released from prison in 2020 but remains under house arrest and under close supervision.
Jiang Tianyong was released from prison in 2019 but remains under house arrest and under government surveillance.

Tang Jingling was released from prison in April 2019 with restrictions on his freedom.
A secret government internal memo dated April of 2013 was leaked to the press later that year. It established in detail what the CCP considered as the seven perils facing the Party:
1.       Western ideas of constitutional democracy,
2.       civil society,
3.       universal values,
4.       human rights,
5.       neoliberalism,
6.       freedom of the press,
7.       criticism of the CCP's past.

Referred to as Document No. 9., these instructions, apparently authored by President-for-life, Xi Jinping, were distributed to all Communist Party members. This becomes Xi’s blueprint to stifle dissent and solidify control.

The CCP’s crackdown on human rights lawyers and activists is the first salvo by Xi Jinping in implementing Document No. 9.

On the sixth anniversary of what is now referred to "709 Crackdown", the Visual Artists Guild condemns the repression by President-for-life Xi Jinping against his own people who advocate for the rule of law in China.

Contact: Julie Li Zhu <juliez@visual-artists-guild.org>;
               Member of the Board, Visual Artists Guild

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VISUAL ARTISTS GUILD CONDEMNS THE DEATH OF DEMOCRACY ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY LAW IN HONG KONG

July 1st, 2021

The Visual Artist Guild, along with several million Hongkongers around the world, mourn the first anniversary of The National Security Law.

This law, written by the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing (CCP), grants them extra powers to strip Hong Kong of any resemblance as the last stronghold of freedom of expression in China.

The law became effective on July 1st, 2020, the 23rd anniversary of the transfer of authority from Britain to China. This resulted in the end of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy in Hong Kong. The Tiananmen massacre and Hong Kong crackdowns by the Chinese Communist Party, have crushed any move for democratic reform. The Hong Kong Security Law targets individuals and groups around the world with the threat of arrest. The law makes it illegal for any Chinese citizen or group, to work with other countries to advocate for the seven million Hong Kong residents.

Past participants of Tiananmen Commemorative Vigils, the Yellow Umbrella Movement, journalists, and other activists have been arrested. This includes democracy activist Joshua Wong who is still in jail. In the education sector, teachers, and students have been suppressed, and the materials taught have been censored. Jimmy Li, the publisher, who promotes freedom of the press, has been arrested and his assets frozen. This led to the closure of his newspaper of “The Apple Daily News” and further arrests. Numerous pro-democracy politicians and activists are in exile or have been sentenced to long prison terms.

One of many leaders opposing The National Security Law is American citizen Samuel Chu. He is the founder and Director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council in Washington, D. C. The CCP has issued an arrest warrant for him. He was instrumental in the passage of 2 laws in the US Congress, “The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” and “The Hong Kong Autonomy Act.” He has also promoted several other policies.

The National Security Law has created a climate of fear. On the anniversary of this law, Hong Kong residents are pressured to pledge their loyalty to Beijing, children are encouraged to look for traitors, and neighbors are urged to report on one another.

Therefore, The Visual Artists Guild condemns The National Security Law and its role in the degradation of basic human rights that were once enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong.

From: The Board of Directors of the Visual Artists Guild

Visual Artists Guild is a non-profit organization that champions the right of freedom of speech and expression. Established in May 1985, it holds the belief that the right of freedom of expression is the lifeblood of all artists. Its mission is to bring to the world attention whenever such a right is threatened or suppressed.

Contact

Email: info@VIsual-Artists-Guild.org

P.O. Box 861132

Los Angeles CA, 90086-1132 USA

310-433-0697

This is the translation of the statement in Chinese by Epoch Times

【大纪元2021年07月02日讯】洛杉矶视觉艺术家协会（Visual Artists Guild）与全球数百万香港人一起哀悼香港《国家安全法》实施一周年。

由中国共产党在北京起草的香港《国家安全法》赋予它们额外权力，可剥夺香港作为中国最后一个言论自由据点的任何可能。

该法于2020年7月1日生效，而英国向中国移交权力才23周年。香港“一国两制”政策就此终结。中国共产党“天安门大屠杀”与其对香港民主运动的镇压，粉碎了中国的民主改革。香港《国家安全法》对世界各地的个人和团体都造成被逮捕威胁；而且任何中国公民或团体与他国合作为700万香港居民发声，都变成是非法活动。

过去曾参与天安门纪念守夜活动和雨伞运动的人们、记者和其他活动人士都遭逮捕，这包括仍在监狱中的民主活动家黄之锋。在教育界，师生被打压、教材被审查。推动新闻自由的出版商黎智英（Jimmy Lai）遭逮捕且资产被冻结；这导致《苹果日报》关闭，公司雇员更多地被捕。许多民主政治家和活动家都被迫流亡或已被判处长期监禁。

美国公民朱牧民（Samuel Chu）是反对香港《国家安全法》的众多领导人之一，他亦是华盛顿特区香港民主委员会的创始人和主任。朱牧民在推动美国国会通过《香港人权与民主法》（The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act）和《香港自治法》（The Hong Kong Autonomy Act）上发挥了重要作用；而中共已对其发出逮捕令。

香港《国家安全法》营造了一种恐怖气氛。在该法实施周年之际，香港居民已被迫向北京宣誓效忠，儿童被鼓励找出叛徒，邻里之间也被敦促互相举报。

因此，视觉艺术家协会谴责《国家安全法》及其在削弱香港人曾经享有的基本人权方面的恶劣作用。◇

责任编辑：方平