Urgent appeal to the international community
For the release of Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng
On August 15, 2006, Gao Zhisheng, an outspoken advocate of the rights of victims of government violations and abuse of power was detained in Shandong Province by police officers from Beijing on charges of alleged involvement in criminal activities.
He is believed to be held incommunicado at an unknown location and is at risk of torture or ill-treatment.
Gao Zhisheng's wife and two children have reportedly been confined to their home in Beijing by police officers who have been standing guard around their house since Gao Zhisheng was detained. They are prohibited from contacting anybody receiving visitors or contacting anyone. On 20 August, human rights lawyer Teng Biao and academic Jiao Guobiao attempted to visit Gao Zhisheng's wife and daughter. They managed to talk to his daughter briefly but she was quickly taken back into the house by a police officer guarding the home. Immediately afterwards, the police took both Teng Biao and Jiao Guobiao to Xiaoguan Police Station in Chaoyang District. They were released after around one hour of questioning.
Chinese lawyers who defend human rights and expose the absence of an independent judiciary are under increasing attack from state authorities.
China has seen a sharp upswing of protests over the past few years, especially in rural areas, some of which have been violently put down by security forces. Although China's top leaders have acknowledged that many protests were fueled by local government abuses, and promised to enhance access to judicial remedies for aggrieved citizens, repressive tactics have continued unabated.
In the rare instances in which central authorities have acknowledged such cases, they have tended to blame rogue local officials for the problems. Yet few local officials have been prosecuted for wrongdoing. And ultimately it is the central government's responsibility to protect all people exercising their lawful rights. The recent crackdown on civil rights lawyers appears to be part of an effort by the central government to stymie challenges to its rule.
In this respect, we would like to draw your attention for the fact that the pattern of abuses against lawyers contravened China's obligation under international law, as well as its stated commitment to the rule of law. China's constitution and numerous domestic laws protect all individuals against violence, threats, retaliation, pressure or other arbitrary action as a consequence of legitimate exercise of their rights. In addition, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, as does the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China signed in 1998 but has not yet ratified.
We respectfully urge you to protest to the authorities of China in the strongest possible terms to reveal the whereabouts of Gao Zhisheng, release him unless he is to be charged with a recognized criminal offence, guarantee that he will not be tortured or ill-treated while he is in custody and that he has access to lawyers, members of his family and any necessary medical treatment while he remains in custody.
Write to the Chinese Authorities
Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China
WEN Jiabao Guojia Zongli
The State Council
9 Xihuangcheng Genbeijie,
Beijingshi 100032
Fax: + 86 10 65961109 or 2260
Email: gazette@mail.gov.cn
Minister of Justice of the People's Republic of China
WU Aiying Buzhang
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie,
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020
Fax: + 86 10 65292345
Email: minister@legalinfo.gov.cn
Minister of Public Security of People's Republic of China
ZHOU Yongkang Buzhang
Gong'anbu
14 Dongchang'anjie,
Beijingshi 100741
Fax: + 86 10 63099216
Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau
MA Zhenchuan Juzhang
Beijingshi Gong'anju
9 Qianmen Dongdajie,
Beijingshi 100740,
Email: 110@bjgaj.gov.cn
Write to the Chinese Embassy of your country
Chinese Embassy in Germany
Ambassador:Ma Canrong
Markisches Ufer 54
10179 Berlin
Tel: 0049 - 030-27588-0
Fax: 0049 - 030-27588221
Website:
http://www.china-botschaft.de
http://de.chineseembassy.org
http://de.china-embassy.org
Chinese Embassy in Italy
Ambassador: Dong Jinyi
NO.56, Via Bruxelles,
00198 Rome
Tel: +39-06-8413458
Fax: +39-06-85352891
Website:
http://it.chineseembassy.org
http://it.china-embassy.org
E-mail: chinaemb_it@mfa.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in Japan
Ambassador: Wang Yi
3-4-33 Moto-Azabu, Minato-Ku
106-0046 Tokyo
Tel: 0081-3-34033388
Fax: 0081-3-34033345
Website:
http://www.china-embassy.or.jp
http://jp.china-embassy.org
http://jp.chineseembassy.org
E-mail: lsb@china-embassy.or.jp
Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands
Ambassador: Xue Hanqin (famale)
Willem Lodewijklaan
10 2517 JT , the Hague
P.O.Box 2517, JX DEN HAAG, THE NETHERLANDS
Tel:0070-3065061,653744584,651335779
Fax: 0070-3551651
Website: http://www.chinaembassy.nl
E-mail: chinaemb_nl@mfa.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in Sweden
Ambassador:Lv Fengding
Lidovagen 8,
11525 Stockholm
Tel: 0046(0)706451103
Fax: 57936425,57936427
Website:
http://www.chinaembassy.se
http://se.chineseembassy.org
http://se.china-embassy.org
E-mail: chinaemb_se@mfa.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in Switzerland
Ambassador: Zhu Bangzao
Kalcheggweg 10,3006 Bern
Tel: 004131-3527333
Fax: 004131-3514573
Website: http://www.china-embassy.ch
E-mail: CHINA-EMBASSY@BLUEWIN.CH
Chinese Embassy in United Kingdom
Ambassador: Zha Peixin
Place London W1B 1JL, 49-52 Portland
Tel: 0044-20-72994049, 0797 0292561 (24 hours)
Fax: 0044-20-76362981,76365578
Website: http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk
E-mail: chinaemb_uk@mfa.gov.cn
Chinese Embassy in the United States of America
Ambassador: Zhou Wenzhong
2300 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,
Washington D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
Tel: 001-202-3282500, 3282551
Fax: 001-202-3282582
Website:
http://www.china-embassy.org;
http://us.china-embassy.org;
http://us.chineseembassy.org
E-mail: WEBMASTER@CHINA-EMBASSY.ORG
