China
25.09.06
Urgent Interventions
China: Ill-treatment and detention of petitioning unemployed workers in Suining City (Sichuan)
Case CHN 250906
Beating / Arbitrary detention
Geneva, September 25, 2006
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
According to the information received, this crackdown in Beijing happened in the run-up to China’s October 1st National Day Celebrations. On the morning of September 20, 2006, more than 40 dismissed workers from Suining’s Suizhou Guesthouse went to the office of the Suining Municipal Party Committee to deliver a petition. Around 4 pm, Mr. Wang Yanwen, the deputy director of the Suining Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB), and Mr. Li Nianguang, the director of the city’s Letters and Petitions Office, arrived with several dozen uniformed and plain-clothed police officers and attempted to forcibly remove the petitioning workers.
According to the same information, police officers reportedly pushed two female workers, Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua and Mrs. Liu Xiaohong, to the ground. Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua was badly beaten, and suffered from serious head injuries and nausea as a result. The two women were subsequently taken to the local hospital, where Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua was diagnosed with a cerebral concussion. The Party Committee head reportedly instructed the hospital not to treat the women, but they were admitted nevertheless. Furthermore, the police forcibly detained two other female petitioners, Mrs. Wang Jun and Mrs. Xu Haiyan, as they were returning home after the petitioning attempt. In addition, a male worker, Mr. Huang Zhuyu, was detained by local police after he returned home that evening. The police authorities are still on the lookout for a number of other petitioners, who have not returned home for fear of being detained or harassed.
The workers had been dismissed after the Suizhou Guesthouse went bankrupt and its assets were sold to the benefit of a single bidder. Further, several audits had reportedly found evidence of corruption by the general manager of the guesthouse, Mr. Xie Zhicheng, who is now the deputy secretary general of the Suining Municipal Government. After most of the guesthouse’s workers were laid off, they repeatedly petitioned the municipal government and Party Committee, requesting assistance in obtaining unemployment benefits, however officials reportedly used stalling tactics, leaving the workers with no option but to continue petitioning.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern about these events and the reports of a large-scale round-up of hundreds of petitioners in Beijing. In addition to calling for the release of Mrs Wang Jun, Mrs Xu Haiyan and M Huang Zhuyu, it also deplores the brutal treatment of these laid-off workers, who were only exercising their lawful right to petition following the failure of local authorities to provide unemployment benefits. Furthermore, the International Secretariat of OMCT urges authorities to conform with China’s international human rights obligations, commitments that were reaffirmed on the occasion of its election as a member of the new United Nations Human Rights Council.
i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua, Mrs. Liu Xiaohong, Mrs. Wang Jun, Mrs. Xu Haiyan and Mr. Huang Zhuyu;
ii. Order the immediate release of Mrs. Wang Jun, Mrs. Xu Haiyan and Mr.Huang Zhuyu in the absence of valid charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Please also write to the embassies of the People’s Republic of China in your respective country.
***
Geneva, September 25, 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Beating / Arbitrary detention
Geneva, September 25, 2006
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source1 about the beating and detention of petitioning unemployed workers in Suining City, Sichuan Province.According to the information received, this crackdown in Beijing happened in the run-up to China’s October 1st National Day Celebrations. On the morning of September 20, 2006, more than 40 dismissed workers from Suining’s Suizhou Guesthouse went to the office of the Suining Municipal Party Committee to deliver a petition. Around 4 pm, Mr. Wang Yanwen, the deputy director of the Suining Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB), and Mr. Li Nianguang, the director of the city’s Letters and Petitions Office, arrived with several dozen uniformed and plain-clothed police officers and attempted to forcibly remove the petitioning workers.
According to the same information, police officers reportedly pushed two female workers, Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua and Mrs. Liu Xiaohong, to the ground. Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua was badly beaten, and suffered from serious head injuries and nausea as a result. The two women were subsequently taken to the local hospital, where Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua was diagnosed with a cerebral concussion. The Party Committee head reportedly instructed the hospital not to treat the women, but they were admitted nevertheless. Furthermore, the police forcibly detained two other female petitioners, Mrs. Wang Jun and Mrs. Xu Haiyan, as they were returning home after the petitioning attempt. In addition, a male worker, Mr. Huang Zhuyu, was detained by local police after he returned home that evening. The police authorities are still on the lookout for a number of other petitioners, who have not returned home for fear of being detained or harassed.
The workers had been dismissed after the Suizhou Guesthouse went bankrupt and its assets were sold to the benefit of a single bidder. Further, several audits had reportedly found evidence of corruption by the general manager of the guesthouse, Mr. Xie Zhicheng, who is now the deputy secretary general of the Suining Municipal Government. After most of the guesthouse’s workers were laid off, they repeatedly petitioned the municipal government and Party Committee, requesting assistance in obtaining unemployment benefits, however officials reportedly used stalling tactics, leaving the workers with no option but to continue petitioning.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern about these events and the reports of a large-scale round-up of hundreds of petitioners in Beijing. In addition to calling for the release of Mrs Wang Jun, Mrs Xu Haiyan and M Huang Zhuyu, it also deplores the brutal treatment of these laid-off workers, who were only exercising their lawful right to petition following the failure of local authorities to provide unemployment benefits. Furthermore, the International Secretariat of OMCT urges authorities to conform with China’s international human rights obligations, commitments that were reaffirmed on the occasion of its election as a member of the new United Nations Human Rights Council.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the People’s Republic of China urging them to:i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Zhang Xiaohua, Mrs. Liu Xiaohong, Mrs. Wang Jun, Mrs. Xu Haiyan and Mr. Huang Zhuyu;
ii. Order the immediate release of Mrs. Wang Jun, Mrs. Xu Haiyan and Mr.Huang Zhuyu in the absence of valid charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses:
- President Hu Jintao, People’s Republic of China, c/o Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008, USA, Fax: +01 202 588-0032
- President Hu Jintao, People’s Republic of China, c/o Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Chemin de Surville 11, Case postale 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Genève, Swtzerland, Fax: +41 22 7937014, E-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int
- Minister of Justice of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Fusen Buzhang, Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyangqu, Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6529 2345
- Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Li Zhaoxing Buzhang Waijiaobu, 2 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Beijingshi 100701, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6588 2594, Email: ipc@fmprc.gov.cn
- Ambassador, Sha Zukang, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Ch. De Surville, CP 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Suisse, Fax : +41 22 793 70 14, 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 embassies of the People’s Republic of China in your respective country.
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Geneva, September 25, 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.