The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Description of the situation:
According to the information received, in recent days, local police summoned Messrs. Chen Xi, Shen Youlian and Liao Xuangyuan, leaders of the Guizhou group that has scheduled a seminar for December 10, 2008 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for extended questioning. The police also ordered them to cancel all activities because those activities would be illegal, and threatened them with imprisonment.
Thus, around 10 am on November 10, 2008, Mr. Shen Youlian was "invited" to appear before the Domestic Security Protection Unit (DSPU). According to Mr. Shen Youlian, the DSPU threatened him, saying that the Fourth Annual Guizhou Citizen’s Human Rights Symposium was illegal, and must be cancelled immediately. The DSPU even "requested" Mr. Shen to publish a public statement on-line to say that he would withdraw the initiative. Mr. Shen said that the interrogation lasted eight hours. It ended at 6 pm.
Similarly, on November 10, Mr. Chen Xi and his wife received several calls of a more threatening nature from the DSPU. That morning, the DSPU called to tell them to go to the unit to "communicate" regarding the Fourth Guizhou Citizen’s Human Rights Symposium. Mr. Chen Xi said that his mother was severely ill and confined to her bed so he was unable to go. The DSPU threatened that if Mr. Chen did not go, he would be taken there by force. That afternoon, Mr. Chen Xi’s wife received a call from the DSPU asking whether his mother was really sick. His wife replied that indeed she was. On November 11, Mr. Chen was again asked to meet with the DSPU and again restated his reason for being unable to go. The caller was so furious that he said "You say your activities are legal. We say they are not. Are you calling the shots or are we? You had the audacity to not come when we asked you to? Don’t you see that it’s the CPC that rules! Are you not going to stop until we lock you up? You will not be able to pull it off [the Fourth Annual Guizhou Citizen’s Human Rights Symposium]. We will absolutely stop you, just like last year".
Mr. Liao Shuangyuan has also experienced similar threats.
However, Mr. Chen Xi and others in the group confirmed that the planned activities were totally within the law.
In mid-October 2008, Mr. Chen Xi and other Guiyang rights defenders went to the Guiyang City Public Security Bureau to provide the Domestic Security Protection Unit (DSPU) with information on the activities planned for December 10. . The defenders hoped to obtain the support and cooperation from the authorities. Yet, the head of the DSPU did not even look at the material, but instead tore into pieces the documents that contained the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China. In the following days, Guiyang rights defenders were closely watched and threatened by the DSPU.
On December 10, 2007, the prologue of the Third Annual Guizhou Citizen’s Human Rights Symposium had just begun in a park when the Guiyang police dispatched more than 100 policemen to watch, surround, and even arrest participants.
The Observatory expresses its deep concern with these threats and acts of harassment against Messrs. Chen Xi, Shen Youlian and Liao Xuangyuan, which are a flagrant violation of the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998.
The Observatory further points out that in April 2006, China submitted a document to the United Nations (UN) in order to support its candidacy to the Human Rights Council’s first election, in which it affirmed that the amendment to the Constitution was aiming at "defining the position of human rights in the overall national development strategy", and that as a member of the Human Rights Council, China "shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights".
Actions required:
Please write to the Chinese authorities urging them to:
1- Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Chen Xi, Shen Youlian and Liao Xuangyuan;
2- Put an end to all acts of harassment against them as well as all other human rights defenders in China;
3- Conform with the Chinese Constitution that states that "the State respects and safeguards human rights" and aims at "defining the position of human rights in the overall national development strategy".
4- Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels", article 6(b), which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others (...) to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms", and its article 8(2), which provides that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to submit to governmental bodies and agencies and organisations concerned with public affairs criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that may hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms";
5- Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by the People’s Republic of China.
Addresses:
Mr. Wen Jiabao, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Guojia Zongli, The State Council General Office, 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu, Beijingshi 100017, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Ms. Wu Aiying, Minister of Justice of the People’s Republic of China, Buzhang Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyangqu, Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6529 2345, minister@legalinfo.gov.cn / pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn
Mr. Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Buzhang Waijiaobu, 2 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Beijingshi 100701, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6588 2594, Email: ipc@fmprc.gov.cn;
Mr. Meng Jianzhu, Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, Buzhang, Gong’anbu, 14 Dongchang’anjie, Dongchengqu, Beijingshi 100741, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 63099216
Mr. Ma Zhenchuan, Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau, Juzhang, Beijingshi Gong’anju, 9 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongchengqu, Beijingshi 100740, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 85222320, Email: wbjc2sohu.com
Ambassador Sha Zukang, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Chemin de Surville 11, P.O. Box 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7937014, E-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int;
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Brussels, Avenue de Tervuren, 463 1160 Auderghem, Belgium, Tel: + 32 2 663 30 10 / + 32 2 663 30 17 / +32 2 771 14 97 / +32 2 779 43 33; Fax: +32 2 762 99 66 / +32 2 779 28 95; Email: chinaemb_be@mfa.gov.cn.
Please also write to the diplomatic representations of the People’s Republic of China in your respective countries.
Geneva-Paris, November 17, 2008
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Email: Appeals@fidh.omct.org
Tel and fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT: +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29