Chen Ziming (8 January 1952 – 21 October 2014) and Wang Juntao were arrested in late 1989 for their involvement in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.
One of the organizers, Wu Chunmeng, expressed concern that, with international attention focused on the Persian Gulf crisis, the fate of Chinese political prisoners would be overlooked.
[6] According to the verdict in the Case of Chen Ziming, the Beijing Intermediate People's Court concluded the following through "facts... attested to by witnesses’ testimony, by written evidence and by tape-recordings:"[7] The court ruled that "these acts constitute the crime of plotting to subvert the government and the crime of counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement and must be punished according to law.
"[5] Thus, the Defence claimed Wang Juntao and Chen Ziming involved themselves in the movement to "fulfill the task assigned to them by the party.
Merle Goldman, a Boston University professor of Chinese history, argued that Wang and Chen "represent a new revolutionary class in China, and that is why the regime is so worried about them.
About his trial he stated: As a matter of general principle I find it absolutely impermissible and insupportable that the charge of "viciously attacking" [the party] should once again be used in our republic, as a means of denying and repudiating the lawful rights of citizens.
"[15] Of his fellow protesters he stated: "It grieves me to see that, when confronted with the consequences, so many of the leaders and initiators of this movement dared not take responsibility for it and sought to defame it....
"[15] On April 23, 1994, the Chinese Government released Wang Juntao and allowed him to travel to New York City on medical parole.
[19][20] Chen was again released on medical parole in November 1996, two weeks prior to a visit by US Secretary of State Warren Christopher.
[29] In August 2005, Renovation and Construction was censored in less than two hours after it published the article A Strong Nation Cannot Eat Its Own Children in the headline position.