Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group Appeals to the United Nations on Behalf of Chinese Attorney Guo Guoting

(Clearwisdom.net) On March 8, 2005, the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group, which has been working in conjunction with the United Nations for a number of years, formally appealed to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights regarding the case of attorney Guo Guoting from Shanghai's Tianyi Law Firm. Mr. Guo Guoting's license was revoked and his office computer was confiscated by personnel from the Shanghai Bureau of Justice. The reason for Mr. Guo being subjected to such suppression and harassment is because he not only defended dissidents in China, but he also acted as defence counsel for Falun Gong practitioners Mr. Qu Yanlai, Mr. Chen Guanghui and Mr. Lei Jiangtao, against enormous pressure from the government.

The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group sent their petition simultaneously to three UN Human Rights supervising systems: the Commissioner for Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Commissioner for Freedom of Speech and Human Rights Commissioner for the Protection of Independence of Judges and Lawyers in

Executing their Judicial Rights.

The petition not only details the threats and harassments Guo Guoting has been subjected to at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, including how they confiscated his law licence, but it also details how lawyer Guo Guoting fought for the freedom of Falun Gong practitioner Qu Yanlai, who is on the brink of death due to the Jiang regime's persecution. It also included the specific content of the appeal he made on behalf of Qu Yanlai. The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group also included in their petition relevant international media reports about Guo Guoting's case.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is very concerned with such cases. During the annual sessions of the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Commissioner has repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting the safety of human rights defenders because they are the guarantee of the improvement of the human rights situation in each country.

Last year, in his report on reinforcing the law, the UN Secretary General mentioned China in particular. He also addressed how senior officials from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has worked in cooperation with the Chinese government in reinforcing the rule of law.

The actions against Attorney Guo Guoting once again exposed to the international community the deceptive tricks of the Chinese Communist Party. Instead of observing the UN's Human Rights Memorandum, the Chinese Communist government has violated a number of basic human rights laws.

The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group will continue to pay close attention to the case of Attorney Guo Guoting. If the Chinese Communist Party continues to persecute Mr. Guo or cause him any bodily injury, the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group will present his case to the 61^st Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, to be held in Geneva this month, and to all delegates from various countries.

March 9, 2005

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