Human rights defender Mr Chen Guangcheng and his wife, Ms Yuan Weijing, have reportedly been badly beaten following the release of a video, which they secretly recorded, documenting their house arrest.

Further Information

In the video, which surfaced on 9 February 2011, Chen Guangcheng detailed the ill-treatment that he and his family have suffered under house arrest in China. Chen Guangcheng is a human rights lawyer who was released from prison on 9 September 2010, having served over four years imprisonment as a result of his work exposing human rights abuses in Linyi city, Shandong province. Since then, he and his family have been subjected to a strictly enforced house arrest.

It is reported that the severe physical assault of Chen Guangcheng and his wife was conducted by State security officers from Linyi city and police from Shuanghou town, Shandong province. It is further reported that following the assault, Chen Guangcheng and his wife were denied access to a hospital for treatment.

In the secretly recorded video, which was passed to US-based Chinese Christian rights group China Aid, Chen Guangcheng describes his house being watched 24 hours a day by three teams of 22 people, who spy on his family inside and prevent them from leaving the premises; Chen Guangcheng states that “I have come from a small prison and walked into a larger one”.

Only Chen Guangcheng's elderly mother is permitted to set foot outside in order to buy food. His phone line has been cut and mobile phone jamming equipment has been installed to prevent communication with the outside world.

The video, which is thought to have been recorded 10 weeks into his house arrest, marks the first time Chen Guangcheng has been heard from since his release from prison.

Any individuals who have attempted to help Chen Guangcheng or his family have reportedly been subjected to threats. Those who have attempted to visit him have been turned away, sometimes violently, at the entrances to his village, allegedly by hired thugs.

Front Line believes that the ongoing house arrest of Chen Guangcheng and his family is directly related to his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Chen Guangcheng and his family.

Front Line urges the authorities in China to:

1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the reported physical assault of Chen Guangcheng and his wife, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

2. Take immediate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Chen Guangcheng and his wife, including through the immediate granting of freedom to access medical services including hospitals;

3. Immediately and unconditionally remove all inhibitions on the free movement of Chen Guangcheng and other members of his family and cease all further forms of surveillance or harassment against them, as it is believed that these measures are not only solely related to his legitimate human rights activities but, furthermore, constitute a direct transgression of the rights of Chen Guangcheng and his family members;

4. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in China are able to carry out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

Yours sincerely,