China
27.03.03
Urgent Interventions
China: formal arrest of Internet activist Jiang Lijun
Case CHN 090103.4
Follow-up to Case CHN 090103
Arbitrary and incommunicado detention / Risk of torture / Freedom of expression
Geneva, March 27th, 2003
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Human Rights in China of the formal arrest of Internet activist Jiang Lijun in China.
According to the most recent information received, Jiang Lijun was secretly arrested on November 6th, 2002, and was taken to Beijing’s Quincheng Prison, which has historically being used as the detention facility for China’s highest profile prisoners. For the first four months of his detention, Jiang’s wife, Yan Lina, was reportedly unable to obtain any documentation regarding his arrest or his whereabouts. However, on March 25th, 2003, the Beijing Public Security Bureau told Yan Lina that her husband had been officially arrested on December 14th, 2002. Jian Lijun was reportedly charged with “incitement to subvert state power,” but Yan Lina was not given a copy of the charges. According to the information received, Yan Lina has retained the attorney Mo Shaoping, is well known for specializing in dissident cases.
According to the information received, Jiang Lijun was one of the many Internet activists that were arrested in late 2002. The Chinese authorities are reportedly cracking down on free expression on the Internet, with many other political dissidents having reportedly been arrested on similar charges, including, Liu Di and Li Yibin in Beijing, Ouyang Yi in Sichuan, Jiang Lijun in Liaoning, Zhang Yuxiang in Nanjing and Tao Haidong in Xinjiang. Tao Haindong has reportedly been sentenced to seven years in prison. Liu Du and Yi Libin were both arrested in late 2002, and our sources believe that Jiang is part of the same case. The authorities allegedly believe that Jiang is the leader of the group of Internet activists because of his age and relative level of influence.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal integrity of Jiang Lijun and the other dissidents who have been detained, notably due to the fact that Jiang is being detained incommunicado and therefore is at a heightened risk of being subjected to ill-treatment or torture. OMCT calls on the Chinese authorities to guarantee Jiang’s physical and psychological integrity and immediately release him in the absence of valid legal charges. OMCT also calls on the Chinese authorities to guarantee the internationally recognized right to the freedom of opinion and expression.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, the Government of China is cracking down on dissident activity during the meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which are both being held in Beijing. It is reported that the head of China’s Ministry of State Security, Zhao Yongkang, is playing a large role in ensuring that the meetings are not disrupted by dissident activity. Many other activists have reportedly been detained incommunicado because of their political activities on the Internet.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in the People's Republic of China, urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Jiang Lijun, and the other dissidents that are being detained in relation with political activism on the Internet;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal 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 the circumstances of these arrests in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of political dissidents;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country, notably the freedom of expression, in accordance with international human rights laws and standards.
Addresses
· President Jiang Zemin, People's Republic of China; C/o Embassy of the People's Republic of China; 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008: Fax: + 01 202 588-0032
· President Jiang Zemin, 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, Geneva, Switzerland, fax: +4122 7937014, e-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int
· President Jiang Zemin, Chinese Communist Party, Yongdingmen CK Street, Beijing 100032, PRC
Please also write to the embassies of in the People's Republic of China in your respective country.
Geneva, March 27th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to Case CHN 090103
Arbitrary and incommunicado detention / Risk of torture / Freedom of expression
Geneva, March 27th, 2003
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Human Rights in China of the formal arrest of Internet activist Jiang Lijun in China.
According to the most recent information received, Jiang Lijun was secretly arrested on November 6th, 2002, and was taken to Beijing’s Quincheng Prison, which has historically being used as the detention facility for China’s highest profile prisoners. For the first four months of his detention, Jiang’s wife, Yan Lina, was reportedly unable to obtain any documentation regarding his arrest or his whereabouts. However, on March 25th, 2003, the Beijing Public Security Bureau told Yan Lina that her husband had been officially arrested on December 14th, 2002. Jian Lijun was reportedly charged with “incitement to subvert state power,” but Yan Lina was not given a copy of the charges. According to the information received, Yan Lina has retained the attorney Mo Shaoping, is well known for specializing in dissident cases.
According to the information received, Jiang Lijun was one of the many Internet activists that were arrested in late 2002. The Chinese authorities are reportedly cracking down on free expression on the Internet, with many other political dissidents having reportedly been arrested on similar charges, including, Liu Di and Li Yibin in Beijing, Ouyang Yi in Sichuan, Jiang Lijun in Liaoning, Zhang Yuxiang in Nanjing and Tao Haidong in Xinjiang. Tao Haindong has reportedly been sentenced to seven years in prison. Liu Du and Yi Libin were both arrested in late 2002, and our sources believe that Jiang is part of the same case. The authorities allegedly believe that Jiang is the leader of the group of Internet activists because of his age and relative level of influence.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal integrity of Jiang Lijun and the other dissidents who have been detained, notably due to the fact that Jiang is being detained incommunicado and therefore is at a heightened risk of being subjected to ill-treatment or torture. OMCT calls on the Chinese authorities to guarantee Jiang’s physical and psychological integrity and immediately release him in the absence of valid legal charges. OMCT also calls on the Chinese authorities to guarantee the internationally recognized right to the freedom of opinion and expression.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, the Government of China is cracking down on dissident activity during the meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which are both being held in Beijing. It is reported that the head of China’s Ministry of State Security, Zhao Yongkang, is playing a large role in ensuring that the meetings are not disrupted by dissident activity. Many other activists have reportedly been detained incommunicado because of their political activities on the Internet.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in the People's Republic of China, urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Jiang Lijun, and the other dissidents that are being detained in relation with political activism on the Internet;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal 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 the circumstances of these arrests in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of political dissidents;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country, notably the freedom of expression, in accordance with international human rights laws and standards.
Addresses
· President Jiang Zemin, People's Republic of China; C/o Embassy of the People's Republic of China; 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008: Fax: + 01 202 588-0032
· President Jiang Zemin, 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, Geneva, Switzerland, fax: +4122 7937014, e-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int
· President Jiang Zemin, Chinese Communist Party, Yongdingmen CK Street, Beijing 100032, PRC
Please also write to the embassies of in the People's Republic of China in your respective country.
Geneva, March 27th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.