More than 100 human rights organizations and civil society groups have jointly called on the Chinese government to immediately release Mr. Hada, a prominent Southern Mongolian human rights defender who has been subjected to over 30 years of persecution for his peaceful advocacy. Despite completing a 15-year prison sentence in 2010, Hada has remained under extrajudicial detention and disappeared on 6 February 2025 after being hospitalized by authorities under suspicious circumstances. His case highlights the broader pattern of repression in Southern Mongolia, where communities face forced assimilation, cultural erasure, and land expropriation as part of Beijing’s systematic targeting of non-Han populations. His recent nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize by U.S. and Japanese lawmakers underscores international recognition of his decades-long struggle for justice. The coalition urges full disclosure of Hada’s whereabouts, his unconditional release, and accountability for his treatment. UNPO, a supporter of Southern Mongolia since 2004, strongly condemns Hada’s enforced disappearance and calls for urgent international action to protect his rights and those of the Mongolian people.
At a critical time for human rights and international justice, the global community is called upon to unite its voice to demand freedom for Mr. Hada, a historic rights activist of the Southern Mongolian people. Over 100 human rights organizations, civil society representatives and freedom advocates from around the world, joined by UNPO, have joined efforts to call on the Chinese government to immediately release Mr. Hada after being hospitalized by Chinese authorities under suspicious circumstances.
Hada, a prominent Southern Mongolian human rights activist and chairman of the Southern Mongolia Democratic Alliance, has long been a symbol of peaceful resistance and resilience in the face of decades of Chinese government repression. Hada is often referred to as the ‘Nelson Mandela of Southern Mongolia’, devoting more than 30 years of his life to the peaceful defence of the rights and self-determination of the Inner Mongolian people, rights enshrined in the Chinese Constitution itself, but continually denied. After his unjust arrest in 1995 on politically motivated charges, Hada was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Despite completing his sentence in 2010, he has remained in extrajudicial detention ever since.
In recognition of his long and courageous fight for justice, Mr. Hada was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize by four Japanese parliamentarians, as well as US Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Chris Smith. On 6 February 2025, Hada was admitted by the Chinese authorities due to an alleged urgent medical condition. Since that date, no information has been made available about his condition or whereabouts. His disappearance under such circumstances has raised serious concerns about his safety and well-being, and underlines the urgency of immediate international action to end a system of repression that not only undermines the fundamental rights of a people, but is a clear attack on cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence.
Southern Mongolia
Southern Mongolia, more commonly known as Inner Mongolia, is a vast area in the north of the People’s Republic of China. Founded in 1947 as the country’s first autonomous region, it was established with the stated aim of providing some political and cultural representation to the local Mongolian population. However, since its creation, regional autonomy has proved to be more nominal than substantial: the control exercised by Beijing has progressively intensified, reducing the space for ethnic minorities to express themselves.
Historically, the Mongolian population has preserved a strong cultural identity, deeply rooted in their language, nomadic traditions, and connection to the land. However, the Chinese authorities have promoted large-scale internal migration of the Han majority, China’s dominant ethnic group, characterized by a millennia old culture based on Confucianism, Standard Mandarin, and a unified national vision. As a result, Mongols now make up less than 20% of the region’s population. At the same time, the state has continued to seize land traditionally used for grazing, dismantle the nomadic lifestyle, and enforce a gradual but systematic policy of cultural assimilation.
Over the years, the People’s Republic of China has intensified its policies of cultural assimilation and political repression, systematically violating the fundamental rights of non-Han populations in regions such as Tibet, East Turkestan and Southern Mongolia. Among the most serious abuses are the arbitrary detention of political dissidents, the expropriation of lands traditionally used by nomadic communities, and the deliberate suppression of cultural and linguistic heritage. Chinese authorities continue to enforce policies of forced assimilation, widespread surveillance, and targeted repression of peaceful activists. One prominent figure is Mr. Hada, a historic dissident and symbol of non-violent resistance among the Southern Mongolian people. His recent disappearance on 6 February 2025, reportedly following hospitalization for medical reasons, marks yet another grave episode in Beijing’s long-standing pattern of human rights violations against the Mongolian minority.
Southern Mongolia has been a member of UNPO since 2004. UNPO works to protect the rights of the people of Southern Mongolia as a whole, collaborating with various civil society organisations, groups and representatives of the Mongolian community.
UNPO strongly supports Hada in his tireless struggle for human rights and self-determination of the people of Southern Mongolia and condemns his enforced disappearance, and the continued human rights violations perpetrated by the Chinese authorities. An immediate and transparent clarification of his whereabouts is imperative, along with the full respect of his fundamental rights.
The letter and the list of signatories may be found below:
URGENT ACTION: Call to Free Hada, Southern Mongolian Dissident
We urge the Chinese government to immediately release Mr. Hada, a prominent Southern Mongolian dissident and long-time political prisoner. He has disappeared since February 6, 2025 following his hospitalization by Chinese authorities for an alleged “urgent medical condition.” His current whereabouts and well-being remain unknown. This latest development is part of a 30-year long persecution by the Chinese government in response to his unwavering advocacy for the rights of the Southern Mongolian people.
30 Years of Imprisonment, Secret Detention and Disappearance
In 1995, Hada was arrested and later sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of “separatism and espionage.” Upon completing his sentence in 2010, instead of being freed, he was subjected to an additional four years of extrajudicial detention and has been under secret detention ever since in a place tightly guarded by the Chinese Public Security authorities. His works, including Way Out of Southern Mongolia and the underground journal Voice of Southern Mongolia, lay out his ideas on Southern Mongolian rights.
