Human Rights action update April 12-19

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

We start with an Urgent Action call from Amnesty International on behalf of  an Chinese activist at risk of torture.

URGENT ACTION

ACTIVIST DETAINED, RISKS TORTURE

Activist Liu Yuandong, a businessman, was detained on 23 February in Guangzhou, China after he took part in a protest against North Korea’s nuclear tests. He is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

Liu Yuandong, a 35-year-old businessman, protested with several other people against North Korea’s nuclear tests on 23 February in the southern city of Guangzhou. They were all detained, and given administrative detention orders ranging from seven to 15 days for violating the Law on Assemblies, Processions and Demonstrations. All but Liu Yuandong have since been released, and have told the media they were deprived of sleep in custody.

The police told his wife that they were holding him on the grounds that he had "withdrawn the contributed capital after the incorporation of the company" and that they were in the process of issuing a formal arrest notification. His wife, however, has not received any formal arrest notice. Liu Yuandong is detained in Guangzhou city's Tianhe district detention centre.

Liu Yuandong has taken an active part in a number of social movements or protests in China. He was briefly detained after he took part in a solidarity action for the people of the nearby village of Wukan who were protesting against local corruption and land grabs. More than 500 people across China signed a petition in March, within three days, calling for him to be released.

Please write immediately in English or your own language:

n      Calling on the authorities to give Liu Yuandong immediate access to his family, legal representation of his choosing and any medical attention he may require;

n      Calling on them to release Liu Yuandong immediately and unconditionally;

n      Calling on them to ensure that Liu Yuandong is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 31 MAY 2013 TO:

Director, Tianhe District People’s Procuratorate

Liu Zhimin Jianchazhang

Guangzhoushi Tianhequ Remin Jianchayuan, 19 Longkou West Road

Tianhequ, Guangzhoushi 510630

People’s Republic of China

Salutation: Dear Director

Director, Tianhe District Public Security Sub-branch

Jin Wei Juzhang

Guangzhoushi Tianhequ Gong'anfenju, 613 Shougoulinglu, Tianhequ,

Guangzhoushi 510640,

People’s Republic of China

Salutation: Dear Director

And copies to:

Premier

Li Keqiang Guojia Zongli

The State Council General Office

2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu Beijingshi 100017 People’s Republic of China

Fax: +86 10 6596 1109

Email: Notice@scio.gov.cn

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. 

 URGENT ACTION

ACTIVIST DETAINED, RISKS TORTURE

Additional Information

Activist and lawyers in China believe that the police decision to investigate Liu Yuandong’s business activities is politically motivated. The police have told his wife that he is suspected of having violated the Criminal Law, Article 159: "Any sponsor or shareholder of a company who, in violation of the provisions of the Company Law, makes a false capital contribution by failing to pay the promised cash or tangible assets or to transfer property rights, or surreptitiously withdraws the contributed capital after the incorporation of the company shall, if the amount involved is huge, and the consequences are serious, or if there are other serious circumstances, be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years or criminal detention and shall also, or shall only, be fined not less than two percent but not more than 10 percent of the false capital contribution or of the amount of the capital contribution surreptitiously withdrawn."

Name: Liu Yuandong

Gender m/f: m

UA: 102/13 Index: ASA 17/012/2013 Issue Date: 19 April 2013

ROMA IN POLAND: FORCED EVICTIONS.

The issue of forced evictions of Roma in EU countries who must be held to a high standard of human rights protection simply will not go away.  Your attention is called to forced evictions of Roma in Poland. Please act. 

LABOR ISSUES:

We have a lockout of port workers by a Japanese  company in the United States.  Please donate a few seconds of your time to support them.  We also have both good news and bad news from Turkey.    Please help pressure the Turkish government.