New York correspondent reports having received information from human rights activist Dr Yang Jianli that the U.N. Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) for Liu Xiaobo and his wife, Liu Xia, has issued opinions requesting the Chinese Government to release Liu Xiaobo and to end Liu Xia’s house arrest. (WGAD Opinions No. 15/2011 and Opinion No. 16/2011). Upon investigation of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia’s personal circumstances and current situations, the Opinions rendered that Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia have been arbitrarily deprived of liberty, requested the Chinese Government to release Liu Xiaobo, end Liu Xia’s house arrest and provide compensation.
According to information, the WGAD communicated with the Chinese Government before the Opinions were released. The Chinese Government responded on April 13, 2011 that the People’s Republic of China is a nation respecting the rule of law, that the citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy the right to a limited freedom of speech – including the right to criticize the government, and that Liu Xiaobo had been convicted for inciting subversion of state power. The Chinese Government responded to the WGAD on March 29, 2011 regarding Liu Xia’s case. In its reply, the Chinese Government acknowledged that the WGAD’s letter had been received, pointed out that the Government of the People’s Republic of China had conducted careful investigation on the situation mentioned in the letter, and stated that no legal enforcement measure has been taken against Liu Xia. The reply also added that China is a country of rule of law where the legal rights of the citizens are protected by the law, and requested that the content of this reply be included in the relevant files of the United Nations.
Since the disappearance of Liu Xia in October 2011, Dr Yang Jianli, founder of Initiatives for China, together with international legal advocacy organization Freedom Now, has provided the Working Group with information regarding Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia, and pressed for the WGAD to review Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia’s cases. Dr Yang Jianli’s colleague Jared Genser, founder of Freedom Now, published an article in The Times, calling the international community to continue to pressure the Chinese Government regarding Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia’s situations. The article also makes three specific recommendations; 1) diplomats visiting China should try to search for and meet with Liu Xia, 2) Western nations should make Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia’s cases a top concern in bilateral relations with China, 3) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should join the Working Group in calling for the immediate release of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia.
(Zhang Xian)
Click here to read UN Opinion No. 15/2011 for Liu Xiaobo
Click here to read UN Opinion No. 16/2011 for Liu Xia