China: Arrest and detention of human rights defender Ren Shangyan

Your Excellency,

I am deeply concerned following the arrest and detention of human rights defender Ren Shangyan on 16 May 2008. Ren Shangyan is Assistant Director of China Justice Advocacy Web (Zhonghua Shenzheng Wang), a website which has worked to monitor corruption in China since 2005.

On 16 May 2008, at approximately 4.00pm, Ren Shangyan was arrested by twelve police officers of Shuangyashan Public Security Bureau (SPSB) in Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province. She had been investigating accusations against Wang Yijun, Vice-Chief of the Anti-Corruption Bureau under the Procuratorate of Lingdong District, Shuangyashan City.

In March 2008, China Justice Advocacy's website was temporarily closed by the internet police in Sichuan province when investigations into the case were begun. In 2007, the website was repeatedly blocked following various reports on corruption cases in Shanghai.

I believe that Ren Shangyan has been targeted because of her legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular her work to monitor corruption in China. I am concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Ren Shangyan.

I urge the Chinese authorities to:

1.Immediately and unconditionally release Ren Shangyan, as Front Line believes that she is being held solely as a result of her legitimate work in the defence of human rights;

2.Ensure that the treatment of Ren Shangyan, while in detention, adheres to all those conditions set out in the ‘Basic Principles for Treatment of Prisoners, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990’;

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

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. I would particularly draw attention to Article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters“, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”

Yours sincerely,