China: Human rights defender Zeng Jinyan disappears
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the disappearance of human rights defender Zeng Jinyan on 7 August 2008. Zeng Jinyan is married to jailed human rights defender Hu Jia, co¬founder of the Beijing Aizhixing Institute for Health Education, a non-governmental organisation which promotes public awareness and education on the issue of HIV/ AIDS. Hu Jia was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison in April 2008.
Further Information
Posted 12/08/2008 All attempts to contact Zeng Jinyan have failed since 7 August 2008. Her mobile telephone is reportedly out of service. Zeng Jinyan and her baby daughter have been under strict police surveillance since Hu Jia's arrest. They have reportedly been prevented from leaving their home and newspaper reporters have been refused access to her apartment in Beijing.
Hu Jia was detained on 27 December 2007 after giving his public testimony to the European Parliament in which he gave details of human rights violations being committed in China. He was officially arrested on 30 January 2008 and charged with “incitement to subvert state power”. He is currently being held in Beijing's Municipal Detention Centre.
Front Line believes that Zeng Jinyan has disappeared as a result of her legitimate and non-violent work in defence of human rights, and that this disappearance constitutes an attempt to silence all human rights defenders during the Olympic Games that are currently under way in Beijing. In view of reports of her disappearance, Front Line expresses its concern for the physical and psychological security of Zeng Jinyan.
This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.
Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.
