伯克利音樂學院學生向中國政府舉報，恐嚇同學案 聯邦法官裁定有罪

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 美國司法部麻州辦公室1月25日公佈，伯克利 (Berklee) 音樂學院學生吳嘯雷 (Xiaolei Wu)跟蹤、威脅在校內張貼海報，支持中國民主的個別人士一案，波士頓聯邦法院法官裁決有罪。

              經過一連4天的審訊後，26歲的吳嘯雷被判網路跟蹤，跨州威脅2項罪名。美國地區法院法官Denise J. Casper預定4月24日再宣佈判刑。

              吳嘯雷是在2022年12月被捕，被控罪，之後在2023年1月由大陪審團起訴。

              代理法官Joshua S. Levy表示，” 在這個國家，沒有人應該為了表達自己的個人政治觀點而遭受暴力威脅，或是網路跟蹤、騷擾。吳先生，因為非法壓制波克利音樂學院同學批評中國政府，現在被確認為重罪犯。這種行為是絕不能被忍受的” 。” 司法部致力保障所有人的自由言論基本權利。我們的辦公室會要求個別人士為他們違反民主社會基本原則的威脅及暴力行為負責”。

              司法部國家安全組助理總檢察官Matthew G. Olsen表示，麻州地區法官這天的裁決強調了司法部的承諾確保美國居民能夠自由表達的基本權利” 。

              聯邦調查局波士頓辦公室負責人暨特工Jodi Cohen也說，”吳嘯雷試圖威嚇一名活躍份子表達對中國執政共產黨的不滿，不讓他說話的行為不只違法，更完全為了我們國家的民主價值”。”今日的裁決維護了我們最基本的權利之一，言論自由，聯邦調查局會確保任何人想已威脅、騷擾來侵害這權利的人，面對和吳嘯雷同樣的命運。

              2022年10月22日時，吳嘯雷還在伯克利音樂學院就讀，有一個人在伯克利音樂學院校園及附近張貼海報，上面寫著” 和中國人民站在一起” ，以及”我們要自由”，”我們要民主”。從2022年10月22日起，持續至2022年10月24日，吳嘯雷透過微信、電郵及Instagram，和張貼海報的人直接聯繫。

              在其他是之外，吳嘯雷說，”張貼更多，我會切掉你那混帳的手”。他還告訴受害者，他已經通知中國公安，關於受害者的行動，中國公安會晤見他的家人。另外，吳嘯雷還找其他人查出受害者住在哪兒，公開張貼受害者的電郵地址，希望其他人也來在網上虐待受害者，而且他把受害者的資訊報告給一名中國政府人員。

              網路跟蹤的控罪可導致最高入獄5年，監管釋放3年，以及最高可達25萬元的罰款。跨州恐嚇可導致入獄5年，監管釋放3年，以及最高25萬元的罰款。刑罰由聯邦政府區域法院法官基於美國量刑指南及法規來判裁。

              司法部代理檢察官Levy, AAG Olsen，以及聯邦調查局SAC Cohen在1月25日作此宣佈。美國助理檢察官Timothy H. Kistner，以及國家安全組的Alathea E. Porter，在反情報及外銷控制組初審檢察官Menno Goedman的協助下承辦此案。

Berklee College of Music Student Convicted of Stalking, Threatening Individual Promoting Democracy in China

Thursday, January 25, 2024

Defendant, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, initiated stalking and threats campaign against individual who promoted freedom and democracy in China

BOSTON – A Berklee College of Music student, who is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was convicted by a federal jury in Boston today of stalking and threatening an individual who posted fliers in support of democracy in China around the Berklee campus area.

Xiaolei Wu, 26, was convicted following a four-day jury trial of one count of cyberstalking and one count of interstate transmissions of threatening communication. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 24, 2024. Wu was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023. 

“No one in this country should ever be subjected to threats of violence or a cyberstalking harassment campaign for expressing their political views. Mr. Wu now stands as a convicted felon for his illegal efforts to suppress speech by a fellow Berklee School of Music student who was critical of the government of China. This type of conduct will never be tolerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The Department of Justice is committed to safeguarding the fundamental right to free speech for all. Our office will hold accountable individuals whose actions threaten or violate this fundamental tenet of our democratic society.”

“Today’s verdict by a jury in the District of Massachusetts underscores the Department’s commitment to ensuring all U.S. residents are able to freely exercise their fundamental rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“What Xiaolei Wu did in attempting to silence and intimidate an activist who expressed dissension with the ruling Communist Party of China is not only criminal, but completely against our country’s democratic values,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s conviction upholds one of our most fundamental rights –freedom of speech –and the FBI will ensure that anyone who tries to infringe on this right using threats or harassment will face the same fate as Mr. Wu.”

On Oct. 22, 2022, while Wu was attending the Berklee College of Music, an individual posted a flier on or near the Berklee College of Music campus which said, “Stand with Chinese People,” as well as, “We Want Freedom,” and “We Want Democracy.” Beginning on or about Oct. 22, 2022, and continuing until Oct. 24, 2022, Wu made a series of communications via WeChat, email and Instagram directed towards the victim who posted the flier.

Among other things, Wu said, “Post more, I will chop your bastard hands off.” He also told the victim that he had informed the public security agency in China about the victim’s actions and that the public security agency in China would “greet” the victim’s family. Additionally, Wu solicited others to find out where the victim was living, publicly posted the victim’s email address in the hopes that others would abuse the victim online, and he reported the victim’s information back to a member of the Chinese government. 

The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transmissions of threatening communication provides for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, AAG Olsen and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Alathea E. Porter of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Counterintelligence and Export Control Section Trial Attorney Menno Goedman.