Asian_Geographic_Issue_4_2017

(John Hannent) #1
IMAGES © SHUTTERSTOCK

China

Liu Xiaobo


iran

Akbar Ganji


The renowned political prisoner
was a bastion for human rights
in China. He was sentenced to 11
years in prison for criticising the
communist government through
a petition called “Charter 08”
which called for drastic political
reforms and the end of one-party
rule. His protests against the
government date back to the
days building up to Tiananmen
Square in 1989, where he was
a student adviser, and joined
the protest leaders in a week-
long hunger strike. His writing,
teaching and human rights
activities earned him the Nobel
Peace Prize in 2010 – the first
Chinese citizen to be accorded
the honour. Earlier this year, he
was released on medical parole
after he was diagnosed with
terminal cancer; he remained
under surveillance. He passed
away on July 13, 2017.

The brave Iranian journalist has


voiced his dissent against the


Iranian government, gaining


recognition for his work on “the


chain of murders of Iran”, which


accused a set of senior officials


of the killings. This landed


him six years in jail. During his


imprisonment, he wrote several


important essays, most notably


a political manifesto, which


outlines hopes for democracy


in Iran. He has also been fiercely


critical of the war and US


occupation in Iraq, saying:


“You cannot bring democracy


to a country by attacking it.”


He strongly supported the


election protests in Iran in 2009,


and carried out a hunger strike


outside of the United Nations


headquarters to draw attention


to the plight of Iranian political


prisoners, and the conditions of


oppression in the country.


india

Mohandas Gandhi


He is more commonly known
by his name Mahatma, which
means, “the great-souled one”.
He served many prison terms,
beginning with his campaigning
against the racial discrimination
in South Africa – where he
worked for a period in the early
1900s. He rebelled against the
laws that required all Indians in
the country to be fingerprinted.
When back in India, he was sent
to jail for campaigning against
British rule. After being charged
for contempt of the British
government in India, he pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to a
six-year prison term, of which
he served two years. In
August 1947, India achieved
independence. After Partition,
he continued to promote peace
between Hindus and Muslims.
He was assassinated six months
later in New Delhi.

“Negotiation talks are the best way to solve


anything. We must replace wars and weapons


with negotiations and talks”


“I hope that I will be the last victim
in China's long record of treating words
as crimes"

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at
you, then they fight you, then you win"
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