What is a political prisoner?
A political prisoner is anyone whose imprisonment is politically motivated. Perhaps the “crime” is politically motivated, or perhaps the arrest, trial or sentence has political undertones. When political prisoners do not qualify as prisoners of conscience (suspected members of opposition groups, for example), AI works to ensure fair an prompt trials. If a prisoner is detained without charge, AI will generally ask that s/he be charged with a recognizable crime or be released.
A “political prisoner” is an individual detained for exercising his or her human rights under international law, such as peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of association, free expression, including the freedom to advocate peaceful social or political change, and to criticize government policy or government officials. (This list is not meant to be exhaustive, just illustrative.) In most cases, prisoners in the PPD were detained or imprisoned for attempting to exercise rights guaranteed to them by Chinas law and Constitution, or by international law, or both.
The Commission treats as a “political prisoner” an individual detained for exercising his or her human rights under international law, such as peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of association, free expression, including the freedom to advocate peaceful social or political change, and to criticize government policy or government officials. (This list is not meant to be exhaustive, just illustrative.) In most cases, prisoners in the PPD were detained or imprisoned for attempting to exercise rights guaranteed to them by Chinas Constitution and law, or by international law, or both.
