In videotaped message, jailed Chinese activist urges citizens to unite for democracy

BEIJING — A detained Chinese legal activist delivered a bold message from inside a Beijing jail, urging citizens to unite in pursuing democratic freedoms in a video posted online Thursday that's sure to anger the authorities.

In the video, civil rights campaigner Xu Zhiyong is seen handcuffed and wearing what appears to be an orange detainee vest over a dark T-shirt, seated at a table behind bars.

"No matter how utterly defeated or absurd this society is," Xu said in the video, "this country needs brave citizens who can stand up and hold fast to their convictions, who can take their rights, responsibilities and their dreams seriously."

Xu's supporter and friend, Wang Gongquan, confirmed by phone that he had obtained the video and posted it on his microblogs.

Wang said one of Xu's lawyers, Zhang Qingfang, shot the video on Aug. 1.

Beijing police did not immediately respond to a fax seeking comment on the video.

Xu is a moderate but outspoken voice in China's beleaguered rights movement, campaigning for issues that include equal rights to education, and for officials to declare their assets.

He most recently was detained in mid-July, sparking an outcry among rights activists and academics in China and criticism from the U.S. State Department.

Xu is accused of "gathering people to disturb order in a public place," a charge that has been increasingly used to punish people who speak out against abuses.

"The authorities' detention of Xu Zhiyong is totally unacceptable and the charge is completely without basis," Teng Biao, a rights lawyer and close friend, said Thursday.

In 2009, Xu was detained and formally arrested on suspicion of evading taxes — allegations seen as a bid to stop him in his work in a legal aid organization that represented politically sensitive cases. He was released after spending about a month in jail, though hefty fines were levied on the group by the Beijing tax bureau.

In recent years, Xu has advocated a movement urging the Chinese public to build a stronger civil society that is fair and just. Activists are frequently harassed, making it unclear how large the nascent movement's following might be.