The sentencing order against Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying was rescinded

Geneva, 1 September 2008

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received new information in the following situation in the People's Republic of China.

New information

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source and Antenna International, member organisation of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, that, on 29 August 2008, the Beijing Municipal Reeducation-Through-Labor Decision Committee rescinded its decision to sentence Mrs. Wu Dianyuan (79 years old) and Mrs. Wang Xiuying (77 years old) to a year of Reeducation-Through-Labor (RTL). Both women had been sentenced after applying for permits to demonstrate in the officially designated “protest zones” during the Beijing Olympics.

Reminder of the Situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed that Beijing petitioners Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying had been ordered to serve a one-year term of RTL after repeatedly applying for permits to hold demonstrations in the Beijing “protest zones” during the Olympics. Both have been reportedly actively petitioning the government since they were forcibly evicted from their homes in Beijing in 2001.

According to the information received, on 17 August 2008, Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying received a RTL decision dated 30 July 2008 from the RTL Commission of the Beijing Municipal Government. The decision reportedly ordered them to serve one year of RTL for "disturbing the public order," from 30 July 2008 to 29 July 2009. The decision reportedly further stated that the term would be served outside the RTL camp, but also placed restrictions on movement and stipulated that if provisions of the decision or other regulations were violated, they would be sent to the RTL camp[1].

Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying reportedly returned, on 18 August 2008, to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) Security Administration Unit and were allegedly told by the PSB officers on duty that since they had received the RTL decision the day before, they now had no right to apply for the demonstration protest.

According to the same information, Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying went to the Beijing Municipal PSB Security Administration unit five times between 5 and 18 August 2008 to apply for permits to demonstrate in the newly-designed “protest zones”. The two women, who used to be neighbours, applied to demonstrate against the forced eviction from their homes in 2001. However, their application was neither granted nor denied on each of their five trips to the Security Administration Unit. On 5 August 2008, they were allegedly held by PSB officers and interrogated for 10hours.

The International Secretariat of OMCT expressed its concern with regard the sentencing of Mrs. Wu Dianyuan and Mrs. Wang Xiuying, which, according to the information received, was based solely on their active government petitioning. OMCT further feared for their safety should they have been sent to RTL.

Remarks

OMCT wishes to thank all of the individuals and organizations that have taking action as a response to the urgent appeal and have written to the Chinese authorities. No further action is currently required on your part concerning this case.

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Geneva, 1 September 2008

[1] They have to observe the following regulations: - Follow the national laws, administrative laws and regulations promulgated by the Ministry of Public Security; Report every three months to the police station of their residence on their activities; Apply for approval of the public security authorities of their residence if they need to go to places outside their residence for treatment of sickness, visits of their relatives or for other special situations; Follow the regulations of supervision and administration of the public security authorities.