Free Li Ming-Che: Joint Statement from NGOs

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We, the undersigned organizations, are extremely concerned with the Taiwan activist, Li Ming-Che, who has been detained by the PRC authorities. The fact that more and more human rights activists are arbitrarily arrested and detained in China, or even disappeared when traveling in China, shows that the human rights conditions in China are deteriorating. Li is the first person being detained after the effect of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations within the Territory of China.

Li Ming-Che, a program manager of Wen-Shan Community University in Taiwan, also a volunteer of the Covenants Watch, entered China via Gongbei Port of Entry in Macau on March 19, and has not been seen since then. For 10 days, the PRC government refused to reveal Li’s whereabouts. It was under the pressure of Taiwan’s NGOs, the PRC government finally confirmed that Li was detained by the PRC authorities on suspicion of threatening national security, and is currently under investigation. But his family is still denied the right to visit him. His family has no knowledge about Li’s detention. Because Li has a medical condition of hypertension, his family strongly worries about his health.

We believe that the arrest and detention of Li Ming-Che by the PRC government is not legitimate. Li Ming-Che, as an NGO worker, merely shared Taiwan’s experience of democratizationhis with his Chinese friends, who he met online in recent years. When his online Chinese friends were interested in knowing more about human rights issues or modern history, Li sent them books. In early 2016, Li urged his online Chinese friends to donate and to support the family of Chinese human rights activists, who have been detained by the PRC government.

We believe that no one should be arrested and detained because of sharing ideas on the internet. Li simply exercised his freedom of speech, which is protected by international human rights laws. His actions have also facilitated mutual understandings between Taiwan and China. The PRC government has no legitimate causes to arrest and detain him. We are sorry to see that the PRC government is getting more and more hostile to foreign human rights activists. For example, it arrested and deported Swedish human rights worker Peter Dahlin in 2016. The renowned Chinese scholar Feng Chongyi, a permanent resident of Australia, was denied to leave China and detaineed over a week in March. China also repeatedly criminalizes regular civil activities as “color revolution” on national security grounds. The litigation and detention procedures are flawed, and violate fundamental human rights standards and principles.

China, as a member state of UN Human Rights Council, should have done better. But the PRC government has repeatedly violated rights of human rights activists domestically and abroad. This government has posed a significant threat to the development of global civil society. Therefore, we call for a joint action to hold he PRC government accountable.

We demand the PRC government:

• Release Mr. Li immediately,
• Or release the details about the detention of Mr. Li,
• Ensure that Mr. Li will not be tortured or inhumanly treated,
• Ensure Li’s right to counsel, and the right of his family and lawyers to visit him,
• Ensure Li’s access to adequate medical care.

Endorsed by:

Taiwan Association for Human Rights

Covenants Watch, Taiwan

Wen-Shan Community University, Taiwan

Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)

Al India Network fo Individuals and NGOs working with with National and State Human Rights Institutions.

ALTSEAN-Burma

Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)

Bytes for All Pakistan

Center for Social Activism

China Aid

China Labour Bulletin

Dalit Foundation, India

Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)

ESCR -Asia

Earth Citizen, US

FIDH, under the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Freedom House

Formosan Association for Public Affairs

Globe International Center, Mongolia

Gonggam Human Rights Law Foundation, South Korea

HAK Association , Timor Leste

HRCCHINA HUMAN RIGHTS SERVICE CENTER

Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

Human Rights Defenders’ Alert, India

Human Rights in China

ICPC

Internet Democracy Project

Initiative for China

INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka

International Youth United

Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP), Timor-Leste

KASELA PALU GROUP, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Korean House for International Solidarity

Madaripur Legal Aid Association (MLAA), Bangladesh.

Metro Vancouver Oversea Taiwanese Society

Maldivian Democracy Network

Minority Rights Organization (MIRO),

New School for Democracy

Ngasan Maku the Study Society in Tokyo

Odhikar, Bangladesh

Pakistan Development Alliance

People's Empowerment Foundation, Thailand

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR)

People’s Watch, India

Point of View, India

Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)

South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring

SUARAM, Malaysia

The International Campaign for Tibet

Think Centre

Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR)

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), under the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

The Association of community college, Taipei City

Alliance of Educare Trade Unions

Awakening Foundation

Battoa Action Alliance

Beimen Community College

Center for the Third Sector, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

Citizen of The Earth Taiwan (CET)

Civil Movement for Constitutional Reform, Taiwan

Chiku Coastal Protection Association

Congress Investigation Corps

Economic Democracy Union

Environmental Jurists Association

Forever Taiwan Cultural and Educational Foundation

Formosa Lily Workshop

Green Citizens' Action Alliance,Taiwan

Hand in Need

Homemakers United Foundation

Human Rights Committee of Taipei Bar Association, Taiwan

Human Rights Nework for Tibet and Taiwan

Humanistic Education Foundation

International Socialist Forward

International Cultural Youth Exchange

ISTScare, Taiwan

Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan

Kaohsiung NGO Employees' Union

Medlabor Reform Group

Media Watch

Nylon Cheng Liberty Foundation

LOHAS Taiwan Association

Open Culture Foudation, Taiwan

Prison Watch, Taiwan

Queers with Disabilities

Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation

Tainan Underground Railroad Anti-eviction Association

Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty

Taiwan association for china human rights

Taiwan Association for Disability Rights

Taiwan Association for Disability Renaissance

Taiwan Association of University Professors

Taiwan Democracy Watch

Taiwan Forever Association

Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association (TGEEA)

Taiwan Gender Queer Rights Advocacy Alliance

Taiwan Grassroots Alliance for Peace

Taiwan Health Right Initiative

Taiwan Innocence Project

Taiwan International Medical Alliance

Taiwan Labour Front

Taiwan March

Taiwan Support China Human Rights Lawyers Network

Taiwan Students for a Democratic China

Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBT) Hotline Association

Taiwanese Veterans Association

Takao Gooday

The association of parent participating education in Taiwan

The Garden of Hope

Treasure Taiwan Association, Taiwan

VMWBO

Youth Labor Union 95

Kaohsiung Educare Trade Union

Tainan Educare Trade Union

Taiwan Friends of Tibet

Taiwan Youth Anti-Communist Corps

Taiwan Friends of Uyghurs

Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association

Taiwan Citizen Participation Association

Taipei Association of Educators

Kaohsiang Auxiliary Education Craft Union

Pingtung Child Care Craft Union

Serve the People Association

Taiwan Association for Truth and Reconciliation

Kaohsiung women awakening association

New Vitality Independent living Association ,Taipei

Kaohsiung Association for the Promotion of Women's Right

Legal aid foundation, Taiwan

Taiwan Citizen Media Cultural Association

Dr.Chen Wen-Chen Memorial Foundation

Taipei Documentary Filmmakers' Union

Youth Synergy Taiwan Foundation

Central Taiwan Citizen Action Front

Convener of Taiwan Environmental Radiation Watch Civic Group

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http://www.tahr.org.tw/node/1806