Jun 16, 2008

Southern Mongolia: UNPO Appeal for Jaranbayar Soyolt


The whereabouts of Mongolian human rights activist Jaranbayar Soyolt have been unknown since he was detained on 6 January 2008 at Beijing Capital International Airport by Chinese authorities, for alleged involvement in "overseas activities harmful to China's security." UNPO has appealed to Chinese authorities to reveal Mr Soyolt’s whereabouts and treat him humanely and in accordance with basic standards of criminal justice.

The Hague, 16 June 2008 – On 6 January 2008, Jaranbayar Soyolt, a citizen of Mongolia, was detained by immigration officials at Beijing Capital International Airport. Jaranbayar Soyolt is a nonviolent human rights activist and a founding member of several exiled dissident groups based in Mongolia.

According to Amnesty International, Jaranbayar Soyolt telephoned one of his colleagues on 11 January 2008 under duress from Chinese authorities. Jaranbayar Soyolt said he was being detained in Beijing because of problems with his passport, and asked that nothing about his arrest be revealed to foreign media in order not to "make things worse". As a result of this threat, his family has not publicized his case until recently. They have not had any further contact with Jaranbayar Soyolt since this telephone call.

On 31 January 2008, the Beijing Public Security Bureau confirmed that Jaranbayar Soyolt had entered China through the airport on 6 January 2008, though the Bureau had previously denied any knowledge of his whereabouts.

Jaranbayar Soyolt suffers from ill-health, and in the light of this and of persistent reports about torture and other ill-treatment of political dissidents in China, UNPO is extremely concerned for his well-being and safety.

Given that the human rights record of the People’s Republic of China is currently under close scrutiny ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this is an opportunity for China either to demonstrate to the international community that it respects international human rights norms or to reaffirm the world’s doubts in this regard.

Based on the above UNPO has appealed to the Beijing Public Security Bureau and the Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau to:

- reveal the whereabouts of Jaranbayar Soyolt, who was detained at Beijing Capital International Airport on 6 January;

- release Jaranbayar Soyolt immediately, or charge him with a recognizable criminal offence and ensure he is tried promptly in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards;

-provide assurances that Jaranbayar Soyolt  is treated humanely in detention, and not tortured or ill-treated;

- give Jaranbayar Soyolt immediate and regular access to his family, a lawyer of his choice, and any medical treatment he may require.

 

APPEALS TO:

Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau

MA Zhenchuan Juzhang

Beijingshi Gong'anju

9 Qianmen Dongdajie

Dongchengqu

Beijingshi 100740

People's Republic of China

Email: [email protected]

Salutation: Dear Director

 

 

Director of the Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau

WU Yuhua Juzhang

Beijingshi Sifaju

12 Xinjiekouwaidajie

Xichengqu

Beijingshi 100088

People's Republic of China

Email: [email protected]

Salutation: Dear Director

 

 

COPIES TO:

Ambassador to the People's Republic of China

Dr Galsen BATSUKH

Embassy of Mongolia

No 2, Xiushui Beijie Jian Guo,

Men Wai Da Jie

Beijing,

People's Republic of China;

Fax: +86 10 6532 5045 

The fax number listed can be unreliable, please keep trying.

 

And to diplomatic representatives of China accredited to your country.

 

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.