Family Implication and Ongoing Persecution
Hada’s wife, Xinna, and son, Uiles, have also endured relentless persecution for over 30 years. Both have been repeatedly accused, harassed, and imprisoned on trumped-up charges due to their outspoken criticism of the Chinese government’s mistreatment of their family and its broader human rights abuses in Southern Mongolia.
International Recognition and Call for Urgent Action
In recognition of his lifelong struggle for justice, Hada was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize by four Japanese parliament members, as well as U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Chris Smith. His disappearance underscores the urgent need for international intervention. We call on human rights organizations, governments, and the global community to:
- Demand immediate and unconditional disclosure of Hada’s whereabouts and well-being.
- Pressure China to release Hada unconditionally and restore his family’s fundamental freedoms.
- Hold the Chinese government accountable for its persecution and maltreatment of Hada and his family members over the past 30 years.
Join the Effort – Sign Your Name
We urge human rights organizations and defenders of freedom worldwide to join this urgent call for action by adding their names to this statement. By signing, you stand in solidarity with Hada and his family and reinforce the demand for justice, human rights and human dignity. To endorse this urgent action, kindly please add your organization’s name below:
Signed By:
Elbegdorj Tsakhyiagiin, President of World Mongol Federation, Former President of Mongolia Maya Wang, Associate China Director, Human Rights Watch
Erika Nguyen, Program Director, PEN America
Hanno Schedler, Advisor, Society for Threatened Peoples
Merce Monje Cano, Executive Director, Unrepresented Nations, and Peoples Organization Zumretay Arkin, Vice President, World Uyghur Congress
Ivy Li, Spokesperson, Canadian Friends of Hong Kong
Zhou Fengsuo, Executive Director, Human Rights In China
Dr. Yang Jianli, President, Citizen Power Initiatives for China
Dr. Sanj Altan, President, Mongol American Cultural Association
Dr. Chuluu Ujiyediin, President, Chinggis Khan Memorial Foundation
Mandie McKeown, Executive Director, International Tibet Network
Aurora Chang, East Asian Regional Coordinator, International Tibet Network Hidetoshi Ishii, President, Indo-Pacific Human Rights Information Center
Enghebatu Togochog, Director, Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center
And the following rights groups:
“ Mini Nutag” ( Political Yearbook ) Alberta Uyghur Association ARTICLE 19
Ashavan Organization
Asia Freedom Institute
Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association Buryaad Mongol United Association
Campaign For Uyghurs
Canadian Friends of hong Kong
Centre for Human Rights and Development
China Against the Death Penalty
Chinggis Khan Memorial Foundation
Citizen Congress Watch
Citizen Power Initiatives for China
Congress of Buryat-Mongol People
Doublethink Lab
Free Mongols
Free Tibet
Free Tibet Fukuoka
Free Tibet Italia
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete-Portugal
Hazara Community of Washington
Hazara Organization for Peace and Equality (HOPE) Human Rights Foundation
Human Rights in China
Human Rights Watch
Indo-Pacific Human Rights Information Center Inner Mongolian People’s Party (Headquarter) Inner Mongolian People’s Party Branch Europe Inner Mongolian People’s Party Branch Japan Inner Mongolian People’s Party Branch Mongolia Inner Mongolian People’s Party Branch USA InterMongol Network
International Defenders Council
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR BUDDHIST & KALMYK STUDIES International Society for Human Rights
International Society for Human Rights – Sweden
International Tibet Network
IPK Media (Shining Light Media)
Japan Uyghur Association
Kalmyk Project
Law and Society Alliance (India)
MAEC
Mongol American Cultural Association
Mongol Heritage Foundation
No Business With Genocide
Nutug Chuulgan
Objectif Tibet
Particulier
PEN America
Regional Tibetan Women’s Association
Regional Tibetan Youth Congress
Regional Tibetan Youtu Congress
Save the Mongolian Language Movement
Save Mongolian Language NGO
SISAT
Society for Threatened Peoples
Southern Mongolia Support Group
Southern Mongolia TV
Southern Mongolian Community Florida
Southern Mongolian Community Bay Area
Southern Mongolian Community Canada
Southern Mongolian Community Chicago
Southern Mongolian Community DC Area
Southern Mongolian Community France
Southern Mongolian Community Tri-State Area
Southern Mongolian Community U.K.
Southern Mongolian Herders’ Rights Defense Group
Southern Mongolian Human Rights Defense League
Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC)
Southern Mongolian Rescue Committee
Southern Mongolian Rights Defenders
Students for a Free Tibet U.K. Chapter Students for a Free Tibet International Students for a Free Tibet U.S. Chapter Students for Falun Gong
Swedish Uyghur Union
Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association
Swiss Uyghur Association
Taiwanese Civil Aid to HKers, TAHK
The Artist Oliver James
The Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk People
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Tibetan Youth Congress
Tusgaar Buryad Mongolia
U.S. Tibet Committee
Unrepresented Peoples and Nations Organisation Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights Uyghur Human Rights Project
Uyghur PEN Centre
Voice of Southern Mongolia
World Hazara Council
World Mongol Federation Chapter Europe
World Mongol Federation Chapter Japan
World Mongol Federation Chapter Mongolia World Mongol Federation Chapter USA
World Mongol Federation Global NGO
World Uyghur Congress
World Uyghur Congress Foundation
Yibao (Newspaper/Online Publication)
Zerd Band
Конгресс Ойрат-калмыцкого народа 世界モンゴル人連盟
Date published: April 14, 2025
CONTACTS:
Enghebatu Togochog, Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information
Center: [email protected]
Hidetoshi Ishii, Indo-Pacific Human Rights Information Center: [email protected] Aurora Chang, International Tibet Network: [email protected]
