Urgent appeal sent on 30 June 2008
545. On 30 June 2008, Special Rapporteur, together with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, sent an urgent appeal to the Government regarding Mr. Yao Lifa, an activist promoting local democratic elections in Hubei Province.
546. According to information received, on 26 June 2008 Mr. Yao Lifa participated in a demonstration against alleged police brutality which was held outside the government building in Qingjiang City. Mr. Yao Lifa disappeared during the demonstration, at which local and National Security police were present. At 7 p.m. on the same evening, Yao called his family and told them that he had been abducted and brought to Gaoshibei Township, 50 kilometers from Qingjiang City. At 11 p.m., Yao's family received another call from him, informing them that he was at Zhongxiang Township, about 100 km from Qingjiang City. It is feared that he has been detained by Hubei police and his currents whereabouts are unknown.
547. Mr. Yao Lifa was an elected member of the People's Congress of Qingjiang City from 1999 to 2004. He subsequently published a book outlining the challenges to independent politicians, which was banned. He has reportedly been subject to intimidation and harassment by police after running as an independent candidate in 2006. In September 2007, Yao Lifa was vocal in demanding the removal of the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in Hubei Province. Reports indicate that following this, in October 2007, he was secretly detained for a month at Qianjiang City Xiongkou Farmers Liaison Office.
548. Concern was expressed that the disappearance of Mr. Yao Lifa may have been directly related to his activities in defense of human rights, in particular through his exercise of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. In view of reports of his detention in October 2007, serious concern was expressed for his physical and psychological integrity.
Response from the Government
549. In a letter dated 03 September 2008, the Government responded to the communication of 30 June 2008, providing the following information: "The Government has made careful and detailed inquiries in connection with the matter raised in the communication and wishes to make the following reply. Yao Lifa, male, born on 20 November 1958, is a teacher at the Experimental Primary School in Qianjiang, Hubei Province. In 1999, he was elected as a Deputy to the Qianjiang Municipal People's Congress. In November 2006, the city of Qianjiang held elections for deputies to the sixth municipal and township people's congresses. During the election period, Yao illegally distributed publicity materials containing false information in the downtown area. When the Qianjiang police were informed of this, they issued Yao, in accordance with the law, a summons together with a warning to observe the relevant laws and regulations and not to use any deceitful methods during the elections. The public security authorities were doing their duty in accordance with the law, and the allegation in the communication that Yao was "subject to intimidation and harassment by the police" does not tally with what really happened. In September 2007, the municipal education authorities in Qianjiang, seeking to address a problem posed by some teachers in the city who had long failed to observe professional discipline or meet their responsibilities as professional educators, organized a study group which included lectures on such topics as the Teachers Law and instruction in how teachers could fulfil their professional responsibilities and be good teachers. Yao was one of the teachers who had long neglected his professional responsibilities, regularly arriving late and leaving early, and absenting himself from work without requesting leave. He was thus one of the participants in the study group. The allegation in the communication that Yao was secretly detained in the Xinogkou Farmers Liaison Office in Qianjiang in September and October 2007 is not consistent with the facts. On 26 June 2006, Yao and some other teachers from the Qianjiang Experimental Primary School were sent to an appropriate institution to study. The allegation in the communication that Yao was detained by the police after participating in a demonstration on that day and that his whereabouts are unknown is inconsistent with the facts. At present, no government departments or judicial authorities are restricting Yao's freedom of movement, and no coercive measures have been taken in respect of him; the relevant government and judicial authorities have not received any complaint from Yao himself or from his representative.
Observations
550. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the Government's reply.
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