14.01.2008
Kina:

Fengslet aktivist i fare for tortur

Menneskerettighetsaktivist Hu Jia er fengslet på ukjent sted og nektes advokat. Hans kone og spebarn er blitt innesperret i hjemmet av kinesisk politi i flere dager. Amnesty frykter at de utsettes for tortur. Krev at de løslates! Status: Avsluttet

Amnesty mener at fengslingen av Hu Jia er en del av en større kampanje fra de kinesiske myndighetenes side om å slå ned på menneskerettighetsaktivister i forkant av OL i Beijing i august 2008. Det viser seg at de som forsøker å publisere informasjon om stadige overgrep eller kommunisere med utenlandske media og menneskerettighetsorganisasjoner er spesielt utsatt.

CHINA Hu Jia, 34 [m]
Zeng Jinyan, 24 [f]

On 2 January 2008, dozens of municipal and district police officers in more than ten vehicles surrounded the home of Beijing human rights activist Hu Jia and his wife, Zeng Jinyan, to prevent her from meeting possible visitors. Hu Jia was detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” on 27 December 2007, and is being held incommunicado without access to his lawyer. Zeng Jinyan is under tight police surveillance in the Tongzhou district of Beijing. They are at high risk of torture or ill-treatment.

Around 30 plain clothes police officers from the internal security department of the Beijing Public Security Bureau broke into Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan's home at around 3pm on 27 December 2007. They surrounded the couple and Zeng Jinyan’s mother who had come to help take care of their baby. Hu Jia was taken away by several police. More than 10 police remained monitoring Zeng Jinyan, with some stationed inside her home until 31 December. Police warned her not to contact anyone, and said if she did not “cooperate” she could also be detained, resulting in a “bad effect” on her baby.

The police have blocked her phone and internet lines and have confiscated their computer, mobile phones, video, camera, fax machine, bankbooks and cash cards. They removed their address books and paper documents, including several international human rights handbooks, and froze their bank accounts.

Hu Jia is believed to be detained at the Beijing Municipal Police Detention Centre. His lawyer, Li Jingsong, submitted an application to meet his client on 31 December, but the police have not responded. Hu Jia needs daily medication for Hepatitis B and is in the early stages of liver sclerosis.

Hu Jia had been under house arrest for most of the time since he was released from formal police detention on 28 March 2006 where he had been held incommunicado for 41 days in connection with a ‘hunger-strike’ campaign organized by Beijing human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. Police have failed to provide documents clarifying the prolonged house arrest. Despite intrusive surveillance, Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan continued to publicize human rights violations in China. In 18 May 2007, the couple were barred from going on a tour of Europe to share their experiences. On 10 November 2007, Hu Jia was beaten by police officers who tried to prevent him from visiting his wife in hospital shortly before the birth of their baby.

Hu Jia’s detention is part of a broader crackdown by the Chinese authorities on human rights activists ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August 2008. Those who attempt to publicise ongoing abuses and communicate with overseas media and human rights organizations appear to have been specifically targeted.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or own language or your own language:

- Urging the authorities to disclose where Hu Jia is being held and to release him immediately and unconditionally unless he is charged with a recognizably criminal offence;
- Urging the authorities to give Hu Jia immediate access to his lawyer, members of his family and any medical treatment he may require;
- Urging the authorities to stop police surveillance and harassment of Zeng Jinyan and allow her to contact the outside world in line with her fundamental human rights to freedom of movement, expression and association.
- Calling on the authorities to provide immediate guarantees for the safety of Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan and that they will not be subjected to beatings or other forms of torture or ill-treatment;
- Expressing deep concern that detention without trial of human rights activists runs counter to promises made by numerous Chinese officials that human rights would improve in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics of August 2008.
- Urging the authorities to ensure that all human rights defenders are able to conduct their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities without fear of arbitrary detention, torture or ill-treatment or other human rights violations;

APPEALS TO:
Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China
WEN Jiabao 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)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Justice of the People's Republic of China
WU Aiying Buzhang
Sifabu
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 65292345
Email: minister@legalinfo.gov.cn or pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn
Salutation: Dear Minister

Minister of Public Security of the People's Republic of China
MENG Jianzhu Buzhang
Gong’anbu
14 Dongchang’anjie
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100741
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 63099216 (it may be difficult to get through, please keep trying)
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:
Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau
MA Zhenchuan Juzhang
Beijingshi Gong'anju
9 Qianmen Dongdajie
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100740
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 85222320
Email: wbjc＠sohu.com
Salutation: Dear Director

and to diplomatic representatives of China accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 12 February 2008.

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