Acts of harassment against members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum

People’s Republic of China

December 10, 2009

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).

Brief description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by Human Rights in China (HRIC) about acts of harassment against members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum in order to prevent them from carrying out planned activities to celebrate Human Rights Day. The Guizhou Human Rights Forum is a loose circle of activists who regularly meet to discuss human rights and distribute educational materials.

According to the information received, on December 6, 2009, the Guizhou Human Rights Forum had planned to convene its annual Guizhou Human Rights Symposium in Guiyang’s Qian Ling Park, but participants - including Wu Yuqin, Shen Youlian, Mo Jiangang, Huang Yanming, Chen Defu, Zhu Zhengyuan, Sha Li and Zhang Chongfa - were stopped in front of their homes, while on their way to the park or even taken away from the park. Some of them were also physically searched and had their cell phones confiscated. Ms. Wu Yuqin was informed by the police that all activities in the name of the Guizhou Human Rights Symposium were illegal.

The Observatory recalls that the Guizhou Human Rights Forum began organising its Human Rights Symposium in 2005, and its members have been harassed and/or detained by police authorities every year since 2006.

The Observatory was also informed that Ms. Wu Yuqin and her husband, Mr. Liao Shuangyuan, were summoned by the police on November 14, and warned not to participate in any Human Rights Day commemorative activities. As a consequence, Mr. Liao Shuangyuan went into hiding in late November in order to avoid further harassment.

Furthermore, on December 7, 2009, Mr. Chen Xi, one of the organisers of the annual Guizhou Human Rights Symposium, was taken away by the State Security police in Guiyang as he left his home around 10:00 am. State Security police were reportedly stationed in front of his home at times considered to be “sensitive” by the authorities. In the night of December 7, Mr. Chen Xi sent a text message to his wife, saying that the police told him they were taking him on a “trip” for several days and would release him after December 10.

The Observatory expresses its deep concern about those acts of harassment and intimidation against members of the Guizhou Human Rights Forum as well as about Mr. Chen Xi’s arbitrary arrest, which seem merely aimed at sanctioning their human rights activities, and calls upon the Chinese authorities to release Mr. Chen Xi immediately and unconditionally.

The Observatory urges the Chinese authorities to comply with the relevant international norms and standards, in particular the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998.

The Observatory also urges the European Commission Delegation as well as European Union (EU) Member-States embassies in the PRC to call upon the Chinese authorities to comply with the relevant international norms and standards and take action on this situation, in line with the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities in the People’s Republic of China, urging them to:

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Chen Xi as well as of all human rights defenders in China;
2. Release Mr. Chen Xi immediately and unconditionally since his detention is arbitrary as it only aims at sanctioning his human rights activities;
3. Put an end to any acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Chen Xi and more generally against all human rights defenders in the People’s Republic of China;
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”, its article 9, which states that “[...] everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to benefit from an effective remedy and to be protected in the event of the violation of those rights” and its Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;
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
• Ambassador Li Baodong, 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 mission or embassy of the People’s Republic of China in your respective country.

Geneva-Paris, December 10, 2009.

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:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
• Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
• Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80