United Nations Concerned about the Chinese Government Arrest of a UNHCR Refugee

The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group

(Clearwisdom.net) On May 23, 2005 the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group submitted an appeal letter to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other international human rights organizations working on refugee issues regarding the second illegal arrest of Mrs. Zhang Xinyi, a refugee recognized by UNHCR. Various parties are concerned about the case.

Mrs. Zhang Xinyi is a refugee recognized by UNHCR, and her case is a special one in UNHCR. Her second arrest is causing serious concern at the United Nations and international human rights organizations. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government's act of arresting North Korean refugees has been widely condemned by international society, and many western governments and human rights organizations are negotiating with the Chinese government through various channels. Now the CCP government has publicly detained this UNHCR refugee, without regard for the international impact.

Mrs. Zhang Xinyi and her husband, both Falun Gong practitioners in Changsha City, have a pending refugee status and are protected under the UNHCR Cambodian Branch Bureau. Police in Phnom Penh, Cambodia illegally broke into Zhang Xinyi's home on August 2, 2002 at the instigation of the Chinese Embassy. Ignoring the fact that Zhang Xinyi showed them the UNHCR document that confirmed their status and protection by the UNHCR, the police clearly told Zhang Xinyi and her husband that they were carrying out orders from the Chinese Embassy, because someone reported to the Chinese Embassy that Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials had been found in a package the couple had sent to China.

The couple was deported back to China on August 9, 2002. They were immediately sent to the Hunan Province Changsha City Detention Center. A month later, due to international pressure, the couple was released on bail. But the CCP government's persecution of the couple did not stop. On April 28, 2005, Hunan Province Police Department, Changsha City Tianxin District Police Department and Xinkaipu Police Station worked together and arrested Zhang Xinyi again, and searched her home. Now Zhang Xinyi is being held in cell 3, No. 1 East Building, Changsha City Detention Center. She started a hunger strike to protest her illegal detention.

The CCP government's persecution of Mrs. Zhang Xinyi violates international law and the United Nations Human Rights Convention. The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group has submitted an appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and UNHCR. Mrs. Zhang's case was filed before with UNHCR in August 2002, and the officials of UNHCR are negotiating with the Chinese government through various channels. The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group has also appealed to several international human rights organizations, to expose the true image of the Chinese Communist Party, and to help Mrs. Zhang Xinyi gain freedom again.

May 28, 2005

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