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Sept 25, 2009
Amnesty International
Haji Memet and Abdusalam Nasir were detained on 23
September, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region
(XUAR) in northwest China, reportedly on suspicion of
leaking “state secrets”. The “state secrets” are
believed to be related to allegations of torture that
led to the death of Shoret Tursun, Haji Memet’s
relative. Both men are at risk of torture and other
ill-treatment.
Haji Memet is related to Shohret Tursun, who was
detained on 6 July in Urumqi, capital of the XUAR.
Shohret Tursun died in custody. On 19 September, the
police in Lengger (Chinese: Langan) village in Korgas
(Chinese: Huocheng) county, Ili (Chinese: Yili)
prefecture gave Shohret Tursun’s body to his family,
stating that he had suffered a fatal heart attack.
According to the family, his chest was covered in
bruises and his legs, stomach and back were scarred and
cut. Shohret Tursun's family believes he died as a
result of torture. They refused to bury the body
immediately as requested by the police and called for an
investigation. Radio Free Asia, quoting unnamed
villagers, reported that the family home was surrounded
on 19 September by eight truck loads of soldiers and two
armed vehicles, who prevented villagers from visiting
the family.
Soldiers forcibly entered the family’s home on 19
September and threatened to bury Shohret Torsun if the
family did not do so themselves. The family then buried
Shohret Tursun on Sunday 20 September. Abdusalam Nasir
was involved in performing the burial rites. According
to Radio Free Asia, Shohret Tursun’s father used
Abdusalam Nasir mobile phone before the burial to call
Radio Free Asia, which then published the allegations of
torture on 19 September.
There has been a heavy police presence in the village
since the burial of Shohret Tursun as the police have
been investigating who is the source for Radio Free
Asia, regarding information on Shohret Tursun’s case.
They are said to still be searching for a third, unnamed
person.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Mandarin, English or your
own language;
Demand the authorities immediately and unconditionally
release Haji Mamat and Abdusalam Nasir, unless they are
charged with an internationally recognizable criminal
offence;
demand they are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated
while they remain in custody;
call on the authorities to ensure they have access to
their family and legal counsel of their choice;
urge the authorities to conduct an independent and
impartial investigation into the allegations that
Shohret Tursun’s death in custody was as a result of
torture, with a view of bringing those guilty to
justice.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 16 October TO:
Chairman of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional
People's Government
Nur BEKRI Zhuxi
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu,2 Zhongshanlu,
Wulumuqishi, 830041
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
Email: master@xinjiang.gov.cn
Salutation: Dear Chairman
Chairman of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of the
People's Republic of China
YANG Jing Zhuren
Guojia Minzu Shiwu Weiyuanhui
252 Taipingqiaodajie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100800
People's Republic of China
Salutation: Your Excellency
Director of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional
Department of Public Security
LIU Yaohua Tingzhang
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Gong'anting
58 Huanghelu
Wulumuqishi 830001
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
Salutation: Dear Director
Send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to
your country. Please check with your section office if
sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
Two Uighur men at risk of torture
Additional Information
Shohret Tursun was one of some 40 people from Korgas who
were detained around at the time of the July riots in
Urumqi, the regional capital. According to his father,
quoted by Radio Free Asia, he was transferred to Ili on
18 July and further on to Korgas on 23 July.
All over China, tight security measures are in place as
the country prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary
of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China
on 1 October 1949. These include checkpoints on all
roads leading to Beijing and suspension of postal
services for liquids. Many human rights activists are
being silenced to ensure celebrations proceed according
to the authorities plan and thousands of people have
been detained in “strike hard” anti-crime campaigns. The
authorities have again stopped issuing travel permits to
foreigners to the Tibet Autonomous Region, and in the
XUAR, the recent riots have only added to the heavy
security.
Following the July unrest in the XUAR the authorities
have detained thousands, reportedly brought dozens to
trial, and threatened those involved in the unrest with
harsh sentences. The authorities have interpreted all
signs of dissent as stemming from “terrorist” or
“separatist” activities, justifying their harsh
crackdown while ignoring deep-rooted sources of the
discontent. Authorities claim that the July unrest was
orchestrated by organizations operating outside China
including the World Uyghur Congress whose current
president is Rebiya Kadeer, former prisoner of
conscience. Eye-witness accounts received by Amnesty
International contradict government accounts of the
events of July, and suggest excessive use of force on
the part of the authorities resulting in injury and
deaths.
A recently concluded meeting of the Chinese Communist
Party Central Committee vowed to "effectively prevent
and resolutely crack down on ethnicity-related
separatist activities" and to institutionalize measures
to combat corruption.
Over recent years the Chinese authorities have
increasingly used vaguely-worded provisions in the
Criminal Law to curtail freedom of expression. These
include "disturbing public order" and "endangering state
security", which includes, among others, "subversion of
state power", "separatism" and "leaking state secrets".
The definition of "state secrets" is very broad and
arbitrary, and can be retroactive and hence open to
misuse: people charged with these crimes are often
deprived of many rights, including access to legal
counsel of their choosing, access to family and a public
trial. Rebiya Kadeer, for example, was convicted on
charges of “leaking state secrets”. The verdict of her
trial describes the "secret information" as copies of
the publicly available newspapers, Kashgar Daily,
Xinjiang Legal News, Yili Daily and Yili Evening News,
that she sent to her husband in the USA.
UA: 252/09 Index: ASA 17/053/2009 Issue Date: 24
September 2009
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